The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-05-31
Patriotism Stirred BY
Memorial Day Service
Held in Fargo Tuesday
Dr. Frank L. McVey, President of University Declares
Time Will Come When Nations Must Look Upon Trade
and Territorial Extension From New Viewpoint.

point in it's history. We are moving
irresistibly towards Imperialism. We
nave acquired colonies and protector
ates and spheres of influence in the
different parts of the world. We are
beginning to develop overseas trading
companies and the nation is called
tion In army and navy. The wars which
were fought during the nineteenth CEN
tury, so far as our own country is con-
cerned, were those that dealt with the
internal problems of the people. They
were questions of citizenship, ques-
tlons OF government based upon funda-
mental principles But the problems OF
today are problems of financial and
group ascendancy. They are problems
that relate to the extension and grow
ing influence of banking and mercan-
tie organizations. and we are now con-
fronted with the question as to wheth-
er these specific interests shall be in
terpreted into the question of citizen
ship by appeal to national army.
Shall we enter into a period of mill
tarism accepting the responsibility Of
what these financial and commercial
groups may do, or shall we enter upon
sane policy of national growth in
which peace and freedom and liberty
shall be the fundamentals? The intro
duction of the new factor of militarism
in our national history will forever
affect our development. If we come to
the conclusion that force is the means
by which national problems will be
worked out, our entire history and all
our estimates of human values will be
determined by that fact. AS we look
back over our relations with England,
a definite development of an increasing
cordiality can be seen with that people
and If the inquiry goes farther and we
ask the reason for it, it will be found
that 1t is based upon frank discussion
of our problems. 1t is now time for us
to give consideration to the relations
of America with Japan and in the same
frank spirit to discuss with her our
difficulties and our contentious. With
out any question the same cordiality
can be developed IL there is clear and
been a people maintaining secret
diplomacy and yet there is enough OF
1t in our history to raise the question
as to whether 1t ought not to be given
up entirely. We must provide some
means by which the entire people shall
know and understand our national re-
lationships abroad.
1t is reasonable that we shall have
an army and navy and that this army
and navy shall be adequate to meet the
police problems that may be forced
upon us from time to time. Nor ought
we to be hurried into an expenditure
of enormous sums by the fellows who
want to sell aeroplanes and munitions
Of war. The American Security league
nually on the navy and $50, 900
more on the army; the Navy league
wants $500,000,000 spent on the navy
and $25O,000,000 on the army. The ma
combined sums which this league calls
for. We must borrow money in order
to carry out the propositions of these
leagues. :.
1t is a good time then to ask the
question, Shall we become a military
people? Are we not right at the period
of our history, when, If we keep our
hands clean, we can lead the world.
Or do we intend to enter upon vast ex-
penditures for army and navy and thus
lose our leadership? We do need an
army and navy to use for police work
Isuch as has characterized their service
in Cuba, the Philippines and Panama.
1t is therefore, with no apology on
an occasion sjf this kind, that / have
discussed the distinction between the
history of the nineteenth century and
the tendencies of the incoming twenti-
eth century. The monument which is
being unveiled today commemorates
the deeds of men in the previous period
the duty of citizenship is just as
great now, but shall that duty be di-
Verted to the wrong purpose and to the
wrong principle, or shall we ask ouy-
selves as citizens, Where are we go
ing, what is the direction of our way,
and what is the outcome of it all? This
will require the courage of the men of
the COS and 1t will be in the same spir-
it that they evidenced during the civil
war. Shall the purposes of the fathers
be diverted; shall the whole principle
upon which this nation is developed be
lost sight of? On q day like this, de-
I voted to the commemoration of noble
sacrifice, 1T is desirable that we should
think of the future of our country and
to insist upon duty to it's real princi-
J pies and to call upon every man to
serve in time of need, but as a citizen
| to keep clearly before him the purpos-
eS and intentS of his country