Norwich bulletin., 1917-06-23
MANCHESTER UNITY

progress. Should an emergency arise, may we stand ready to rush our Home guards, our troops, our police, our fire doctors, or whatever may be needed, from one town to the other. In other words, may we make practical plans to use this great trail in full co opera tion for the greatest good for the greatest II unber.
 May the Mohegan trail bind us all closer together and Es5kS a unit of eastern Connecticut and the adjoining portion of southern Massachusetts
 New London's Mayor Speaks.
 Mayor Brown introduced Mayor Rogers, who gave an interesting ac- count of the famous Indians that used to roam the woods. He referred to Rogers spoke of the friendliness of the Mohegans and the colonies and he also referred to Lemuel Fielding of this city, Mohegan.
 President Luther's Address.
 For the principal speaker of the af- ternoon Mayor Brown introduced FlaNel s. Luther, president of TriI1- ity college, who spoke in part fol lows
 Civiliza tion. in peace and war, is largely a question of roads. We pro- gress from trail to path, to bad road,
 
 the uncharted ways of the air. The savage with tonlahawk and bow, the pioneer with fintlock and axe, the CO., onist with blow and rifle, the citizen with his organized police and soldiers, the great army with awful implements of destruction, the aerial messenger with tools of peace and of unmerciful disaster, all are dependent for their efficiency upon their facilities for travel.
 What wonder then that every ad- vance in means of communication should be ce ebrated with joy in the past, with high hopes for the years to come
 Sacrifices of Our Ancestors.
 Thus we whose fathers were brought into wealthy place. we whose feet God has set in a .arge room, we thank fully recall the sacrifices and labOrs of our ancestors. We pledge ourselves to pass on augmented heritage to those whose feet shall, in time to come. press these highways, who shall wander happily among the tree clad hills and along the mUrr1uring streams of our dear home Blessed are we in our environment of rugged beauty. Strong are we in whose bodies flows the hood of the grand old men and women who made Connecticut and passed it on to us their children Yes; blessed also are all those coming later from alien lands to this fair country, who now share the manifold responsi- bilities and privileges Of Q land where there is freedom
 Let me say to such in all earnest ness. with all possible emphasis, that freedom does not mean escape from duty. Freedom does not mean repu- diation of debt to your fellow men. Here you may believe what you con- slider true; you may think the thoughts which your mind conceives: but you may not by word or by deed bring | harm to the great republic. Nay, more: you are, with all your. might, to protect this country which you have deliber- ately chosen for your own We native- born could not help but be Americans. 1 These others are Americans because 1 they personally desired to be Aneri- cans. And for them and for us. lib l erty means freedom for every man to make of himself unhampered by other men, the best of which he is ca pa bIe. And. further, note this. liberty means | the obligation to c'1l1~-rate ourselves, i our lives and fortunes. to the service | of our common country: to .aJ our | selves a willing sacrifice upon the altar 1 of patriotism.
 Tn Troubious Times
 Now we are in troublous times, l walking along ways periloUs. The 1 throb of war drums and the clangor of trumpets smites our ears. Our eyes meet visions of a great struggle where embattled hosts contend in strife for the salvation or the overthrow of all that is dear to Americans. We have been slow, sluggish, azily content t~o long. To my own poor thinking we should not have waited to be assailed before assuming our share in the con- fict between the everla sting right and the hideous but not everlasting wrong. If the wife and children of a neigh Dor were being abused and outra ged by ruffians, if innocent and feeble folk were suffering under brutal attack I sincerely hope that I should not wait for the breaking of my own windows before deciding what 10 do.
 But it is idle now to discuss what might have been. Should we for three years have been content to repair Be:- gium rather than to protect her? Should we so easily have condoned the episode of the Lusitania? Perhaps we were right: perhaps not. But all that has passed into history though not into oblivion. And if we were wrong I railingly accuse no individual I bla me the American people. I blame you and myself. For the public can have it's way among us. At last have
 VIC decided and agreed together to strive with all our strength to preserve the rights of mankind. We are con- vinced at last that America stands