Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-14
Wisdom of Being Ready
. .dlt0r "a the TcIegraPh:

10 He EGH0r OF the Telegraph:
New York. April 10, 1917.
have observed this war at short
range, having lodged shells upon the
European front and having visited the
camps, munition works and hospitals
of England and France. l have seen
the wounded and the dead, the widows
and orphans, and the ruins not only OF
buildings but of broad fields which can
never again be titled - none of the
pomp and circumstance of war but all
of its horror.
Again and again I have heard the
remark: IF England had only listen
ed to Lord Roberts! If we had only
been ready this would never have
happened!'
1 quickly became convinced that
what 1 saw was no more the result of
war than it was the result of the
pacifist. Noble buildings which were
the work of the imagination OF the
ancient artist are now in condition
which may truly be said to be the
work of the lack of imagination of the
modern pacifist. His smooth fat hand
has wrought as much destruction as
the mailed fist of the Kaiser
Since returning from battle Scared
Europe l have travelled our own land
from North to South and from East
to West Everywhere I find prosperity
but there is lacking that presence OF
national soul (Which may be nothing
but the sense of a common unselhsh
purpose) which pervaded my days and
nights in Europe. 1t lies in the power
of our Congress to give our people
that feeling of a common cause which
alone will give us strength, which Will
bind the rich to the poor and the
poor TO the rich ana make each
one of us feel and know that
we have a truly great country
e o. MR.nG hR-
cause of it's ideals and because we
have the strength to make those ideals
something more than idle dreams.
We only value that which has cost
us something. Let every young man
give but his little share of time and
work to the United States and he will
become a true patriot. The plan pro-
posed is so simple. SO small in cost
and so immeasurably great in value
that it should not be necessary for a
single man to raise his voice in Its
favor. Even if no emergency were
now apparent, universal training
should be adopted without delay for
the unifying effect that 1T would bring
to eur. people, and even If we could
see in il no such spiritual benefit it
should be adopted to straighten the
backs and fill out the chests of our
slouching boys and to teach them the
first principles of hygiene.
There can be but little doubt that
our congressman are individually in
favor of this measure, but perhaps
they are not sure of the attitude to-
wards it of those whom they rep
resent. In this case it may be sug-
gested to them that they visualize the
supporters and the opponent of uni
versal service. In one rank are seen
those whose faces are bright with
knowledge and ennobled by the de-
sire to serve. In the opposing ranks
are the unenlightened, those who
have never felt the thrill of common
cause and who have no sympathy
either above or below themselves in
the social scale.
Shall we permit this fair land to fall
an easy prey to the wild beasts which
have devoured Belgium and harried
all of Western Europe In later years
shall one of us say to another: THAT
ruined church shows the hand OF
Villard!" THAT crippled man makes
me think of Pinchot?" Save us from
the work of these Architects of De-
struction, you, our Representatives.
Yours truly,
THOMAS ROBINS,
Secretary Naval Consulting Board.
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