Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1918-05-30


/ mothers whose protectors have died
that you and might continue TO en-
! Joy the blessings Of life, liberty and
property. Every cent added 10 the
/ cost of wheat adds to the burden ol
/ these people, who while we prospered
as no people ever prosered. held aloft
the flaming torch OF civilization.
| | am not undertaking to justify the
arbitrary price fixing of wheat as
economically sound. l am not insist
| ing that the price fixed assures the
farmers even a reasonable profit. For
/ the PERSONS stated no on is competent
| to pass on that matter, but do insist
that it was necessary and I do know
| that although the average price re-
ceived by the farmers OF America tor
their wheat last year was the highest
in thirty years, at the same time the
consumers paid an average OF five dol
lars barrel less for flour than they
paid during tie previous twelve
months. The food adm. Iistration has
reduced the difference in the price paid
the producer and the price paid by
the consumer, and for doing that it has
no apology to offer to any living man.
While not pricefiXing body, the
food admin stration has set its face
like flint against Che profiteer No
man with its knowledge or consent, is
going to make a dollar now that he
would rot have made in times Of peace.
1t does not propose that the war shall
be the occasion for accumulation Of
unearned profits.
ie.tr q
the farmers shall have fair and just
treatment; that they shall share with
all others alike in the blessings of gov
eminent and with all others share
alike in bearing it's burdens. More
than that the self-respecting, patriotic
farmers do not ask.
Without trying to excite your Gu
pidity, | am appealing to you in this
great crisis to redouble your efforts to
produce all the nations essential food
tufts. Work, my friends; work early
and late; work as you have never Ia.
bored, because the fate of civilization
hangs in the balance depending largely
upon your efforts, your devotion and
your sacrifice for the verdict. l ap-
peal to you, not with the promise OF
additional profits, hut because world
in agony, womanhood in tears, looks to
you to do your whole part in this
greatest tragedy since Golgotha. My
friends, those embattled farmers at
Lexington, who unaided raised their
hands against a power to which Rome
in her palmiest days was not to be
compared, did not calculate the cost
nor measure the sacrifice. They were
not thinking about the price OF wheat
or caviling over whether it would pay
to raise pork for the gallant soldiers,
and sailors, but they were thinking of
their duty to posterity, of their obliga-
ton to safeguard that which their faith.
ers had wrested from the savage
and the wild beast My friends, this
is no time to count cost or estimate
profits, this is the hour for service.
You have an opportunity to serve HUI
manity never given before to any PEG
pie since time began.
Think of this magnificent heritage
Of ours. Is 1t not worth fighting for,
working for, aye, il necessary dying
for? This great structure that we call
civilization was not the work OF day
or a year or a century. 1t is the
creation of all the ages. These evil
dences OF civilization that we have all
about us, this building, this organiza-
ton itself our political liberty, our re-
lig;ous liberty, our industrial liberty,
our educational liberty, all these things
that we count worth while that make
life to us something to be priced, are
ours because those who went before us
did not hesitate to sacrifice and labor
and suffer that we might inherit this
priceless heritage. 1t Is ours because
those hardy pioneers sailed three
thousand miles of uncharted seas,
landed on a stern and rock-bouud coast,
blazed pathway through the track
less wilderness, and here erected their
rude temples and dedicated them for
ever to human liberty. 1t is ours be-
cause those who went before us count
ed life a thing to be despised If it were
not lived worthily, and who never
the cost where principle was
involved Now are we, sons OF those |
sires, going to prove unworthy OF this
false to their name, I'M
true to their faith, all because 1t is
going to cost us something in blood
and treasure?
My friends, are we going to stand
the test, will we measure up TO the
sacred trust reposed in us? Not il
we are quibbling over the price that
we are to be paid for our efforts, not
IL we think more sSout profits than
we do about human liberty; not If we
prize sordid gain above the virtue OF
our women and the honor of our sons.
This war must be the supreme task,
the first consideration, every hour OF
every day with each and every one OF
us, if we are to prove ourselves true
to the faith This is war not OF
captains and great armies,
but it is a war Of peoples. 1t will be
won by that people who can stand
steadfast, immovable, ready to die in
he faith that has made men strong
and great. 1t will be won, as 1t should
be, by that people willing to make the
sacrifices, to endure the most
severe punishment, to give all of the
best that is in them to the great task.
God grant that the sons Of America
nay be true to the faith. steadfast,
mmovable, consecrated to the task
which we have undertaken.
This Is not a time to ask whether
you can afford to produce this crop or
will It pay to undertake that task Civi-
ization, all that you and I prize, the
1okynna ~ tho hnpao thA hal.