The Mountainair independent., 1918-12-26
HAVE YOU PUT ON
Til RED CROSS BADGE
Of PATRIOTISM!
BY Hugh Nugent Fitzgerald

Ihls is the demand of America.
one hundred per cent membership to
tAe Reu Cross This was the pledge
vi america to the three million SOL
u-oio dAu oaHOrs who crossed overseas
~ plant tne stars and Stripes on the
ramparts of Prussian autocracv and
70 ~ present at the official funeral of
Hohenzollernism and Hapsburgism.
fedce ala not halt the work of the
american Red Cross. There is no
lalting the work of those who be-
heye IN the gospel Of a Christian God
ana the saving grace which follows in
tne wake OF American Samaritans in
binding up the wounds inflicted bv
the war and in pushing the recon-
StTuctlon measures which are neces-
sary TO save from death by starvation
millions of men and women and chill
dren who were left at the mercy OF
the elements by the war lords of Eu-
rope when the abject surrender came
o. the last and most infamous of the
Caesars and his erstwhiie mighty
various of the central empires.
Americans must uphold the ideals
OF the republic fhey must aid in the
reconstruction of the countries de-
yastatud by war. They must aid in
the work of easing the pain or the
sorrow of those left wounded or help
less or without friends or relatives to
care for them.
in recent address for the Red
Cross, Vice President Thomas Riley
Marshall reminded his fellow Ameri-
cans that peace has not brought
oarcease from sorrow; that they are
put here to exercise their God-given
instinct Of kindness and mercy; that
they are not to think that the work
has been done or that peace has
apreau her healing wings over the
nations of the earth; that it is our
duty to be tender and true to humani-
W; that this war has aught Ameri-
cans that what the fathers of the re-
public meant by liberty of speech
and liberty of press was that no Amer
.oan, elth>r in the hour of peace or
the hour of war. ought to utter a
sinsIe sentiment that will not rebound
to The glory of or country. This dis
,.nsuished Hoosier statesman uttered
many other truths which should find
iUdgmJnt. Read these words:
Il have learned that out of this
great war there is coming spirit of
comradeship and of fellowship and
of good will which is going to have
much to do with solving the problems
Of the republic Il | believe these
boys of yours when they come back
from across the seas will save from
the grasping hand of greed upon the
one hand and the red hand of Bolshe-
Vism upon the other. # | have dis
covered that no man or woman who
has given his or her life in the de-
tense of a great cause has ever died
or ever can die. But any man or
woman who can subscribe to the Red
ler and does not do so is dead and I
shall not return to attend the fun
raj, if you have one. Justice and
mercy are to go together in the future
years and if this republic has a soul
and | believe it has, | believe that
The hand maiden of the immortal
soul is the American Red Cross"
Last and Best Drive
Great men of America, white soul
ed women of America, who were the
war service workers of the republic
in the darkest hours of the world
war unite in declaring that this is
the last and best drive of the Red
Cross-VICTORY'S DRIVE
They say that our boys are cross
ing the Rhine, but they are crossing
as the guardians of liberty and guar
antors of peace
They say, and they tell the truth
that the Red Cross goes forward G
repair the ravages of war, to bind
up the wounds of those who have suf-
fered in this cause with its special
message of humanity to a world not
blessed by peace and with a back
ground of achievement which makes
its record the brightest page in the
illustrious history of the last foui
years,
Again they say and they say truth
fully that the work of he Red Gross
is not going to stop. That the worl
Is simply going to turn into Other
channels and those who have beer
working on making surgical dressings
'are registering themselves now fol
the vast work of the future that viii
take other forms.
And ye doubters or scoffers or in
different ones are reminded that tn,
American Red Cross at the presen
time is taking care of and helping