Phoenix tribune., 1918-08-24
THE STANDARD Of RESPECTAB|uTY
w THE UNITED STATES TODAY

our own food. All these things are
part and parcel of the development of
responsibility and respectability, for
the respectable man is one who con-
tributes his share to the common good.
1t is necessary that we understand the
philosophy of this great world move
ment before we can grasp its practi-
cal applications.
Today it is the duty of every Amert-
can to subscribe for at least one bond
in each Liberty loan issue. just as it
is his duty each year to pay his taxes.
1t is his duty to curb excess and waste
at his table by following the govern
days. 1t is his duty to give the Red
Cross just as it is his duty to help
support the churches and charities and
other mediums for good in his COM
munity. BY these means has the every
day American grown up from a small
town man to natioGsl citizen. Ac-
cording to the measure with which he
assumes these fundamental response
bilties will depend his future develop
ment into citizen of the world.
The nations of the world are facing
the problem of widespread socialistic
propaganda. The socialists demand
for each man his share of ownership.
This is also the basis of American
democratic ideals. In America a man
has not alone the right, but the oppor-
tunity for ownership. The legislation
of the present is directly aimed against
the people who own more than their
share. The day will come when no
man can afford to be immensely veal
thy, because immense ownership and
wealth require more responsibilities
than it is humanity possible for one
man to carry This is the price of de-
mocracy-that the owner shall be re-
sponsible. But it also has its compen-
,sations. Ownership means power. The
man who owns a Liberty bond con-
trolls the power of the money; the man
and woman who own a home and pay
taxes control the franchise for that
home; the man who owns backyard
has the power for supplying his family
with food if he will work to grow it.
We stand at the crossroads. In the
past, when a nation went to war its
landed barons alone assumed the re-
sponsibility, because they alone had it.
In the travail of the present world
conflict is being brought forth the con-
cept of universal democracy. When
nations of the future go to war-as
God grant they never shall-it will be
the sentiment of the whole people, be-
cause then the whole people shall be
owners.
In this lies the strength of America
that it's people are undertaking the
ownership of their homes together
with the responsibilities ownership en-
tails. That is why, after long and
trying period of injustices, they arose
to help crush the malefactor of the
world. That is why they are going to
float the next Liberty loan, why they
will give another hundred million to
the Red Cross, why they planted three
million gardens last year and why they
will plant four million this year.
The word respectable has fallen into
disuse and has become a mockery.
Nevertheless, it is the state every man
aspires to. He wants a respectable
home in a respectable neighborhood,
respectable clothes "a good education
for his children and prospect for
their future advancement. There is no
other basis for that future or the pres
ent save the basis of ownership.
The standard of responsibility in
America today is to ow ma home, own
Liberty Bonds and have war garden.
A home, food and funds-in these
three lies the power o f the American
citizen.