Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-13

ola tune or The Girl Left Behind
Me-" but to new and more inspir-
ing strain of America That Tolls
Behind Us" The Drawn. the brains.
the oil. the machines of all the land
must not stand, but work, behind
our fighting men on sea and land.
On those at home. no less than on
those who risk their lives in battle.
depends the success of this final
struggle for liberty. With those at
home, no less than with those afield
and afloat, discipline and unified eff
fort must prevail.
Many weeks ago Git seems a year
since Bernstorff left unlamented)
men and women in this city. and no
doubt 1t was the same elsewhere
throughout the land, sought to en-
roll themselves for service in case
of need. Few had any preferences
as to the kind of service that might
be required of them. No one knew
where he would fit to best advantage.
There was no one who could point
the way. This flood of patriotic eag-
erness was left to swirl around in an
aimless circle. A few were caught
up by side eddies and found inches
with the Red Cross. the Special Aid
Society, a local committee on public
safety or of food production, in re-
cruiting work, and similar independ-
ent enterprises. Yet a few other
strong swimmers struck out for
themselves and landed at opportuni-
ties more or less suited to their tall
ents. The mass remained swirling.
gradually slowing down, finally to
settle into the stagnancy of discour-
agement. 1t was poor old Brittling
over again, surrounded by the self
same economic and governmental
conditions that best him and his
fellows in Great Britain for such a
weary and for so costly time.
Evidently. if those words of the
President and of Mr.. Vanderlip mean
anything. America is prepared to
learn a lesson at the hands of it's
experienced allies. THE nation
needs all men," to quote the Presi-
dent once more, but it needs each
man, not in the field that will be
the most pleasure to him, but in the
endeavor that will best serve the
common good" And to again listen
to Mr.. Vanderlip: There is more
work in sight than can possibly be
done, and the question is whether
we shall cut off luxuries or neces-
sites" Our railroads have begun to
do their part. 1t is not business as
usual for them, but a voluntary ac-
ceptance of orders from the war
board of the American Railway As
sociation. to eliminate the luxurious
and nonessential, to consolidate,
and to redouble their every effort.
Where does the line fall between
luXuries and necessities in individual
wants, between nonessentials and
essentials in mercantile production.
In railroad matters the war board
of their association is the arbiter.
Ena 11NE ali
of the roads what to do. 1t will re-
main for some authority to be con-
stituted that shall say with finality
to the rest of us, You do this, and
you do that" and according to our
capacity as revealed through the
census. To the manufacturer of
millinery de luxe must be shown
that his needle women and his ma
chimes will be needed at times to
make clothing; to the florist that
vegetables are more beautiful to
look upon than bright flowers in
emergencies; to the jeweler that
cartridges are more precious than
diamonds; to the writer of such an
article as this that a clerical job
would be more fitting or perchance
that of an official press gagger Gun
der suitable controD, might tend to
teach him humility.
These are but examples, somewhat
overdrawn, perhaps, of what Great
Britain tardily came to recognize as
necessary changes from business as
usual. 1t does not necessarily follow
that these trades must be wrecked
to accomplish the end in view. Nc
one wants the ladies to go bare
headed, or to appear in unbecoming
tcggery. Milliners will still be need
ed. Robbed of its flowers. this would
be a doleful world, especially in war
time. Even the most efficient veg
etable garden or hothouse can af-
ford some space for posies. Cupid
will not be banished from the land,
not even by Mars. and engagement
and wedding rings will still be made
and sold. Newspapers will still be
in demand, and the demand will be
supplied, whatever befalls the gag
bill, or an insignificant scribbler or
two.
At first blush II sounds as paternal-
istic as if made in Germany" Or
is it socialistic, rather? It might as
fittingly be termed democratic. in
difference to the political complex
ion of the administration, or repub-
lican, since we proudly term our
government a republic. Rebellion
against organized control is treason
in the military service. In civil life
insistence on unrestrained individ-
ualism in time of war is anarchy. Mr..
Vanderlip evidently knew whereof
he spoke when he said that there is
more work in sight than can pos
sibly be done" Come what may,
some things must be done. and we'll
done. The essentials must be con-
centrated upon. and the heads and
hands best fitted for those tasks
must be drafted. If need be, for
them. The country Is at war. and,
as Prof. Albert Bushnell Hart said
in a recent article. it must face
the music" Prof. Hart sought to
emphasize the magnitude of the task
that is before the country. He. too,
points out the inevitable when he
says that "the country Is to sub
NIT to a degree of national central
lied control of great industries such
as would bring about a revolution,
except that the national safety re-
quires 1t. Face the music fair
ly. and then you are on the road to
backing up your country with some-
thing that has teeth"
No one would have a quaver at
submitting to such a civil draft If
1t were entrusted to a Goethals or a
Hoover. In their provinces they are
supreme. and no one doubts that the
public sentiment of the country will
sustain their rulings unfiinchingly.
The presence of such men in COM
mand of their branches of the civil
army indicates that incompetency is
not to be tolerated at the top. AS
other essential lines OF private en-
deavor are called to the support of
the colors, and speeded up for great
er output, and men and women are
drafted from less necessary pursuits