Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-17

these boys will be hurt. Suddenly his
strong young body will be quite help
less. He will be far away in a differ
ent country, where they do not speak
his language, and no one of home will
be around him. But If we will have
done our duty-his eyes will see a
surgeon and a nurse. 1t nay be IN the
flag waving over the hospital that can
save his life. ;'e
To put it thereto send the Red
Cross to Europe-that is making it a
Red Cross Christmas.
Our hands will tremble when we
place u Red Cross candle in the
window on Christmas Eve. And as we
start the flame glswing through the
cross, it will come to us anew that
the Red Cross message and the
While they flicker, while the CAROL
ers sing and the chimes peal, somer
where in Europe they will be bring
ing in the wounded.
A train, with the Red Cross painted
on the coaches, will be pulling into
some railroad station. Motor ambu-
lances in long lines with the sign of
the Red Cross will be waiting for their
human burdens. Men and women with
skillful hands and the right to wear
the Red Cross brassard will be ready
for the stretchers.
AS we stand here the stretchers are
carried past us in a slow procession.
1t is just a sprinkling, just a thimble-
full of the days harvest of wounded
only two or three hundred. Yet the
procession seems SO unendingly long.
The faces are like the faces Of our
men at home-here like our father
here like the man who lives across
the street-and here a slender boy
whose eyes we think we cannot stand
to ee.
1t is all 20 quiet as the stretchers
file by. The French officer of high
the man who used to collect the gar
bage, the black nan from Africa who
does not know why he is called from
home to give his life, pass by without
a moan. Some are blind. Some will
die. All r grievously hurt.
Perhaps it is the presence Of God
there where so many men are close to
death that makes the old scales drop
from our eyes. For among these mu-
tilated that is what happens to is
tho old values. the old conventions
drop away forever. Each crushed or
broken body becomes s infinitely
precious, as we see it dominated by
spirit. This black man, this blind boy
have lifted us up. With a new sense
we know that the things which are
seen are temporal, but the things
which are no seen are eternal.
And lifting up our eyes from the
stretchers, we see the Red Cross. We
see it on the arm Of the surgeon, CIV
giving her youth. On the insignia Of
the ambulance menl giving their ca
reers. We know that it was painted
on the cases carrying these surgical
supplies and these healing drugs. We
know hat it will wave above the
hospital to which these men are going
to have their chance Of life.
From this minute the Red Cross
becomes a part of u and we become
part Of the Red Cross.
Wh1l we do u Christmas shop
ping this year, while we live these
days of new exhiliration-these thrill
ing days thai are like draughts of the
richest wine of life-noW, before We
suffer. Red Crosses will seem to be
everywhere. In the stores among the
cleaning fabrics and the Gifts for
soldiers. among the pretty toys on the
Christmas trees, in railroad stations.
IN factories, in theaters. in markets, in
churches, in settlements, in homes
In schools, in the. streets there will be-
hundreds and hundreds of Red Crosse
&c. Everywhere, there will be pictur-
esque booths, with someone, in uni
folm,f smiling and happy, asking for
new members. And it will all seem
like some wonderful, beautiful game.
Let us take all the strength and in
SEPARATION that it gives us. Truly 70
much OF these things thai it will make
men and women see double: see
| WIN fho nv0C ~ th~ -|-
Cross on the battlefront. on a hras-
sard that is stained with precious
blood. ~ pios'ou7
The campaign drive for Ia. 900. ooo
members will be on! But it won't
seem large. Yet one new member has
potendaltties Of service beyond anv
computation. 10y
Theaters will be crowded, and the
eaaety; when It is not cruel, viii heip
20 make the world go round; 20 many
men IN uniform and beautifully dre.s.
tedswonen. the orchestra playing sTh.
star spangled Banner" patriotism
beating high!
But We know it i : changed xor,d
Inere 70 something sinister IN thc
Mar-tax 1T the box-ofice. I~JnAarn.ets
tne LAUGHING there is schokinr> n
france boys are going over the TON.
end through the strains Of cine SIT
1IpsasIed there seem to echo
-. Nords OF French officer spoV-
Killed in the nrst American srS.S..
fyeaf. 80" =. t il
We viii, thsrssore. 80 ~. :.
moral remains OF these yonnC rnsI
~ ieas here. left with u Sorevsr W.
III inscrtbe on their tornhs. sry.-e
~ .tas nrst soldisrg Of tho Rspubiic