The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-15

blind. Some will die. All arc
grievously hurt.
Perhaps it is the presence Of God
there where so many men are close
to death that makes the old scales
drop from our eyes. For among
these mutiIated that is what hap
pens to us-the old values, chs old
conventions drop away fuauve~.
Each crushed or broken body Dc
comes so infinitely precious, az VIC
see it dominated by spirit. Ttds
black man, this blind boy Nave
lifted us up. With a new sense we
know that the things which n
seen are temporal, but the things
which are not seen are eternal.
And lifting up OUR eyes from the
stretchers, we see the Red Cross.
We see it on the arm of the sur
geon, giving his skill. On the ara
of the nurse, giving her youth. On
the insignia of the ambulance men,
giving their We know that
it was painted on the cases carry
ing these surgical supplies and
these healing drugs We know
thst it win wave above the hospital
to which these men are going to
have their chance of life.
From this minute the Red Cross
becomes a part of us, and We be-
come part Of the Red Cross.
NTHILE We do our Christmas
w shopping this year, while
we live these days Of new
exhiliration-these thrilling days
that arc like draughts of the richest
wine of life-now, before we suffer,
Red Crosses will seem to be every
where. In the stores among the
cleaning fabrics and the gifts for
soldiers. among the pretty toys on
the Christmas trees, in railroad
stations, in factories, IN theatres,
in markets, in churches, in settle
ments, in homes, in schools, in the
streets there will be hundreds and
hundreds Of Red Crosses. Every
where there will be picturesque
booths, with someone in uniform,
smiling and happy, asking for new
members. And it will all seen like
some wonderful, beautiful game
Let us take all the strength and
inspiration that it gives us. Truly
it is beautiful and it is wonderful
so much of these things that IT will
make many men and women 9
double: see with the eyes of the
spirit the Red Cross on the battle
front, ON a brassard that Is stained
with precious blood.
The campaign drive for 10000
600 members will be on! But it
won't seem large. Yet one new
member has potentialities Of serv-
ice beyond any computation.
THEATRES will be crowded,
and the gaiety, when it is not
cruel, will help to make the
world go round: 80 many e IN
uniform and beautifully dressed
women, the orchestra playing The
Star Spangled Banner" patriotism
beating high!
But we know It is a changed
world There is something sinister
in the war-tax at the box-ofice.
Underneath the laughing there is
choking. In France, boys are go
ing over the top; and through the
strains of "The Star Spangled
Banner" there seem to echo the
words of the French officer spoken
over the graves of the soldiers
killed in the first American n
gagement in France, in November
of this year:
We viii, therefore, ask that
the mortal remains OF these
young men be left here, left
with US forever. We will in
scribe on their tombs: Here
lie the first soldiers of the Re-
public of the United States to
fall on the soil of France in the
cause of Liberty and Justice
The passer-by viii stop and
uncover his head; travellers and
men of heart will go out of their
way to come here, and pay their
respective tributes.
Private Enright!
Private GreshamI