The Washington herald., 1914-08-16
DREAMS THAT DIE N war.
Thoughts In.pirsa BIZ Rush from
AMERICA 10 Baftieneids.

AMERICA 10 Baftisaeids.
.ohicaro Frenchnsn on to the War
roSsv . ssrwelye Thousand Seek Pas
| sare 10 war scene." Two Thousand
/ Lnstrians Ready.s These and many
other newspaper headlines about re-
| servfsts calI attention 70 the httie
dreams that die IN wars fierce atmos-
phere. the long-held secret hopes that
are blasted BY the deadly hres OF con-
nict.
at their countrys eall-oermanf. Aus
| trisng. Frenchmen. Engiishmen-was this
the return they had dreamed of Was
| II with the idea OF going back to their
native lands to play q part insthe ter
rible tragedy OF war that they came 70
this country. with AL its golden oppor-
tunities7
No. Most of them came with Joyous
hearta either 70 make their, home here or
20 return at last to the Fatherland with
/ the fruits OF peace and honest hoot
| Most Of them had thought TO take some
Gretchen or Marie or Joan by the hand.
after the years Of waiting and struggle,
70 make a little hearth and home against
old age.
talked chiefly OF the larger aspects OF
the great conflict. Of the vast empires
that arm, Of the millions that march
with measured step to the fray, OF
kings and rulers and the great men OF
the earth, Of the great conflicts by sea
and land that bid fair TO reeast the map
Of Europe and the world
/ but mora poignant in appeal TO the
human heart. more close 10 tears than
even the thought Of the wreck Of greai
empires, IL the thought Of the millions
OF humble folk who must put aside the
| little dreams that were all the world
TO them, the little cherished plans
furthered by patient thrift and waiting.
that great kings may decide their quar-
relR
In the mazes OF this thought the
kings and empires and great things fade,
ana one sees only the French peasant
| who has worked and worked, the Rus
sian reasant who has suffered and suf-
| fered, compelled to submit with dumb.
| patient eyes and hopeless heart as the
little cup Of his happiness Is taken from
his lips.
One sees only the unborn babies who
shall never know a mother because OF
| this great conflict, and whose pitiful
wraiths will wander till the end OF the
world in ghostly accusation OF mans
folly. One sees the girls who VIII never
be wives, the wives who will never be
mothers, the good old housewives who
will never have their childrenB chill
deem on their knees, the homes that will
never come into existence.
What Is Il to an empire that Hans and
Gretchen's little dream is blasted, that
Johan and Joan will never have the little
cottage in the English meadows. that
TOW Jean will never take Jeanne and her
little dowry OF spotless linen TO their
home? Nothing. But in the eyes Of Eter-
| nal Justice the little Is equal to the great
and Hans has as high a right 10 his hap
piness as the empire TO its greatness For
is It not written as part Of the Eternal
Plan that the last shall be hrst and
the first last?'' 90 .-.-.
The tempest skaters the great tree.
but spares the humble howso at Its
root War starts with the little flower
and blasts 1t ere the tall tree is riven.
War opens the cottage TO the winds
and rains OF heaven while yet the
lofty tower Is standing. War. blasts a
million little dreams OF little folk while
yet the great dream tremblss In the ball
ance.-Chicago Herald.