The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-06-01
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haps, more truly honor these living
men, by thinking Of them as in the
present; by. realizing their present
bower, strength and influence in the
problems that now confront us; by
hearing words Of courage and the fu-
ture in their deeds and lives and char
acter. And if their comrades who have
gone on before could speak today,
would they not find for us some words
of joy and peace? And is it not a
time when words of wisdom, strength,
experience, courage, hope and peace
are peculiarly needed and welcome!
Our present lot is seemingly cast on
troublous times. But a little while ago
and the idea Of war was farthest from
our thought It even seemed that the
era of perpetual peace was here; war
like disturbances from time to time,
and even petty wars might break out,
but the prospect of a really great war
made such great advances; great ma
tional interests were so closely inter-
woven, thence were so many peace
and arbitration treaties in force and
in prospect; great inventions and i'm
provements in transportation had
brought the peoples Of the world so
closely together; such a spirit Of rea-
son and liberation seemed to prevail,
that barbarous brutal wa:' seemed but
a thing of history; thing OF tltful
feverish dreams Of days gone by. r .
And yet, spark, a flash, land the
old world was afa1ne with war; with
the greatest and most terrific war Of all
ages, and the fire brands were falling
everywhere.
All, yes! but this was in Europe;
and much as we might deplore the aw-
ful cataclysm, it was to us, but thing
apart. We would go on in the even
tenor of our way, sn1ugly congratulate
ing ourselves upon our peaceful dlspo-
sitions, and somewhat patronizlngly
commiserating the warning nations
upon their unwisdom and their folly
But as to the war itself, we had but
little actual concern, save for the ire
mendous appeal to our sympathies, for
our interest in humanity, and for our
efforts to ameliorate so far as we
could, the inevitable horrors Of the
war.
But we were soon to learn that the
great modern influences tending tt
intertwine the affairs of all the ma
lions, to make Of the earth itself but
one great neighborhood, were ever
more effective in world at war thar
in world at peace; that in this day
more than ever before, we as a nation
cannot live unto ourselves alone.
Almost at once our government wa
oo11oI tn moot OrnQt vSrJntv n
unusual and unforeseen expense. New
sources of revenue, additional meth
DDS of taxation became at once imper
ative. And it was but little time be
fore the interrupted course of com
merce and finance, brought home to al
of US, with scarcity of commodity, ris
ing price and increased expense, tn
fact that the times were out of joint
Yes-to be sure-we must perhap
submit to much inconvenience and il
many cases even hardship, but, W
still enjoyed the great blessing 0
peace. And of that we could not
deprived. We would preserve fai
and strict neutrality. And no matte
what our varying Individual opinions
judgments or sympathies might be, gu
course as nation should be one o
absolute impartiality among the val
ious belligerents. The one thing Q
which we were absolutely sure wa
that we would not and could not b
any possibility be drawn into the wa:
But we were soon to find our neutrs
path most difficult and dangerous on
to tread, wherein single missile
= might prove disastrous. No matte
with what care we might mark on
course, it seemed impossible to NEE
the approval of all or win the estee1
Of any of the warning nations.
AS the great confagration sprea
to country after country, we began
wonder whether after all soon "
might not be reached by the fallin
brands. We began to hear and a
tach a new meaning to the word ':pr
pare.'
No, the problems Of these times al
not all in Europe. We have been ar
are confronted with some Of the mo
difficult, delicate, dangerous and ia
reaching questions of all our time.
Prepare! For what shall we pr
pare-for WARRIOR peace-for d
Tense or defiance?
The service of these veterans al
their comrades in arms was not cor
pleted with our war, nor with tt
grand review. It sometimes seems
though their greatest service has be-
since our war. From their ran]
have come our greatest statesme
We have called upon them for OF
presidents; we have drafted them i
to our halls of legislation; into {
our national, state and municipal a
fairs; they have furnished us wi
our greatest fnanciers and merchant
they have led in all our lines of indu
try and philanthropy. We have ev
sought and profited by their expe,
ence, weighted judgment, counsel a.
advice. And more especially have ,
need Of them on the great issues
peace or war, defiance or defen!
which may be put to us for our G
cision.
Even now we are embarking up
an era Of preparation; but for wha
Even now we need the cool, calm a
weighty judgment of experience
men who actually know what war