The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-12

1 III unineQ thought mas peeH pIuu6h'
about through patient endeavor to de-
velop national spirit, and national
ideals regarding social, commercial
and political problems. National spirit
must find Interpretation In some IoTH
OF permanent expression. The most ex-
allied Interpretation that we have Of
| national spirit today is the EFFORT on
the part Of our people to ma ways
and means TO develop pure democra1 1
| America is the leader of 1t. The move
ment has invaded almost every home,
and a new kind of patriotism Is being
developed, and more and more people
are coming to a deeper realization Of
the meaning of opportunity. We call
our country free, and we cry abroad
that this land of ours offers free ana
there is the greatest danger in perpet-
uating that idea, unless the American
people are true to their traditions. The
greatest problem that faces America
paredness in many ways. We. as a ma
ton have grown careless in our won
derful prosperity and great wealth. we
have forgotten too often the teachings
of our fathers. Is 1t an accident that
the German nation has been able to
bid defiance to the civilized world? Not
at all. Her position at the opening OF
the war was the result of nifty years
of study and preparedness. The great
problem that the American people have
to solve is not how to find big guns
and munitions of war. Those things
are essential to the defense OF our
country, when robbers and assassins
attack 1t, but our really great problem
is to devise ways and means to edu-
cate the hordes of people who nave
poured into this country and who Will
come to us when the war ends. They
must be educated to a. point OF unity
of thought regarding American ideals.
The German nation today IS not so
afraid of our guns and our wealth as ~
&c ~ nf hn nrinninloS Annnpiq I ed
by the farmers of the American DEC
laratfon of independence. That is what
the German autocracy fears. 1t is the
kind of democracy for which our ma
Europe to cover and shrink in his
secret thought. Bravado, guns, murder
and pillage can not Kill 1t. But we
must educate our people ana those VINO
come to us to understand what 1t Is.
The United States government recog-
nizes the Importance of the education
of the youth of the land when 1t hxeS
the minimum age limit in the conscrtp-
ton law at 81 years. Let us accept
whole-heartedly the wisdom OF the
government in framing the conscrip-
ton law, and go about our business OF
making provisions to teach the youth
widely and effectively new ideals OF
efficiency--ideals of efficiency found in
democratic society, where each per-
son stands on his own merits. and is
has never been a time in our history,
when a greater responsibility rested
upon the educated person than today
1t is for him to show the difference be-
tween a bad and a mistaken democracy
and a good democracy. The bad democ-
racy splits society into units. 1t Is es-
sentiaily selfish. 1t is the democracy
| which let's people enter into relations
with others for the sake of what they
can get and enjoy. 1t is the democracy
of those who evade responsibility and
shirk their honest duties. The aim OF
| the good democracy is always the MAX
| ing of all-round manhood and woman
hood. The ideal of democracy is thai
everyone shall be useful. Everyont
must contribute his share to the COM
| mon wealth This ideal involves the
necessity that everyone shall be train
ed to do something well. Schools must
| be maintained to put every youth on
the track of some useful occupation OF
are taught to obey the ruler. In a
democracy children are taught to obey
the law, that is, the authority OF all
men, and for the sake OF the welfare
of all This involves a new teaching In
obedience.
our country is facing the greatest
crisis in all it's history. A conscription
law has been enacted. Our young men
must enter upon service in the United
States army. Are our people awake to
the tremendous issues of the time, or
are we dulled into quietness OF resig-
nation? Do we consider the sacrif1ces
that are about to be made, and are We
who stay at home, preparing to make
| Just sacrifices?
The beautiful language of Webster
applies to the present situation equally
| with that at the time of the revolu-
ton, when he said, "They fell while yet
| the thick gloom of doubt and uncer-
| tainty hung darkly upon the nations
horizon, pouring out their generous
blood like water before they knew
whether it would fertilize land OF
| freedom or of bondage. To me 1t is
painfully sad to remember that the
| lives sacrificed in the great struggles
of history were so young l have seen
| the statement that the average age OF
all those who enlisted between 81 and
| '65 was but 10 years. If this be true
and we will not question 1T, then there
| lie embattled upon southern soil more
| than 400, 900 patriots whose average
age was less than 81. Think of 1t! Four
hundred thousand boys made the sacrl-
fetal Offering upon the altar OF a ma
TONS honor; dying to expiate crimes
not their own; surrendering lives
| buoyant with hope, radiant with prom
Use, and glowing with anticipation, thai
a posterity, not their own, might en-
| joy the blessings of civil liberty anc
| free government. am not among
| those who hold that men sacrifice most
who leave behind them widows ano
orphans. I recognize that one or the
chief purposes of human life has peer
| achieved, when one has perpetuated hi:
name and his blood in the race. Lei
us not forget, then, that we have con-
slant duties to perform in relation &C
] these young men whose lives may bt
/ cut off with all their issue, and thai
| for the sake of the children of others
We as a nation or individuals are
never greater nor better than our aims
A noble aim means more than self-ll
means unselfish service to humanity; Il
means more than merely feeding the
hungry; it means an effort to make
hunger impossible; it means more thar
educating the ignorant; 1t means ar
effort to make ignorance impossible; II
means more than gifts and prayers
it means purpose and labor.
Love myself last; cherish those hearts
that hate thee;
Corruption wins not more than honesty
Still in thy right hand carry gentle
peace
To silence envious tongues. Be just
and fear not;
Let all the ends thou aimest at be tiny
country's,
Thy Gods and truths. Then If thou
falpSt