The Robesonian., 1917-04-26
OUR DEMOCRACY IS ON
TRIAL, NOW WE MUST FIGHT

To the Editor of The Robesonlan:
Our Democracy is now on trial. In
the face of danger We find the work
ingmen taking on the whole a far
sighted and patriotic stand They
have not allowed the pacifist virus to
enter their blood. If they have not
yet accepted the idea OF universal
service it is largely because the case
for universal service has not been put
to them in convincing fashion. More
over, they are right in considering
that compulsory service should IN
clude conscription of wealth. In the
main the workingmen are sound at
heart. We cannot be so sure of the
wisdom of the employer class and
the press which always caters to that
class. They talk loudly of patriot
ism, but thev are not prone to prac-
tice that self sacrifice which is the
true flower of patriotism. Our Pres
| ident called Congress in special ses-
sion the End inst. This was in view
of the fact that Germany is actu-
| allv making war against us. Our
people should understand that the
! day of hesitation is past, that the pa
cifist and pro-German are now simp-
ly traitors to the country and should
be treated as traitors; that decla-
ration of war does not mean that We
begin war, but that Germany has al
ready begun war. Under these cir
cumstances, all good Americans will
sink party lines, and will support
our President, Woodrow Wilson, IN
every action he takes for the uphold
ing of American rights, and for strik-
ing hard and efficiently at Germany
I am sure that Congress has realized
this, and will also realize that any
attempt to make the war half wal
or limited war or weak war, is
crime against this nation. We mus
not make this a dollar war; We mus
be willing to shed our own blood, bu
it must be shed as necessary Incl
! dent of inflicting the maximum dam
: age on the enemy. All Of our peo
. pie in every section of the country
and without regard to creed, occu
patton, race or origin, must rally a
: one man, must hold an absolutely un
divided allegiance to this country
and must be ready to lend themselve
in any war for the flag that not onl
y symbolizes our national honor an
ancient renown, but the greatest hop
for the future of the nations of man
r kind.
:, u We are going to war with German
:, because Germany has bitterly wrong
:, ed US, but there is much more tina
= this at stake. All of US American
- - love peace and would do anythin
~ honorable to avoid war. We love lif
= but there are things we love eve
=, ~ more than life, and we feel that "
! are loyal to all that is highest
~ Americas past when we act On tt
=, ~ belief that those only are fit to Ii,
- ~ who are not afraid to die. And Il
!; ;s future is going to be in the hant
y. " Of the nations that put labor footir
', with capital. The laboring class
l. not considered in the national cou7
r. ellis. 1t is high time they we're. II
90 country in war or out Of war is d
No pendent for its very existence on tt
. work of the men who toll with the
~ hands. These men today have in th
O. country no direct representation
or! Congress and very little in the ca
~ " met. They are not considered in t
- q national councils. It is high tir
" they were.
n A. G. STEPHEN
q = Lumberton, N. c., R. F. D. 4.
- April 16, 1917.