The Mankato free press., 1917-11-16

less day. Tuesday was satisfactory
The Catholic women could show theil
neighbors, who had not been ac.
customed to meatless days. just how
] to keep such day. The Catholic:
were also used TO the meatless days o.
Lent.
Some day the government Nigh
say that a purchaser can have only sc
many pounds of meat, sugar and othel
things. That thing was now being done
in Europe He hoped it would not be
necessary in this country, but the peo-
pie should be ready for it in case i
should come.
He told something of the plan o1
organization for the conservation OF
food. A woman would be chosen who
would be chairman of each unit. She
| would be the leader of each unit anC
| appoint her secretary and other as
| sistants.
This was time for all to be en-
gagged in some work of patriotism
There was a time when the people
were free to criticize even the gov
ernment. There was time when an
| "A
allies were right and the central EN-
pires were wrong or that the central
empire swere right and the allies were
wrong. At present, since America had
declared war, there was but one thing
for the people to say and that was
that America was right A burst of ap-
plause followed this statement.
America Great Melting Pot.
The bishop spoke of America as a
great melting pot for people of vari-
Gus other natiOnalities. The Irish, the
Poles, the Germans, the Bohemians,
the Scandinavians and other peoples
went down into that melting pot, and
when they came forth they were just
Americans and nothing else. This SEN
timent was followed with another
burst of applause. The national ele-
ments were still there but the people
were simply Americans
The speaker dwelt for a time on the
work of the Y. M. G. A. and the
Knights of Columbus for the soldiers,
furnishing them with wholesome rec
reation and looking after their moral
welfare. He spoke of the many build
|
Gus encampments for such work.
Attorney John E. Regan appeared as
a speaker in the place of Congress
man F. F. Ellsworth, who was not
able to attend. He remarked that the
realization had been creeping over the
American people that they were at
war with the worlds mightiest mill
tary power. The old idea used to be
that in twenty -four hours America
was able to mobilize an army the equal
of which could not be dreamed of by
any other power. The Americans had
been told that the American boys had
been more or less familiar with fore
arms from infancy up. Americans
thought they were a great military ma
ton. When Theodore Roosevelt left the
White House he left the army in poor
er condition than it was in when he
became president. 1t did not mean
that he was not patriotic, but he like
others, believed that America was the
mightiest nation on earth.
[Mr. Regan should have explained
to his audience that President Roose-
welt did make an effort to strengthen
the fighting forces in this country, but
congress did not agree with his views
on that important matter. There were
too many pacifists in the United States
who were opposed to the construction
of a larger army or stronger navy.]
During the short year of President
Taft, nothing was done to strengthen
the army Politics crept into the army.
When President Wilson took the chair
he found things in a very sad condi-
tion. When it was necessary to send
the boys to the be-, the bad con-
dition of things showed itself. Con-
gressmen went around through the
country preaching against the admin
istration. But that man in the White
House was big enough to pay no at
tention, but he Kept hewing to the line
until today America had what might
be called real 100 per cent army.
Men were picked and sent to the Of
ficers' training camp and then came
the selective draft. A howl went up but
today America had half a million SOL
diers mentally and physically perfect,
the equal of any army in the world.
Americans no longer thought they
were twenty -four hour men. 1t took
time and money to perfect this fight
ing machine.
Conservation of Food.
Mr.. Regan said the conservation of
food was not a matter to be dealt
with merely by committee. The con-
servation of food was thing that
went right home. That was where it
must start. Each and every one must
have part in it. He remarked on the
great part that the women must play
in this cause. The women were doing
a mighty work for the nation in the
Red Cross. They could do great things,
and he himself had been converted to
the cause of woman suffrage. The ma
ton could not get along without it..
ApDlause followed this remark.
If this nation was to win the great
war, each and every one must do his
part. 1t was not the proper thing for
a person just to- buy a Liberty bond
and then quit. The sum of $50 would
not save the government. The work
must go right on. If the boys were go
ing to come home victorious, the peo-
ple at home must stand back of them,
first, last and all the time. The Stars
and Stripes had never come home de-
feated and if the people at home did
their part. the flag would not come
home whipped now. At this there was
another round Of bopd loppipo