Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-21
THE COMMON AMERICAN.

A cartoon in daily paper shows the
soldier heroic figure while those
whose mothers didn't raise their boys
TO be soldiers" crawl past in a pitiful
| procession. The soldier represents "A
life of service In generation Of self
ishness.''
Selfishness there is plenty and to
spare in this generation but no gener-
shown so much Of real service. The
passing throng is an army of service.
This is not a generation of weaklings
and towards or fools. 1t is not self
ish generation for it has given to hu-
man service more than any past gen
Grafton and granted of its wealth and
wages gladly to make this a better
world TO live in for all who live in it.
The soldiers service is great serv-
ice. We are ready to consider il the
ultimate of service because it risks life
and endures wounds, because it lies
afield and far from home Let none
min iInize the service of the soldier who
offers his life in defence of his country
and its institutions.
But let none deprecate the service of
the common people, the passing tnrong.
the mighty army that is called TO daily
service by the whistles instead Of the
bugle. who crowd the cars and I'll the
streets on their way to the service that
makes the world go round. who leave
this service only when the need of
their service elsewhere becomes imper-
alive and desperate: but who have
never failed of the sacrifice when the
hour struck the pressing need Of their
country.
There has been too much and still
continues altogether too much of insin-
uation against American manhood IN
general as cowardly. It arises mainly
from those who are apparently anxious
for a war and because there exists
deep seated and righteously rooted
conviction among the common people
of this middle west that war is to be
avoided if possible and to be engaged
in only as a last resort. This convic-
ton is the truest patriotism. Those
who hold it will fill the ranks and en-
dure the sacrifices when the time
comes, if such misfortune shall come.
Sons will leave dependent parents. IA
theirs win leave families, husbands
their wives to the mercies of circum
stance while they fight the battles Of
their country; but they are opposed to
war except as dernier resort Their
statesmen. Territorial power does not
appeal 10 them. They are deep in the
problem OF meeting the payments on
their homes. They do not dream of
glory but Of the grocery bill. They
reck little Of world politics; their homes
| engross them. They demand the dire
occasion before declaration Of war for
| they have so much to lose. But this
common American citizen may be de-
pended upon to the last drop of blood
and the last gasp of breath when tina.
| dire occasion comes. He has proved
! himself time and again as a patriot
and a fighting man in defence of his
| own. And this is generation not OF
selfishness but Of pure patriotism: not
Of cowardice but the finest courage.
This is not a nation Of peasants or
pelados but Of independent citizens
whose love Of country runs deep be-
Meath the froth OF the jingos and non
resiEters who will be chips on the tide
when the mighty spirit Of America, the
common people Of America moves.