Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1917-02-15
SCRAPS OF VERSE AND
PROSE
by Clara Cox Eppers0n

country Q0uDtS the wisdom OF the
above advice from jeremiah, the
prophet, and Paurs mandate to the
Romans was: IF possible. as much
as lieth in you. live peaceably with
all men," But if you will notice he
begins his advice with IF possible"
denoting that 1t may become an i'm
possibility to live peaceably with all
men.
A family should keep peace with
other families in the village or town,
as far as possible, but when that
peace can only be kept by keeping
their children and themselves at
home. never allowing them the free
dom Of the streets, Of going to school,
Sunday School, to the stores, etc,
just to sit at home as prisoners, al
most, in order that peace may be
kept, then it would not be expected
of any self-respecting citizen of the
town. So with our nation, it seems
to me. Our beloved president has
certainly tried to the best of his
ability to seek peace and pursue it,"
but when it becomes necessary to
keep all citizens at home, all ships
or the seas. and tamely submit to
the order Of foreign despot, in Or
der to keep peace, he will not meek
ly submit. knowing that such sub
mission would bring no permanent
: safety, for in such a course, "Des-
truction cometh and they shall seek
peace. and there shall be none"
jeremiah also said: "Thcy have
healed the hurt Of the daughters of
my people. slightly. saying peace
peace. when there is no peace"
There can be no permanent peace
on the foundation of servile submis-
sion to unreasonable demands, and
while we should work for peace and
pray for peace. If it becomes an i'm
possibility. without sacrificing the
dignity and freedom Of our nation,
then we should uphold the hands of
our president. royalty and Loyalty.
The Woman's Peace Party is now
urging the passage Of bill in each
state legislature providing for phys
ical training to bs taught in our
public schools. and 1t seems to me
that It is much needed. not only for
times of war. but for times Of peace.
A few years ago. Karl Yansen. the
Norwegian lecturer was in our town
to deliver lecture. In converse.
ton on athletic training he told of
the rigid training that all children
had in Norway and Sweden in all
lines of physical development, and
that seemed to be his special line
Of work when not in the lecture feld !
He claimed that the. cause of SO
many boys being hurt In football and |
baseball in America, was the lack Of
training In their early youth; that |
they 60 almost unframed to the
preparatory schools and colleges, in
stead Of having layers Of muscles
to protect the bones. consequently |
are soon hurt. and sometimes &C.
riously: therefore he advocated
school athletics under a proficient |
teacher, and this is the same idea in |
the demand that athletics shall be
introduced into the public schools Of |
each state. If that were so, and fol.
? i by military training in the
preparatory schools and ce..vf,.-.
then would our boys and men be
loc 61l.lIc, and if called on
ouid not have to go out as raw
material to face the guns. II the
trained man in all other lines, ia
more successful in this life, why no,
in this, and while 1t is heart break
ing to think of the flower Of our
youth having to 60 from our homes
to the battleields, would we not
feel little more secure If we knew
they were at least trained for the
arduous, dangerous service. The
thought OF the conscription Of un-
trained boys and sending them out
to be slaughtered Is appalling. then
would it not be better to have them
trained for service. especially when
the physical training from youth up
only makes health more secure and
success in any line Of work more
sure?
The weaklings Of the school al.
ways gets the hard knocks. and we
do not want our boys to be weak
lings, nor our nation to be one. but
to stand with might for the right in
all things, all the while following
after the things that make for
peace" as far as possible.
20 Keeper of the Sacred Key, i
And the Great Seal of Destiny.
Whose eye is the blue canopy,
Look down upon the warning world
and tell US what the end will be.
Now Whatsoever stand or fall, :,
As God is great and man is small.
The Truth shall triumph over all:
e~rc-orvnnra hn Truth