Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-31

This arbitrary estimate is not mine it is borrowed from Napoleon. Again and again. does the greatest war expert of them all emphasize the preponderating influence of Morale. Reducing his many affirmations to fig uras he divides a nations fighting value thus: ....- Men and material resources 25 per cent.
 Morale 75 per cent.
 What then, is this abstract, iilu- siye duality?
 Have we as much. or more, or less of it than the Germans?
 Do we rely too much on our un- I limited natural resources and too lit tie on our cultivated spiritual re- sources? Morale is thing of the soul. It. is the bridal child of Think 1 ing and Feeling. It grows in doing. | It is individual and collective. It is
 never constant. It varies with wind I and weather, with fair news behind the lines. Weak, it cannot resist the l insidueus attacks of an enemy with a hundred thousand spies, yes, five hun i dred thousand spies whose speech and l thought poison our whole country as criminaiiy as eptitiousiy launch ed gas attack. Then. how are we to strengthen our morale? Of the army shall not speak.s Morale is the faith l of the soldier. But you, who read 1 this, nay citizen brother, who cheer a l the soldiers mareh pass, who kise when the orchestra plays the "Sta4 Spangied Banner'-Who insist that even heaven-born Boston is part ci the U. s. and shall do likewise, what i is the true quality of your morale? 1 Examine your conscience and see ii you are ready to make the sacrifices made by Belgian, English and French
 mothers and fathers
 l Does your pocket-book nerve twinge, as though raeked with sciatica
 every time it is touched for 8 wal
 loan, or a Red Cross contribution? I
 so, you need system of exercise te | strengthen your morale. Are you re.
 sentful when meatless and wheatless
 days are suggested? What selfisi
 schemes to balk MT. Hoover's plans
 have passed through your mind? Let no citizen think the food restriction.
 do not apply to him. If each of oul
 hundred million inhabitants cuts dowI
 the Jumps of sugar he or she uses il the daily cup of coffee or tea by olie
 for but one day, tife National plano
 of morale is raised one degree fo
 that day. If we simply think of tn,
 Food saving demanded by the presen
 emergency in terms of Lent, we selv! 1 the worlds food problem. War i LenteH time; a time of fasting, fese lutiens-and prayer.
 Does your morale weaken with tn
 cold when the janiter reports the fur
 mace out for lack Of eoaif Would vol
 rather run your thousand dollar cleo tfic sign night and day than save tn
 coal so burnt for munition plants? I
 so, remember the front line trenehe
 are not steam heated and that shel
 shortage means death to the men Ii those trenches. Yet, these are but tn
 minor tests of morale. Small, indeed
 the spirit that cannot rise above them
 It ls when greater sacrifices are. de
 maadsd that the true state of th
 Nations soul will stand revealed
 What is the spirit of your giving Think of the wives of Belgiuna an France. Children do you miss you Aatherg Remember the Orphans 70 War.
 So each sacrifice on the altar of OIL country wounds our soul. Not oni comfort, a warm home and bonHteou , meals, must be forswern, but wit brave hearts oir mothers and wiye : must give all that is nearest ai
 dearest to them. And as is th ? strength of their spirit in this giyinl : so is the strength Of the soul of th ! nation.
 Thus morale is another word fo strength of soul And the war will b won by the nation with the greates soul.