River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-10-25
Wisconsin Women Loyal.

Following a thrilling patriotic adj
dress by Horace J. Bridges of Chicago,
the Wisconsin Federation of Woman's
clubs passed a resolution expressing
the loyalty of the federation to the
government and pledging the support
of the clubs in patriotic work. The
resolution was introduced by Mrs. H.
NJ. Youmans of .Waukesha.
Mr.. Bridges spoke on 1.-THE Duty OF
the Naturalized American" He ex-
planned that he is in the process Of be-
coming an American citizen and stated
that he regards a new allegiance of
citizenship as the most important step
man can take.
Says "America First"
when you become q citizen of this
country you pledge yourself TO be
ready in certain contingencies to be
ready to fight against the country
from which you came. Men of English
blood in this country have twice fought
in the same position in which Ameri-
cans of German birth find themselves
today"
Speaking of the war as it relates to
the club women of the state Mr..
Bridges said that the woman who
knits a sock is in reality just as much
a soldier as the man in the trenches,
who lifts his hand against the enemy.
Mr.. Bridges urged the club women
to do everything in their power to
push the sale of Liberty bonds and to
further Red Cross and relief work, and
he intimated that while they are do
ing these things they should think of
themselves as soldiers.
He expressed hope that the war
will clear away great many things
that had been hampering the progress
of civilization.
'We are getting over the idea that
evolution necessarily means automatic
progress toward good" he said. "That
was false optimism. Science is good
thing if used in a right way, but we
know now what science can accom-
pliSh in the way of assassination. We,
must have something else besides
science If we are going to save the
1Us
sense Of justice toward humanity.
Tells Women Their Duty.
While calling attention to the new
duties imposed by the war, Mrs. Har
vey insisted that the clubs should &c
ahead with their study work. She
said:
ITO prepare ourselves to be of the
utmost service as citizens of the world
and to enter into intelligent and sym.
pathetic relations with our allies, we
need to go back to our study classes
and study art, literature, history, Gus
toms and politics of other peoples. To
be truly patriotic we must have set
tied convictions, based upon ideas OF
right and responsibility. This comes
through study"
America are filling the most important
responsibilities in the history of the
country. She spoke of their work on
national and state councils of defense.
and in various departments of wal
service. She said that club women
have a particular responsibility in
studying the situation upon which the
country has entered. ''The most eff.
cient exponent of present civilization"
she said ''has become the enemy OF
humanity, and has demonstrated the
futility of cultivating the intellect al
the expense of the finer things Of the
heart. Civilization, whose foundation
is found only in efficiency, is unstable.
We women of America must aim for
the harmony Of life among men, and
we must enter with enthusiasm upon
new spirit of service"