The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-14
AMERICAN GIANT
tConsnued from rage One,

(COnHnueu from age Oley
permit us to get all four feet in the
trough while we strove to distract at :
tention from the squalid haseness or
our materlalism by the shrin clamor
if a m-sentirlenta1ity.
and nevertheless we have not been
kept out of war. Our avoidance OF
duty simply invited such cumulative
repetition of insult and injury that
finally war was forced on us. 1t mere
ly resulted in our drifting into war
stern foremost, in condition OF sucn
complete unreadinesS that we owe an
ignoble safety exclusively to the pro-
lection of the exhausted nations to
whose help we have announced that
we intend to come.
From this time on let US insist on
an absolute and undivided American
ism in this land, untempered by any
self-allegiance to the countries from
which our ancestors may severally
have sprung, and untainted by any
unworthy national animosity towards
any other country. Let US prepare
ourselves spiritually, economically, and
in all military and naval matters-ln-
Guiding as permanent policy the pol
icy of universal military training and
serVice-so that never again snail we
be utterly unready, as we now are, TO
meet a great crisis. Finally, in the
present war, a war for liberty and
democracy against the ruthless mill
taristic tyranny of the Prussianized
Germany of the HohenZollernS, let US
as speedily as possible train our giant
but our soft and unready, strength, so
that we may use our hardened might
to bring the slaughter to a real and
final end in the only way honorably
possible by securing for ourselves and
our allies the peace of justice baseo
on overwhelming victory"
Asks Red Cross Support.
In his appeal for support for the
Red Cross Colonel Roosevelt said:
1.-THE most important thing is to SEND
abroad at the earliest possible moment
great fighting army Second only TO
the army in the work of winning TINS
war comes our Red Cross. indeed, the
importance of this work is so great
that the president of the United States
has set apart next week-from June
IS-25-as a period for sacrifice and
unselfish generosity, a week in Whlch
the whole American people will be
asked to Join in raising funds to enable
our Red Cross to perform Its vast anu
indispensable duties in this war.
THE president has also commission
ed several of the ablest business men
of the country as a war council OF the
Red Cross, to administer this service
on behalf of a stricken world. This
war council tells us that a fund OF
/ 500 OO0. 600 must be raised at once in
( order to meet even the most urgent
needs.
Here, indeed, is a summons to
every American. 1t is an enormous
sum of money; but what comfort can
we take in Withholding that or any
other sum of money if it is needed TO
; relieve the suffering of our own sons
or the sons of our allies who are fight
/ ing for all that makes life worth l1v-
ing.
Opportunity for Sacrifice.
Into our Red Cross without stint
] t1oa r-tf FOIL
of thanksgiving that we are permitted
to join in this great service to ali
| mankind. Our soldiers and sailors
will do their part without flinching:
we may rest assured of their courage
and fidelity The Red Cross offers
! to US who are not allowed to fight, the
| opportunity for sacrifice and for hep.
I'VE little realize what is before us.
4 Our own sons and brothers will soon
/ be going into battle. They will be
| three thousand miles from home, in a
land already wasted by war, land
/ threatened by famine, a land smitten
by disease. They tell US that in many
cases today the wounds of soldiers in
France must be tied up with newspa-
pers for want of the necessary sur
gical bandages. When our own men
are wounded-a5 they surely will be in
! great numberS-are we going to allow
them to suffer yet more because we
| fail to provide those things which can
at least mitigate distress? Surely not
But we must do it in advance. If we
wait it may be too late. Do it now,
"Our Red Cross must not only care
for the shattered bodies of our
wounded men; it alone can become a
| foster parent to them in the trying
| conditions they are sure to face when