The Washington herald., 1914-12-20
UNCLE SAM THE BIGGEST MAN ON EARTH

destroying cities and towns. When per-
soma or nations have a profession. they
desire to practice IT, War in Europe.
consequently was inevitable.
The Americans. professionally. are
not lighting people. There are only
few soldiers In the United States. But
the soldiers we have, desiring advance
ment. which Is natural and commendable
in all walks OF life, would be glad II
war came and would clsmor for places
on the battle front. Every officer In the
army was ambitious to accompany Funs-
ton to Vera Cruz. II the army ruled here
as II does In Europe. the United States.
am sure. would be fighting this very
minute.
Having sown the wind, Europe is
reaping the whirlwind. 1t Us butchertng
all OF its able-bodied young men, and
hundreds Of thousands Of middle-aged
men Great stretches Of country will be
in ruins. Every foot Of Belgium has
been devastated Northern France Is
! filled with the debris Of battle-farms'
vineyards, and factories have been
wrecked. Such is the picture at present.
Conditions, however, are to grow worse.
For years to come. perhaps for CEN
turtles, maybe forever, the United States
is TO be the one great nation on earth.
financially, agriculturally and Industrial
ly. Men may disagree about the ques-
tons OF free trade and a protective
tariff Those subjects, however. can be
put aside. The factories and mills Of
Europe are shut Practically. imports
have stepped. All We have to do at pres
ent and for a long time to come Is to
trade our products for European gold.
This is to be the richest and happlest
country in the world. / would call on
our young men to prepare Themselves for
the boom that is on the way. They are
to lead mankind. being Americans, in all
the useful works of civilization. They
are TO be the wisest statesmen, the ablest
fnanciers, the most successful farmers
and the most progressive and prosperous
manufacturers on earth: but they must
be alert. honorable and diligent.
A Talk to Young Men.
"A splendid day Is dawning on the ad-
vancIng generation. l like TO talk to
young men. l would say. II all young
men could be brought together in one
place, that while their future is glorious,
their responsibility is very great and seri-
GUS. I would remind them that an indus
trious man is always a successful man.
He is always a happy man. He never
gets into trouble-no one ever got into
trouble while at work. No one ever
broke the laws Of his country while he
was at honest employment. Idleness be-
gets crime. trouble and shame.
II would also like to say that in all the
important problems Of life no young man
can afford to take any but the moral side
OF those problems. Get on the moral side
and stay on the moral side. And mean
while be practical Education is neces-
sary. but It is OF lite value unless it is
applied in a common-sense way to the
everyday affairs OF life.
Il remember a teacher who could read
Latin and Green and speak several mod
ern languages. A calf got his head
through a fence at the schoolhouse one
morning. The children ran to the teach
er and he. appearing on the scene. took
the calf by the tail. braced his foot
against a post and pulled. while the calf
opened its mouth and bawled until it
could be heard for mile. A boy plowing
in the field. who could only read and
speak his own tongue. and that none too
correctly. came to the fence. gra>pod the
calf by the nose with one hand and by
the ear with the other hand, twisted its
head sidewise and the calfs head came
out the way it went in
You were a country boy yourself.
said.
Yes, | was born on a farm in Iowa.
Ny mother and father were Irish but
they met and married in the United