The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-08-07
Those Who Did and Those Who Didi't


was too young to be drafted or to
enlist. The question was whether he
should remain in school for at least
another year, or go to work in a ship
yard or some other industry directly
connected with the war. Never mind
how it came out; / overheard the dis
cussion, and just one thing remained
in my mind--this remark of the boy:
After the war there will be only
two kinds CT people in America:
Those who did and those who didn't
fight in the trenches; | mean those
who and those who didn't take
some part Intentionally in this big
thing that's going on. | want to be
able to look back afterward and say
to myself that / didn't sit by and do
nothing simply because of the day
when | happened to be born"
1t struck me as pretty clear state
ment of the situation as it affects or
ought to affect every American man,
woman or CHI Id old enough to under
stand anything about it. Oddly
enough that same day | dined with
the family Of a very wealthy man.
When we came to dessert, the mother
said, bit apolcgetically, to me: =
81 was planning TO have ice cream
today. but the children forbade it,
even for you. They have decided not
to have ice cream at present, because
Of the sugar it takes, anG because it is
one of the things they can go without.
They are going without other things,
too, TO help win the war In fact
they tyrannize over US and cal atten-
ton to every form of waste" She
added with a laugh: "Of course, there
are a good many forms of waste in
house like ours that they do not rec
ognize."
In another home few days later
we had the old-time VIII tie bread and
when | remarked that "Mr. Hocverlf
get you if you don't watch out, the
mother said:
' tT'd be perfectly wiling 10 go
without white bread altogether, but
my little Alice simply insists upon
having it and the girls in the kitchen
say they will leave if they are de-
prived of it.
Still later. in an employment office
where | spent an hour or so, heard
cook say tc woman whom she
was cross-examining about the condi-
tons under which she would work:
Il simply won't work for you if you
are going to skimp me on sugar the
way the last lady l worked for d d."
While / was meditating about this
last declaration, a woman bearing
every mark of wealth came in and
said to the employment agent:
81 want a waitress. I must have
her by tomorrow. She must be young,
good looking, cheerful, willing, obed-
ent. And above all she must have no
gold in her front teeth that shows
when she smiles"
Pretty good, / thought. In the
midst of a world-agony to have time
or thought for that sort of thing.
And my mind went back to the chill
dren who were tyrannizing over a
household lest something be done that
wouldn't "help win the war. These
episodes fell clearly into one or other
of the two categories created by the
boys imperative division of those
who did and those who didn't"
1t seemed to me that not only ev-
cry person, but every act of every
person, must fall on one side or ether
of that merciless line. And the di-
vision is after all the old division,
about which we have talked so much
and heard preaching so much, between
me and others.
In ordinary times. it is difficult to
too with the duty and privilege of
considering the welfare Of others. The
material of life is relatively tame
and undramat.c, the recognition of the
principle has to be laugh in small and
hand arise conditions each of which
carries it's opportunity to teach the
lesson.
The man, woman or child who
thinks or is permitted to think that
he must" have this or that for his
comfort or enjoyment-white bread,
for instances losing or being de-
prived of the benefits Of this oppor-
tunity; is falling inevitably on the
didn't side of the line. And the
parents who fail to use the dramatic
circumstances of these times fer the
training of their children are greatly
to blame, from every point of view.
| notice singular identity between
those people who protest against
hearing all the time about the war;"
those who plead for escape or respite
from the upset and confusion in all
personal affairs which the war has
produced and those who are selfishly
apathetlc and idle. notice that in
those homes where the children and
the servants demand and get all the
old things and privileges, where there
is no note of sacrifice, no family par
cipation in the general public service
of the nations united need and effort
there is a general atmosphere of sell
fishness and indifference to the rights
and feelings of others. The woman
who has time and disposition now to
insist that her waitress shall have no
gold in her front teeth that shows
when she smiles is a woman ignorant
Of and Indifferent to the vast revolu-
ton that is taking place in the world.
Her mind is still fixed upon trivial
ties. do not know anything about
the particular woman who sad that
in my hearing, but | am absolutely
cerain that it reflected chronic at
titude of mind. She has not yet felt
the greatness of the things that are
from pole to pole. She
does not yet understand that the new
conditions must reach down into the