The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-08-16
PATRIOTISM
George H. Congerl

M 1t Is said of an old Roman General,
Afhat he stood on the reviewing stand.
The first to pass before him were
the old Veterans who, in passing. sa-
SUIT. and thinking to encourage
their old commander. gave a glad
cry. 1--WE were brave, we were brave"
Yes" said the old general, /"you
were brave, but what will become of
Rome if her only defenders are those
who were brave?" and tears trickled
down his checks.
~ The next to pass in review were
1.-THE sons of these old veterans. who
also saluted and their cry was 1--WE
Eare brave. we are brave"
Eyes you are brave but what will
become of Rome if her only defend
ers are those who were brave and
those who are brave. and his head
fell upon his bosom.
~ Suddenly his face frightened an he
theard the glad shouts of thousands
%pf children who were seen to ap-
4proach from every direction, who. in
passing made the welkin ring with
their glad cry. eve will be brave, we
will be. brave"
"Ah,'' said the old general, Rome
is safe, Rome is safe"
~ dream and seem to take the place
OF the old Roman, and the first to
pass before me are our old veterans,
those we see every year, God bless
them, and as they pass they salute
land give their glad shout I'VE were
Ebraves we were brave
~ yes > reply. You were brave,
KEoul were brave" as MANNED bodies
Mand furrowed brows amply attest,
you were brave. you were brave.
but what viii become of America If
her only defenders are those who
were brave" and tears come to my
eyes.
The next to pass were the sons of
these old veterans and. as they pass
ed with their steady tramp, tramp,
tramp, they saluted and gave their
grand cry. I'VE are brave. we are
brave" 49,
II Eyes, you are brave. but when the
call to arms shall come you will have
passed the fighting age, then what
will become of America if her only
defenders are those who were brave
and those who are brave?'' And my
head drops.
" Suddenly. from every mountain
top, from every valley, from every
hill and dale, from every hamlet and
every school house from Maine to the
Golden Gate. and. from the great
lakes to the Gulf thousands of the
young men were seen to approach
and as they passed with their break
step march made the very mountains
shake with their enthusiastic cry 1--WE
will be brave, we will be brave"
"Ah. #America is safe, America ia
safe
But is America safe? Do you rea-
lie, that never since Bunker HILL
Concord or Lexington has Americs
faced the danger that threatens hel
today. at is not sufficient that we
throw old glory to the breeze or thai
it appears in the windows at oul
home. Something more is needed
something grander, something nobler
more blessed to God. I'll tells you
+what it is, patriotism. Not the kind
THAT is satisfied with resolutions, but
a patriotism that prompts the hus-
band to leave his wife. the lover his
sweetheart, the doctor his patients
the lawyer his clients, the minister
his flock. the banker his counting
room, the merchant his desk.=the far
fner his plough. the mechanic his
bench and all go forward
Steadily shoulder to shoulder
Steadily blade to blade on and or
good and strong
a. Marching along, like the boys OF
the old brigade,
I'm defence of the glorious principles
Tor which old glory stands.
Are you ready for the sacrifice
young man? Will you sit quietly b,
and see the wives, the, mothers, thu
sisters and daughters Of America
brutally murdered on the high seas.
Will you wait till your own wife
your own mother, your own daughtel
#pr sister are among the victims, o.
will you rally round the flag boys
rally once again. and shout the bat
tile cry OF freedom and present on,
solid front and say to these human
butchers. Thus far and no farthe
shalt thou GOT"
VIII you sit quietly back in that oil,
wooden rocker, light your pipe O.
cigar and as the smoke curls upwart
listen, AZ. Prussian MilitarisIn says t,
Mree America you may send on
ship to- England, provided you pain
ktt a certain color and that she dock
~ q certain port" or will you say t.
them In tones of thunder that shall
sbe- engraved on their hearts a
though chiseled by an angels hand
1--WE propose to send as many ship
AS we please. when we please an
where we please and paint them an
darned old color that strikes our fan
cy.1
Are you prepared to meet Their
face to face, bayonet to bayonet
shoulder to shoulder. gun to CUR
sword to sword? Will you give Their
so deep in the grave of oblivion tina
the smell of their carcass can 1neve
reach the surface? I believe you are
There never was a holier war tina
this The mind of man cannot con
cieve a cause more just more right
eous. more blessed of God than tina
of universal liberty, and it is for thi
that America has unsheathed tn
sword. Defeat would mean tn
death knen of Democracy, defea
would mean the free institutions c
America would soon be thing of tn
past, defeat would mean that Colun
bia was no longer the gem of tn
ocean," defeat would mean that tn
iron heel of Prussian Militarisr
would b on our necks and we woul
be little less than slaves. VIII yo
Submit to this young man? thin
not Victory would man Universe
Liberty. Democracy. made sure, free
dom from oppression to the nation
of tn earth and to all the inhabitan,
thereof. AS to which you prefe
your faces give reply.
Your country calls you. young mai
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