The Vashon Island record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1916-1919, 1917-11-22

100000 .ts(clsC.(s(sfs(sGc
new world an opportunity to make a
better living. and the chance to gain
competence. great multitude of
the poorer and ignorant classes OF the
different nations came with the hope
of finding here conditions that would
make life worth the living. They came
with large families. All these scat.
tered over the length and breadth of
our land. Their expectation and hopes
have been surpassed. They found not
only an "Eldorado." but a land where
the burdens of European taxes were
lifted land where every man has
a chance, where all are on an equality
before the law.
Out of this great diversity of human
ity has been and still is being formed
the ideal citizen. the present and the
future of this great republic. How
well the amalgamation is going on our
political history has and still is DEM
oDstrating.
Who are the alchemists of this won
derfnl transmutatlon? What force Is
thiJ that can take this crude human
material, so diverse in many respects
and out OF It form the strong Ideal
American citizen?
answer. the common schools Of
the land. More than half million
teachers and more than 20 million
pupils are daily doing this work. These
common school teachers are the al
chemists that are transmitting this
mass OF humanity into good loyal
American citizens. The great MAORI
ty OF these teachers are young women
"schooi MANS we like to cali them.
These are the makers and saviors OF
the Union. They are with them nine
or ten months of the year, most Of the
time while the pupils are awake. They
mould the characters OF our boys and
girls and fix their hearts upon the best
ideals of American citizenship and pa
trlotsm as no other force can do, not
even the home and the church in
cluded, however powerful and neces-
sary these may be. II there is any
class of citizens to whom we owe the
highest esteem and the deepest reyer-
ance 1t Is this host of underpaid school
teachers.
In the crucible of the alchemist
there is always some dross. So 1t has
been, too, In our history.
In 1904, there lay dying In London
one who 25 years before that time had
betrayed his country and had fed for
his life. Shortly before he died he
arose In his bed and called for his
sword and helmet. In the face of
death he sat once more upon his
black horse and was again present at
the battle of Ticonderoga and under
the walls of Quebec. and in his delir-
ium he cried with dreadful voice,
Surrender" and then fell back dead.
Benedict Arnold might have been an
honored and famous man In his coun-
try. Now his memory is despised by
all men through all time. How differ
ent the soldier after the battle of
Vicksburg. His arm and leg had
been shot away and as he looked at
himself and deplored his helplessness,
his face lit up with smile and he
said. "Ali, but It was glorious vic
tory
We do not like to think that we have
among US the Arnolds, and yet we
cannot deny that some Americans are
of the dross form.
We find them among those who offer
resistance to our government in these
trying times by all kinds of traitorous
means. We must find them out and
put the mark OF Cain upon them.
Among us are many aliens who have
benefited by our free institutions, who
have shared in the prosperity that has
been in the land for so many years
who have come from AFFECT poverty
in the old countries to abundance and
TO prosperity, and to enjoy these un-
molested under the protection of the
Stars and Stripes. These must now
fall in line and help TO defend the
privileges and liberties vouchsafed to
them by the Union. They must not
share these blood-bought blessings and
at the same time sympathize with the
enemy II they persist in doing this
in biting the hand that feeds and pro