East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-09-12
LESSON NO. 81.

THE SPIRIT OF THE SERVICE.
The spirit that dominated the Am
erican armies at Bunker Hill. New
Orleans, Buena Vista, Gettysburg and
Santiago will just as surely dominate
the national army on the battlefieIds
of Europe.
This spirit Is compound. II Is
made up in part of democratic feel
Ing. In part of respect and love for
the nation, and In part of American
ism.
The United States army has always
been and always will remain dem
ocratlc army. Every man in the ar
my Is made to feel that his brains
and his individuality count for some
| thing. 1t is not merely big, soul
less machine that moves with me-
chanical precision 1t is a team"
Each man in the team is presumed to
| be intelligent and self-reliant
Democracy In the Army
OF course there can be no team
work without regularity and stric5
discipline. This is equally true of
football or baseball team. There
| also be various ranks and degrees OF
authority. And sometimes this neces-
| sary organization and close reguIa-
tion creates an impression that the
army is not democratic
But the fact OF the case is that
American soldiers accept the reason
able discipline of the army because
they have the good sense to realizze
that these things are necessary They
accept them without losing in the
least their real independence as free
citizens.
Furthermore. American armies are
democratic because the path Of pro.
motion is wide open. Any man who
has reasonable amount of ability
can practice. can study, can cultivate
the qualities of soldier and lead
er, and can work his way up. And
this is the real test OF a democratic
army
In special sense the national ar,
my is democratic A great democracy
must always carry on its affairs
through chosen representatives. You
are doubtless familiar with this pTin
ciple as it is applied in time of peace
Now II is applied in time of war.
Through a process of fair selection
the national army has been picked
TO represent all parts of the country
and all groups of the people. Never
has America sent forth an army so
truly representative of the nation.
There are always pessimists in ev-
cry generation who insist that pa
triotism is dead or at least deca ying.
They have not been lacking in re-
cent years Then comes a crisis such
as now confronts us. And always the
question Of patriotism is answered by
a free outpouring of effort money
and blood on the part of citizens of
all types in every section of the
country This is exactly what is noN
going on-and what will continue u
go on with increasing force until the
war is brought to a victorious end.
Everybody Must Help.
Every citizen of the United States
now has or will have certain duties
to perform. certain sacrifices to
make. The burden does not rest
wholly upon you and other men who |
take up arms. 1t rests in part also |
upon the men and women who stay |
behind. For modern war on a big /
scale demands that the whole nation.
In a sense. should go to war. The |
tasks required of some may be hard
er than the tasks required of others
but all of them are necessary in or
der to make sure of the result
Many manufacturers and workers
often women as well as men
must give up their own work and |
plans in order to produce war sup
plies. Those who remain where thcy
now are-because thy are enga-ed
IN some occupation just as necessary
n war as in peace. such as farming,
running railroads, and the
iko-must go at their work with re-
doubled energy and without expect