The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-07-28
Our Country
(By HENRY DWIGHT sEDawIcK)

War is a hateful and a mad thing
1t embodies the maximum of human
wickedness and human body. To turn
this strange and wonderful experience
life this brief time between the
darkness from which we came and the
darkness from which we go-that Of
fers to man beautiful world to look
at. the boundless interests of knowl-
edge. the happiness of friendship, the
enjoyment of labor. the blessing of the
deeper affections. to turn all this into
shambles and hatred. is monstrous. the
doing of devils.
But the wickedness and waste OF it
must not blind us 70 some good to be
got from IL.
In the first place. there Is Russia re-
deemed from tyranny. there will be
Germany. we hope. rescued from her
military madness, and at home there
will be some recompense for our priva-
tions and sufferings The country Will
be consolidated as never before; East
and West, North and South, will find
sectional differences well nigh OBJ
liberated The Western farmer will
find the Wall Street banker a man de-
voted to the general good. whose chief
fault is not to be a revolutionary re-
former, and the Wall Street banker will
feel that the Western farmer should
have his economic condition anchor
ated. People may live three thousand
miles apart, but a common emotion will
make them neighbors. far quicker than
steam and electricity.
Then We hope that the incidence of
taxation will fall on Injuries during
the war and will continue to fall on
Injuries after the war. so that now
and hereafter to indulge greatly in
luxury will be the sign of Stacker in
patriotism.
Then we believe that a league of
democratic nations will be the begin
ming of real human union. will realize
the old dream of Christianity-a Chris
tendon in which all men shall be
brothers; that no nation will seek to
keep a market solely for itself. that
protective duties will be suppressed by
international amity. the sword be
beaten into a ploughshare. and military
preparedness be regarded as the last
remnant of the Middle Ages.
But. most OF all, our country will
have greater significance for all of us.
Now we are conscious that we are Irish,
Germans. Italians. Swedes, men of
Jewish English. or Scotch descent; we
feel that we are parts OF composite
whole, that America Is sort of ag
glutination Of pieces taken almost at
random from the old world The war
will change all Of this 1t Is common
suffering and common sacrifice that
creates a nation. Not common blood.
nor common speech, nor common
literature. nor Shakespeare and the
- t.,
striven and suffered for the ideal which
the country holds up, that creates and
sanctifies a nation.
All this taxation. all the Liberty
Loans, all the gifts to the Red Cross,
all the partings with our soldiers and
sailors, all the blood to be shed. all
the wounds and death to be endured,
will consecrate the citizens of America.
will unite the forty-eight states. white
folks and colored. rich and poor. men
of German with men of French des-
cent, men Of English with Irish blood.
animated by purpose higher and
nobler than the purposes of ordinary
men. and will give to each American
the sense of a great personal respon-
sibility, and great personal self-respect.
because he is citizen of such a re-
generate nation
Such good this we must not lose
tight of in the midst of all these hor-
rors; such good we must be resolute
to achieve. keeping our eyes on the
America of promise while we help the
America of today to carry on the tradi-
ton of Washington and Lincoln. and
show the world that America will sac
riice what 1t holds dearest for its