Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-06-02

1t will lie splendid memorial to
our honored soldiers if it can be
said that the country which they
saved was the prime mover and
cause of bringing such a condition
to reality. Study the plan and its
possibilities. If you find it worthy
stand ready to aid it's cause as OPP
portunity presents itself. Help to
| spread the thought. What the
people want they can have if they
but will. Let the watchword be
Our liberties we prize, and our
rights we will maintain" but let us
make it possible to maintain those
rights without taking the lives of
thousands of our best men.
| War takes the best men, both ply
sically and mentally. Napoleon for
his soldiers, urgently demanded
large tall men. They were killed
off so completely that the fathers Of
the future generations of France
were small men. AS result. one
of the noticeable things today, in
the allies armies is, that the French
soldier is smaller than the rest.
In the countries of the warning
nations today, you will not find at
home any able bodied. strong mind
ed, middle aged men. Those men
are being killed off in the war. The
fathers of the future generations of
the warning nations of Europe must
of necessity be the diseased and the
crippled, those that are either men,
tally or physically deficient. 1t will
| leave its marks for many genera
| lions to come.
In war the soldier is not the only
one to bear the burden In most
families it takes the combined effort
of each member of the family to pro-
vide for the wants of the household.
When the soldier is at the front the
responsibilities of caring for the
home, and furnishing the necessi-
ties of life is cast upon the women
They have to bear burdens nature
never intended. The children are de-
prived of the advantages thev are
entitled to. Sure it is that the wives
and families of the soldiers are en-
titled to more of credit and honor
than they ever receive
The Sons of Veterans have an or
sanitation of their own Many of
them have started in life under a
handicap and with greatly added
burdens because of the war. They
are entitled to our consideration and
kindly thought at this time.
The Ladies of the G.. A. r. is made
up of the wives and female relatives
Of the old soldier. Those who
have in their own person bourne the
added burdens. and been SUI jected
to the limitations caused by the war.
They, next to the old soldier. have
experienced more OF the real grief
of 1t than any others. 1t is but
right that we extend to them our
kindly thought. Thew have shared
in the sorrows and have never been
found wanting.
The w. R. C. is a patriotic organ
ization of women working in unison
with the Grand Army of the Re-
public. 1t is one of it's objects to
foster the sentiment of this occa-
sion. 1t is a good organization and
worthy to stand for all time. We in
common with the Grand Army of the
Republic are indebted to it for much.
Each one of these organizations
has good work of its own. Our
country is large and it's needs are
many. 1t has necd for the good
work each of these societies can do.
They are each but part of the unit
ed whole. May they go forward
hand in hand, fostering patriotic
sentiment, and helping in the up
lift of mankind.
At the close of the war foreign
countries predicted that the armies
could not be disbanded and returned
to their homes without trouble. They
did not know the character of the
American soldier. Our honored sol
diers were the best men gathered
from all Parts of the best country in
the world. They Immediately turn
ed their effotrs to building up and
making better than ever that which
they had just previously destroyed.
At all times putting their hands to
the work that would continue this
country as the best in the world.
They are entitled to the best we can
give them.
l do not think this service should
be passed without a word for the
confederate soldier. On many a field
did they prove themselves to be
brave men. Yes, they were Ameri-
can citizens, raised and educated
with different surroundings than the
north was accustomed to. Remem-
Der this, No question will rise to the
dignity of a we'll recognized contro-
versy unless there is in it something
of real equity and justice upon both
sides,
Anyway, be it said for them that
after it was all over, they too return
ed to their homes, and put forth
their best efforts for the welfare of
the united country, and to adapt
themselves to new conditions. That
our country is today the best coun-
try in the world, is not all due to
the north. 1t is due to the united
efforts of the north and the south.
The south as people today is glal
that conditions have turned out as
they have.
1t has been my privilege to listen
to General Robert E. Lee in his
great lecture on THE Last Days of
the Confederacy." 1t seemed that |
had never listened to better ratrio-