The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-07-27

(COntinue0 nom rage ~
in the trenches of France and Elan
ders.
"Anys man who is actuated by
lower motive than this is not red
blooded. loyal. hundred per cent
American. Any man who allows per-
sonal interest, ambition, or partisan
prejudice to keep him from partici-
pating in this militant civic crusade
for national decency and self-re-
spect, is unworthy to live under the
flag that floats over those boys of
nIIr own flesh and blood whose lives
are dearer to us than anything save
only freedom and honor, but who to-
day are preparing to die unfiinch-
ingly that a free America may live.
"The Spirit OF 1917"
Every day we hear men regret
that they are too old to enlist. There
il no man too old to enlist in this
home guard of our national honor.
There is no man too old to make his
sacrifice at the ship. the hank. the
farm. the ballot box. a sacrifice Of
greed and craftsmanship. a sacrifice
of the opportunity to extort illegit-
innate war profits from country or
from fellow countrymen.
Every man who is At to be the
countryman of the boys who arc
fighting in France to protect our
free institutions and the free lnsti-
buttons of the world from the mill
tary despotiSm of the Hun and the
Turk. has his chance todav to join
with them in this immortal crusade
to make the world safe for democ-
racy, to establish a permanent
peace upon Just and self-governing
foundations.
This war is going to mean to our
nation a rebirth. All business and
industry is going to be raised to
higher standard. Every patriot who
participates in this great work of
social and political reconstruction is
a civic soldier of democracy. Every
citizen who fails to participate in
this patriotic movement is Stacker
and a parasite.
Our president is leading not only
a war of national defense but an
irresistible world crusade for democ-
racy. The central powers have been
given TO understand that as soon as
the forces of liberalism gain the
ascendency and thew transform
themselves into self-governing ma
tons. this war can be brought to an
abrupt end.
Task Not an Easy One.
But let US not think for a moment
that our task is an easy one. 1t Is
not possible to exaggerate the grav-
ity of the crisis that we as a people
and as a world power face today
This is the most momentous hour in
our history. If not the most fateful
hour in all history. 1t is not merely
war that concerns us-and war on
scale transcending anything that the
world has seen hitherto in the way
of military operations-but we are
face to face also with wars most
dreadful handmaiden, Famine. Not
as a people, Of course, for we can
always hope to feed ourselves, but as
one of a sisterhood of nations, we
are face to face with famine right
now. We may not be starving our
selves. but millions of our fellowmen
are.
This arch enemy of all mankind,
this dread mother of pestilence, is
our real foe. While we are doing our
best to stand by our allies in
strictly military way. we are fight
ing another fight that is harder even
than this great fight of democracy
against autocracy-the fight against
this enemy Of all the world. of the
central powers as well as Of the al
lies. .....s-s .
To-day this CHASTITY spectre of
famine is lurking over the skyline
of every European nation. Whether
it can be kept from the streets Of
their very capitals, whether or not
it's victims will ultimately be more
numerous than the victims Of the
trenches, it is for you. and me and
the rest OF us Americans to deter
mine. We alone can hope to meet |
this menace-and 1t has not yet been |
decided whether we can meet it sue
cessfully.
Food Deciding Factor.
when this war started people had
old fashioned notions Of warfare. |
They thought wars were made. by |
armies. but they have found that the |
war is going to be won, not by the |
nation with the greatest army in |
the field or the greatest stock of |
munitions piled up behind. or the |
financial resources in re-
serve, but by the nation or combina-
ton of nations that is able to feec |
itself the longest.
Thus the war admittedly becomes
a food WARMTH famine fighting
against the field"