The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-04-13
FELLOW CITIZENS.

now enVelOped this PeaceIu1 country.
Our President who has used every
means and method available has only
few days ago called the great as
sembly of the United States in joint
session to act in the declaration OF
war. The following day that joint body
voted the actual declaration Of war
against Germany.
We are now facing the actual exis-
tence of a war. Thanks to God this
war has been declared in the spring
of the year and not in the fall. We
are in the ripening stage of this coun-
try. 1t is the beginning of the season
of prOduCtiveness.
We must awaken ourselves to the
conditions that exist, not only think
of the present but look to the future
and particularly the coming winter
when this country might be in the act
uaI struggle of arms when she will be
dependent upon her food supplies that
she has laid UP during the summer to
carry her over the bleak and unpro-
duCtive winter. This is not question
for us to bubble over 1t is an alb
solute and actual existence Of a fact,
that we must lose no time in compre-
hending. 1t behOOyes every patriotic
man to serve his country in a par
ticularly earnest way. Some of us
will be called on to take the arms of
actual warfare on the field Of battle;
others will be in the munition plants
to produce the munition; others will
mobilize the supplies and others will
be called on to produce food stuffs SO
that our soldiers on the battle line
may not suffer for necessary susten-
ance.
Patriotism is covered by all of these.
To every man who serves his country
in whatever place and position he may
be selected, to him is owed the honor
and respect of his fellow citizens;
and to him who refuses to act must
bear the blunt and the scorn of US all.
We must not finch work; we must
avoid any talk against our country
and its management This is the time
TO forget party lines, party affiliations.
This is the time likewise to forget
and forgive any enemies we may have.
We must join our arms with one an
other to combat foe There must be
no descension, but there must be unity
of action and unity of purpose
throughout
The great end for which this coun-
try has entered this war is for the
Preservation of Peace, the Promotion
of National Happiness, and the Pro-
lection Of the Rights of Equal Liberty,
having in no way sought to pecuniary
interests but only to uphold the dig
nifty whic,- she has always stood for
and under which our Constitution has
been drawn; namely, equal rights to
all. with special privileges to none
and an absolute protection Of her
children
This country is a combination of
States. united as one, guided by a
leader who has been chosen by the
majority of them all. That leader to-
day calls on every patriotic citizen to
aid him in shortening this great strug-
gle. This can be best accomplished
by drastic blow. We cannot say to
ourselves: Let another take the
struggle up" but we must act as one
Every Representative of every State
in the United States assembled in
Congress has endorsed the President
and it is up to us to give our endorse
ment by the only method by which we
can render service and that is by an
absolute cooperation and sympathy
with the move.
Every one of us has conscience to
serve. II we do our duty as we should
this time (stand Loyalty by the decis-
ion Of our President) We are doing
then service to our God, for He
COmudnuS US ever 10 respect, 10 non
or and to love those in authority and
he is the chief of them all.
"A sense of duty pursues lis ever.
1t is Omni-present like the deity. If
we take to ourselves the wings or the
and fee to the utmost bounds
Of the sea, duty performed OF duty
remains yet with us for our
comfort or for our sorrow. If we say the
darkness shall cover US, in the dark
ness as in the light our obligations
remain yet with us. We cannot es-
cape their power nor flee from their
presents. They are with us in this
life and will be with us at it's close
and in sense of uncomfortable solem-
nifty which lies yet farther onward we
shall find ourselves surrounded by
conscience Of duty to pain us where
ever it has been violated and to con-
sole us so far as God may have given
us grace TO perform it."
Written by Robert t. Shriver.