Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-30
WE SHALL MAINTAIN WHAT
THEY DIED FOR

Tho most precious possession OF the
human family Is the American form of
government. 1t must be perpetuated
by adequate preparedness for Its pro-
lection.
ITO THOSE who have passed In glory
i or in suffering in the caravans of the
dead, we pay this day our yearly tribute
of praise and gratitude and loyalty
Innumerable heroes, shrouded in pro-
dIgious deeds, have sunk into the bosom
of their eternal Idother. This nation has
had its share 0f them, brave men who
laughed at degth and went down smiling.
The bones If some OF them we have
gathered izto our churchyards and others
lie, unknown and unmarked, in strange
fields Beyond our ken. But not one of all
the multitude who bled that this nation
might be born and bore great agony that
It might survive has died in vain. Some,
truly, were plunged into the abvss need
lessly, but ali together, in one con-
glomerate sacrifice, established the in.
stitutions under which we live, gave
form to the principles which we em-
brace and nurtured into maturity, with
their blood, the ideals and the visions
which now inspire and animate this
nation.
We should indeed be unworthy of the
splendid heritage which they have left
us did we not consecrate ourselves also
to the great purposes which, they loved
and the perpetuation of the principles for
which they fought. 1t is simple thing
to lay with reverent hands flowers upon
their graves. 1t is not a simple thing
to follow in the paths they marked. The
integrity of democratic institutions and
the maintenance without dishonor of our
national prestige constitute the goal OF
our endeavor. We can be worse than
traitors to humanity II by mere simple
ness of thought we jeopardize the heritage
which has come to be at once the refuge
and the hope of the oppressed. For there
has been builded on this continent
structure of government which is of more
moment to the happiness and peace of
the human family than all the material
inventions of man put together.
The worlds great failure has been gov
ernment. Not until this great nation
burst into bloom was there anything in
any practical phase of government ex-
cept tyranny or oppression of one sort
or another. But here there has been
raised up a government of freedom, in
the elements of which each man, is but
a man and none by birth or accident
towers above another. This fabric of lib
erty which has reacted on mems minds
to produce Bells and Edisons, is the most
precious possession of the human race
today, to be safeguarded above all other
and kept untainted
1t does not dovetail with human ex'
perience to believe that we can protect
our form of government or the prosper
ity and greatness which it has induced
without sane, sensible and adequate prep
aration against possible adversaries. So
long as other peoples rely on the force
of gunpowder to work their will, be 1t
just or unjust, so long must we be ready,
If necessity arise, to heed the call of the
tocsin. not in the manner Of an unframed
mob. but fully armed and disciplined,
amply provisioned with the munitions
and implements of war. That is the duty
the graves In the cemeteries teach. We
are not worthy of our heritage unless
we are strong enough to protect it. We
are, indeed, only trustees for posterity.
with a life interest in the civilization we
have inherited and charged with the sol
emn duty of passing the property on,
unimpaired and even improved, to those
who come after us. That is what the
men who died for their country did. That
is the view they held. We cannot es-
cape the duty which has been thrust
upon us, and 1t is duty which we must
not seek to evade.
We have dawdled and wasted time. We
have sought TO fool ourselves into be-
lieving that we are not as other nations
are; that all governments are mortal eX
cept our own. Let us have done with
such childlshness and face a real world
with a realization of it's realities. Let us
see TO it that the institutions which have
been handed down to us by the men who
died in their defense shall be protected
nightly and forever against all foes. no
matter at what cost
This day. this year, spells preparedness