The Washington times., 1917-06-29
WASHING ON
The Conscience Of a CITY
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

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This Is day for searching Of hearts, day of sacrifice
and self denial The nation embarked In an enterprise
involving the future Of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the world
shall be RULED by the philosophy of buishness humane
The people Of the city of WASHINGTON have become
accustomed to think of the United States terms Of cities
and towns outside of the District of Columbia that perhaps
pardonab they have forgotten that after all here the
Of Government most important unit of the nations
strength.
The response thus far by the city Of WASHINGTON
to the campaigns for the Liberty and the Red Cross has
been spontaneously generous But while the giving money
is not to be nvdous dismissed the of patriotism
is really whether not you will offer your life if 70
the Of the United States Of America The beckonng
finger pointed directly to the of military age Many
will be conscrpted but the lottery goes many will not
But the city of WASHINGTON afford not to do It's share
mot to furnish its quota for the regular aryi Can the
individual who is fully able enlist justify the future bis
failure to have served the nation In way in this war
merely because service dsastefuI incommodious
No war is inviting to the individual but no war is pink
tea; no gives anyone immunity There
two things the world which have stimulated the human
from time immemoria-one to live usefuly and the
other to die worthiy These lessons did Christ teach
The supreme achievement of individualism is ones
voluntary dedication to that may individual
mortality. The fathers of country ready to lay
down their lives their fortunes and their sacred honor to
give free nation. Nearly century later hundreds Of
thousands gave their lives to preserve the Republic that
had been bulded The cais equally compelling today The
cry in 81 Shall this nation be free within its shoresf
The cry today Isl Shall the freedom obtained after those
great sacrifices be destroyed from without pepetuatedf
The volunteer has been great soldier in history because
his heart the In which he enlisted there
not many volunteers this week it is because the true
meaning of this has not been driven home to the people
of the United States Here In Washington it ought to be
thoroughly understood Here at the seat of Government
where knowledge of the covert plots to undermine Gov
eminent and it in time of peace perhaps
better known than elsewhere the issues of the ought
be incomprehensble This has begun battle
against auocracy in Germany 1t must inevitably produce
intolerance of autoeracy this country for the
will contact with the affairs of their Govern
ment than they before We will be world power in
fact as well as theory We will want diplomacy alert
and effective We will want to that brutal system Of
miitasm which has brought this absolutely crushed
otherwise we will uneonscousy become militarstc
selves png up for generations ornaments and more
taxation The fundamentals of this directly the
welfare and comfort of the mis- family, and
posterity.
The city of WASHINGTON must not lag behind others
in ensments 1t CAN lead the country and should The
right VOTE unfortunately, denied to the people here
but the obligations of citizenship nevertheless nescap
able. AMERICA EXPECTS EVERY NAN TO DO HIS
DUTY No less earnestly must the from the
conscience of this city.