The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-06-15
BRILLIANT

meet ana proper 10 Issue pfOclnnAs
ton In due course. calling upon all
citizens Of the United States 10 OBJ
serve Juno II. 1916. At least by dis
playing from every household and
place of business the American nag
and calling upon the people To arrange
and participate IN such patriotic GER
vices MS they may. In their respective
communities. deem advisable Five
hundred thousand members ~ tho
benevolent and protective order Of
Elks. loyal citizens o; the United
States ~ America. would appreciate
this service on the presidents part
In recognizing officially the day and
date which they have been the first
to dedicate to the patriotic cause OF
true AmCricanism.
Mr.. Hubert made his request as
representative Elk: the president Of
the United States needed the call. and
the l4th day Of June. first nationally
celebrated by the Elks as the birth
day Of the flag. has become. by prcBi-
dental proclamation. one NJ the sa-
cred national days Of the year
The birthday NJ flag. old or young.
and certainly II young. is n time to
think ~ the means Of keeping alive
the nation.
In opening this meeting our Exalted
Ruler said The purpose Of this ser
vice Is to honor our Country's nag:
to celebrate the anniversary Of It's
birth. and to siEnalizc achievements
wrought beneath its folds" Our
Chaplin prayed "Wc thank Thee for
life and liberty. for the nag of our ma
ton and for the lessons Of this ami
versary." It is eminently appropriate
that the order Of Elks. an organization
distinctively American. intensely pa
triotic, and without counterpart in
any other land. should assemble TO
give thanks for the flag Of our nation;
and To carefully consider the lessons
OF this anniversary. II is well that in
our year so busy. so secular. so dis
cordant. there comes this evening
when the word is. and when the emo
ton Is, Our country. our whole COun-
try. and nothing but our country" In
n spirit worthy Of the past. let us on
this day. In the words of our prcsi-
dent, "redcdiCato ourselves TO the ma
every thought that is not worthy Of
our fathers first vows in indGpcn-
donCc. liberty and right shall he cx-
Cludcd and in which We shall stand
with united hearts for an America
which no man can corrupt, no inlu-
cncc draw away from its ideals. no
force divide against itself--a nation
signally distinguished among all the
nations OF mankind for its clean. in
dividual conception alike Of its duties
and its privileges. its obligations and
its rights" II is that spirit ~ the
day which would have you cherish.
II is long time from Plymouth
Rock and unfOrtifcd jamestown to the
America Of today which reaches from
the Great Lakes to the Gulf. lays a
hand on both the oceans and claims
It's islands Of the sea. Americas
growth has been onward and upward.
preccdenis have been revercd. just so
far as experience has INDICATED their
wisdom The vaults Of prejudice
wherein stubborn conservatism pre-
served old things because OF their age,
have been broken down and scattered
The iron traditions OF Europe have
been with us persuasive only.
The philosophy nf Europe is the
common sense OF America. Her IlliRd
IS completed; we are just beginning 10
sing ours. our half IDEAS are more ei-
feCtive than her whole ones. Her iu-
turC is behind her: ours is in front OF
us. Her labors will consist In undo
ing what Is old our in staring some
thing that is new. hers. correcting old
abuses. blOtting out old tyranniCs;
ours in preventing new ones.
Let us today resolve to cndcavOr
that the temper Of the fathers which
was even noblcr than their words shall
live in the children and cNalt to its
tone their coming career. In spirit
worthy Of the memories Of the past
let us here set ourselves to accom-
plish tine tasks still awaiting compile
ton which are our heritage from our
fathers
De Tocqucvllc has observed that
periods OF national danger and up
hcayal have always evoked the cnthu-
siasm OF men for their institutions. hut
patriotism langutshcs during quiet
commercial periods.
The present generation has come up
amid great quietudc. our youth were
becoming nation Of money gctrCrs.
They were assuming our free institu-
tons as they assume gravity, and the
laws Of light and heat. We were in
danger Of becoming mere Covetous ma
chimes From barren soil come
richest grapes. and on severe and
rocky slopes the trees are often OF
toughest flbrc So the greatness which
sprang up under the blast and bios
somcd under Indictment skies, may lose
Its shapely and stcadfast strength
when the air is all Of summer soft
ness. In cNuberant resources is the
coming American perrin swiftly
increasing luxury Of life. The old hu-
mility. hardihood and patience are too
likely 10 be lost when material sue
cess opens all avenues Of wealth. and
when it's brilliant prizes solicit the
national spirit
But with the war dogs OF Europe I'M
leased today. We know not when the
God Of War may call us and there is a
quickcninE Of the patriotic throb We
feel the life ~ nation pulsinE
through our veins. VIC can rejoice az
our nations glory, suffer in our ma
tons shame and rejoice in our ma
tons hope