Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-12
What Would Lincoln DO?'

Sixtt Years ago an uncoulh man stood before
emotiotessyept audiences and put in immortal words
the doctrine that nonation can permanently remain
halfslave and halffree In the next few years this
rustic of Illinois saw his waEning written in the
fash OF 4nnon fire. heard il sounded in the beat of
the drum and the stirring call of batte.trumpets.
Before the troops laid down their arms, slavery had
been abolished the seeding saSe-states defeated.
the union saved And human freedom then and for
esermore became the nightiest, the cieaest ideal
BEFORE the American republic.
This is the anniversary of Abraham Lincolns
birthday. Were he still with us there is no doubt
OF whaf his wordsworth I've today.
He would declare that this nation cannot endure
halfalien and haif.American.
He wculd deelare that the citizen OF America who
does pot gladly. readily, intellectually give his
full allegiance 10 the United States is not worthy TO
dwell under the protection of the Stars and Stripes
oman in American history has seen better than
Lincoln. that upon a moral issue the nation cannot
be divided against itself No man has seen better
than be that tempOriEng such an issue is vicious
and that the duty Of men and the duty Of the nation
Is TO take positive stand before the world
Lincoln was not among Americas greatest law
yerx but no barrster or jurst ever exceIed him in
reducing 80 the simplest. most uneqnivocal terms
any ssuefnr any controversy. In the memorial Lin;
douglas debate of 1854. and the still more mem
orabe series tf debates in 1858. the raspitter Of
Springfield Eas opposed By one of the ablest debat
ers and orators Congress has heard, the Little
Giant" stephen A. Douglas. Douglas was Il master
OF eoquence and talked with a flow of prose which
won almost any audience. And yet Lincoln. with
his clear simple statements of the nora issues in
rolyedl in slavery, made the deeper and more per-
a.,
Li1coinAlmteslswas and suffered acntely as..the
dread devastation of conflict engulfed the country
over (which be presided. But. convinced THAT war
was hecessary. he did not fslter when Fort Sumter
was tred on. sfpEi =, 1861 Addressing the extra
sessen of Congress next July, called to take meas
ures 10 prosecute the war. he said of the Fort sum
Ter Incident -
Np choice wasleff but to call out the NARROWER
o. the government and 10 resist the force employ
cd for its destruction by force for its preservation
InlAmercae present crisis it is uncomfortable that
Lincoln would be supine in the face of events which
prove Germany deliberately menacing the safety and
the SecurityiofA this country Once convinced that
tierniany's Submarine war was violating American
rights and international rights, and he would not
hesithe employ force in defense of those rights
One can ilaAgiseswitll what emphasis and clarity
ne would reduce tather simplest terms the sinking
Of the I.nsitania, the outrage of Belgium and the
rPyefion Of Germany now to the campaign of ruth.
essness Berlin once pledged the United States her
submarine commanders would not caFslson.
And one can aaso imagine how simply and si,leils
didly he would state the fact that there is no place
in American government or American homes for
divided allegiance when the honor and safety of the
nation are at stake 80 81
As one hundifdzalillions Of Americans do honor.
to our nartyrea Nssident. il is web to remember
that his heart and mind were paksonately devoted
e the theory of national unity that his greatest
Speeches aid his greatest deeds were for tie cause
Of national unity, and that his life was given in pre-
servation of that ideal
There was no hyphen in Abraham Lincoln's Amer
icanism II was unadulterated unqualified. I'M
divided.