The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-20

cne of The Forums good friends
out at Ashley sends in . copy Of the
school play program given Tuesday
evening at the opera house.
II begins with "Hurrah For The
Flag" by the pupils of the third
grade. Farther down comes THE
Star spangied Banner by the pupils
Of the seventh and eighth grades.
Then comes a duet stand BY The
Flag, and the program is closed
with a Patriotic Halloween.
But the third number from the end
IL a duet yum Vaterland Halt
Treu".
+ Unless our high school German has
] gone back on us, that means Re
main true to the Fatheriand".
The Forum doesn't know the song,
but judged by its title it was execra-
BILE taste--to view 1t most leniently-
to put such a number on O. school
program in the United States ut this
time. It is no longer possible to
Hold fast to the Fatherland" and
Hold fast to the United States.
Agitation. against the music. Of
\
| Schumann on a recital or orchestra
program, is patriotism reduced ad
absurdarr1, but singing German pa
triottc songs In an American public
school Is another matter.
We can picture Young America"
in some public schools rising in its
patriotic wrath, and hustling the
singers out Of the room. thus court
ing a gentle slapping on the wrist
from the nearest advocate of Free
{ speech" or perhaps mild rebuke
from the governor of the state.
Just so we can't be accused OF de-
handing the last word, we are go
| ing to take 1t first. and say that after
reading the following letter from
| Mrs. T. E. of Beach we stick by the
tobacco fund and the argument that
smoking is a personal privilege. Wen
grant a man is a better man physi-
cally if he doesn't smoke, but as
Grover Cleveland said at Is a con-
dition, and not q theory. Millions
Of the soldiers do smoke, and have a
right TO continue to smoke. But
ment again. Here's the letter, and
some day we hope to gain Mrs. T.
Els forgiveness for the fund"
Since you were fair-minded
enough to publish a protest to
your tobacco fund followed by
your reasons for supporting the
same, and since you especially
request letters from the boys,
will you kindly publish in rebuff
tai few lines from one of them
in France? The watchword of
all-those who go and those who
stay--in these times of national
stress should be service first.
I'VE are penny wise and pound
foolish II we donate to or in
dulge in that which tends to I'M
At for the most efficient service.
IF ever strong hearts, steady
arms. and clear brains are need
ed, 1t Is when the men are poised
and waiting for the order to Ego
over the top as we'll as when
flying through the air. 49,.
This young man spent some
time in the Philippines, went to
China to help train some Chinese
troops, took them through Can
ada and sailed direct to France
about two months ago. As indi-
Gated in his letter he is now in
active service there.
The following extract is self
explanatory:
Something else pleased me,
too; the doctor got all the candi-
dates together after the examt-
nation and gave a talk on tobac-
co flying men. / never heard a
White Ribboner, a. Y. NJ. G.. Az
lecturer or ani-tobacco or whis-
ky man give such a scoring to
Old Nicotine as this doctor did.
He gave the reasons and the
data; data gathered from mill
tary records. He stated that IL
any flyer or would-be pilot knew
how to smoke, he'd better forget
about IL right soon. It seems
that the higher a man goes in the
air the more work his heart is \
called on to perform. He traced
practically all the accidents in
the air to faintness and dizziness
caused by too much smoking by
the pilot The doctor is a major
in the army medical corps and
seemed to know his work.
Gently but firmly he turned
down several applicants for COM
missions while l was in the room.
He is a real anti-tobacco fiend. !
Smoking may be all right as
d 4aT 1~,.%