The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-02
THE CITIZENS DUTY.
Plain Words On the Pernicious Anti
Enlistment Campaign.

t-C ohthh,c 81
the economy OF the nation should have
more careful attention than they hav
attracted. They are p~ernicious; the,
are a menace to the progress Of tn,
country In peace and civilization.
Many of the peace at any price advo-
Gates, even The best tntenttoned adnone
them. display q shocking lack of knowl.
edge OF American history. Judging
from their words We see In them 9
blind. innocent ignorance of human ma
ture. The Just must be ready. with
and for tho. unjust. to lay dow their
lives that righteousness may ultimately
prevail in the world.
1t cannot be too often repeated Eter-
nal vigilance IL the price of liberty.
Peace and prosperity should be precious
and dear 10 every honest heart But
truth: the peace of good and brave
men. the peace OF fearlessness.
That part OF the anti-enlistment cam
paign which IL supported by tho enor-
mously endowed Carnegie Foundation.
working under various names and dis
guises. should be constantly counter
acted and exposed.
Too many of tho paid advocates
speaking and writing for the Carnegie
Foundation are unpatriotic men. They
love neither their own nor any other
country. They have no love for human
Kind. To say the least. they have no
love for common folk. They are out for
the dough. They have the instincts Of
the shyster lawyer. the quack doctor, the
dishonest advertising man. They are
quacks; they are frauds: they are
come on" mon; they are hypocrites.
They are HAIRS, They would as liof as
not advocate war or peace. patent medi-
cine, vice. anti-vice. prohibition or free
rum, the side that pays most.
1t Is TO our shame. 1t Is to the shame
OF our schools everywhere, but II Is true,
most Americans are quite ignorant OF
American history. They nave too little
understanding Of the spiritual forces
substantial In our national ideals. An
ordinary school history is hardly--it Is
not-suifcient to give an adequate idea
OF the glorioos struggles and devoted
sacrifices, the toll and love that have en-
tered into the building OF this nation.
From one point OF view 1t seems quite
FOOLISH and a waste of time to pay any.
heed to the anti-enlistment arguments,
But We must endeavor TO expose them
nevertheless because they tend to set
up false, unappreciative and unerateful
standards OF action. No anti-enlistment
pledge can stand. To sign such a pledge
or to take any part in such a cause
Is a silly and wanIon tritliny with the
great. kindly and tolerant spirit OF
our Government and institutions.
In no other country would such a
campaign I've permitted. II is to the
honor OF our Institutions that freedom
OF speech and freedom OF the press. free
dom of utterance. are not tigments but
veritable realities.
Every s~choolhoy should know these
things. Self-preservation is the FIRST
duty Of a government. To preserve
and perpetua,e Itself every Government
will and must call forth and exercise
even to the point OF exhaustion, all its
physical powers.
In times of national danger the indi-
vldual. even in a democratic republic,
ceases 10 have any personal or abstract
rights oeyond those which tho cOnsti-
tuted authorities for the time being wish
TO recognize the safety of all out weighs
the rights OF any individual. Congress
has the power to declare war. Con-
gress has the power TO make laws and
rules FOR the government and regulation
of the land and naval forces. Congress
has the power to call forth the militia
10 execute the laws OF the Union. sup
press instructions and repel invasions
The President is the command IN chief
Of the armed forces of the United States.
once Congress declares war IL prac-
tically surrenders all power TO the sx-
ecutive authorities In theory II does not,
but practically 1t does. And with this
practical surrender Of the powers OF
Congress to the Executive the powers of
every state. county. city and citizen are
in effect, IL the necessity reaches that
point, also surrendered.
This permits of no academic argu-
ment for the reason that every imagin-
able kind Of an instance has already
been decided in favor Of the national
Executive IN the period OF 1876.
When the President issues his procla-
nation calling for men to arm every
state would have TO supply its quota
should the citizens fail TO volunteer the
executive authorities could and would,
as they did, resort TO c~onscriptIon.
So no anti-enlistnent pledge can hold.
In the last resort nothing short OF phys
ical disability can act 10 excuse from
enlistment. How silly. then, is the
anti-enlistment propaganda Still 1t is
dangerous and highly p%erniclous. for II
tends TO breed unpatriotic parasites. !
self-centred. soul deficient ingrates
traitors. unserv1ceable citizens:
Treason against the United States
shall consist only In levying war against
them. or in adhering to their enemies,
giving them aid and comfort" This
simple claus is capable OF very wide
construction. And II a crisis arose the
anti-enlistment p~ropagandists would
have to shut up.
Too many clergymen are active In this
anti-enlistment work. am sorry for
this. for the priest fills the most i'm
portant function In society. This is the
very reason why they should exercise
the greater circumspection and not lend |
their powerful influence 10 things for
elgn to their exalted concerns. Such
! know, must be ignorant of
history. and they are short on theology.
Let us exhort our boys to live brave. |
white lives. to pray for courage and
to die like men.
Finally, America can never bs pre-
served unless we are prepared 90 ngh
successfully for Americas preservation.
whether in chains or in laurcls, lib
erty knows nothing but victories" thun-
dered Wendell Phillips, VIII you have
liberty. America, in chains or In lau-
Choose wisely!
20 God Who hath made OF ono blood
all nations OF men who dwell on the
face OF the earth, grant that all men
everywhere may seek after Thee and
find Thee" And grant unto all Amer
a constant remembrance OF their
gone before who dedicated,
witt their toll and love and blood, this
to liberty. manhood and truth.
Give us courage to pay the last fun
Of devotion for every true ideal
SO that we may never forget:
1T Is rather for us to he here dedi-
20 the great work which they who
here have SO nohly advanced. II
Is rather for us To be dedicated to the
great task remaining before us. that
these honored dead We take in
creased devotion to that cause for which
gave tho last full measure OF de-
vOtlOn that we hpra highly resnlva