Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-18


George do ii way" No. We have got
to build wall Of granite. or prepare
to suffer what Belgium and northern
France and Poland and Serbia and
Rumania have suffered. The first ma
sonry in that defensive wall should be
assistance to the Red Cross. No sx-
cuses, no procrastinations will do.
This is no time for any man to
say. well, so many calls have
been made on my pocketbook that L
don't feel as if I coud afford to give
to the Red Cross. This is an inoppor-
tune CALL Well, say to that man. my
friend. the whole war is inopportune
1t is inopportune that millions OF
brave men are dying or suffering that
we may remain a nation, not German
province. 1t is inopE>rtune that mil
lions of women and children are mis-
erablc and hopeless and starving. Also
a German governor general OF occupied
America would be rather inopportune.
Excuses and evasions won't DO. The
man who has an income OF Soo.0oo
year might as well make up his mind
to give half of it to the Red Cross.
That's the spirit the situation de-
mands-no less. If people will meet
the situation with that spirit we will
have our wall of granite in no time,
put life and heart into our shaken al
lies, do a tremendous punch, straight
from the American shoulder, at Ger
man military power. The man who
grumbles at taxes and at the call to
subscribe will do we'll to kee1 in mind
the thought that if France and Rus
STA and England break down he will
be paying everything he has to Ger
man tax collectors for the rest of his
natural life That's all there is to it,
That's precisely the way matters
stand. Too few of us have realized
that we are in war to the bitter, cost
ly end and that the more swiftly We
ac, now the less bitter and costly the
struggle will be for us.
Its a glorious thing to die for ones
country" wrote Horace, the Roman
poet. All since have felt the truth he
wrote because patriotism is imperish-
able as religion. as immortal as love.
Through all the hours of yesterday;
through all the hours of last night;
through all the long hours of today our
men, the men of America, the men Of
the north and the men of the south,
Of the east, of the west, the men Of
California, of Alabama, OF New York
ard the men of Maine have been
marching to the aid of the nations, de-
Tending and dying for democracy and
for humanity. Men and women Of
Maine--I can hear the thunder Of their
marching. l see their grim set faces
They go to put the might and courage
and riches of America alongside the
deathless heroism of England and
France. Australia and Canada
Men of Maine, these men go down to
battle, to suffer and to die for us, our
homes, our affairs and our country
They go to put the Stars and Stripes
in battle line with the Union Jack and
the Tri-color of our noble allies. They
go, thank God, they go to defend and
save what one hundred centuries have
bequeathed to humanity. They 60 to
defend what our fathers died to save.
Tonight we are pressing into the
hands of two million men of America
the flag of Washington and Lincoln.
The flag of a great people. a mighty
nation. an unconquerable democracy
They grasp the f1ag-staffs in hands
that are like steel, their faces are set.
They go to die-and again we Whis-
per that fine old Roman sentiment
"Dulci ct decorum est Pro patria
mort"
Augusta Makes Answer
Some years ago when our city
streets needed rebuilding you gave $780,
600. When industrial needs were great
in our city you gave sl50,O0O to put men
at work in our factories. When the
prosperity of our city was threatened
you gave 100000 to rebuild a hote!
When the moral welfare of our men
needed strengthening one of our great
citizens built Y. NJ. c. A. When
religion called for a great sacrifice
without regard to sectarian sentiments
you built a splendid Protestant church
on your chief highway and a magnifi-
cent Catholic church on the great hill
yonder. Men and women Of Augusta.
fellow-citizens, We are one in spirit,
purpose and courage
Last week you over-subscribed the
Liberty loan.
iHlo "eSh you VIII ONer-SuDSCr1De
the Red Cross war funr
1t is wonderful sight I see before
me tonight. Every clergyman of our
city, every industrial and professional
leader of our city, doctors, lawyers.
teamstess, manufacturers. factory
workers and bankers, fathers and
mothers, you are all here tonight On
this platform are the Is captains and
the $50 men who are to go out tomor-
row and all the days of this week on
the big drive for $4,000. This is one
of the most supreme and holy tasks
ever undertaken by our city. Tomor-
row and the next day and through all
the week these men will visit from
house to house. Office to office until
they meet face to face the 5000 good
citizens of Augusta who are to give
the $4,000. This is democracy's fight.
the banker will give his big check and
: the office boy his dime; the big man
of business will give his dollars and
the factory boy his quarters. Every
one will do his bit; every one will give
something. This is the peoples bat
tie. Gone are all distinctions. We are
just plain Americans tonight. with the
fear of God in our souls. and the love
OF mankind in our hearts. We stand