The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-11-06
THE AMBITION TO SERVE
(By George E. Brown
OF The Vigilantes)

A young man III pis UNIV
to me: Great Caesar! I'd give Ten
years salary to be in the La Fayetse
Escadrille"
Another young fellow in a machine
shop was grieving himself thin DE-
cause he couldn't get into a heu'
tenants uniform at one jump.
To the aspiring young secretary IN
the big office / said: "True service Is
humble, and its first rule is accep-
lance Of whatever duty"
To the brawny young machinist
quoted: Loyalty vaunteth not itself
in gold braid; he also serves VINO
only stands in readiness to work or
fight"
There could be no ambitious SER
vice at the front, in the sky, on land'
or under the sea, had not nation OF
consecrated men and women given
their strength and patience to the
humble. tedious tasks of production
and preparation-even Of conserva'
ton and denial
Everybody loves man in uniform.
But every man in uniform loves
and praises the spirit of the stead
fast service of the man at the plow
the forge and the bench, as he docs
the devotion of the women who knit
and cook and make hospitals into
homes of loving kindness and new
hope.
II isn't altogether front-rank
fight, men. 1t is universal conflict
with a single enemy. Manhood
against the Beast.
Positions are important only as we
fill them with efficiency and honor.
Trench lines are necessary; bench
lines, in shop and mill, vitality so.
There must be foundry before
every cannon; a wheat farm before
every loaf of bread.
If you get into uniform, honor 1t.
liz need be, with your life, and g1orify
our cause with sleepless service and
unquestioning devotion. Be ready
for any sacrifice
If you get into trench-behind a
pillow, keep it straight and clean and
deep, for you will be building the
sure foundations of endurance, vic
tory and peace.
Or, maybe, you are high-school
girl, inspired to heroism and great
personal sacrifice by the story Of
Sara Lee, angel of "The Little House
I of Mrcy."
Perhaps a guiding fate will call you
to some desolate, blood-drenched sec
tor on the west front, or where, in
: the shattered rose gardens of Bull
garia, the prayers of stricken Serbian
soldiers ask for solace of gentle
hands and the restoring care Of we'll
: trained sympathy.
But if duty sets you down behint
= a whirring machine in war plant
. or gives to your care and industr,
some garden rows afield, or even put
" you in an elevator or behind stor
counter, be proud of your trust an
faithful to 1t.
= Put the best Of yourself into til
letters you type, the columns 20
" add, the stitches you take or til
loaves you bake-make your work a
sacred as the cause to which it
given.
Service, after all, is mutual thins
One for all and all for one.
. 1t is taking a world war to max
us appreciate the character and se
:. vice of our neighbor next door {
across the street.
There won't be very many stran,
ers after the war. The Kaisers pu
pose is surely defeating itself.
1 Those who once were known .
: numbered laborers will in the ne
e. era of peace be greeted as human b
y ings.
Service is redeeming the worl
TO- uniting it, breaking down its pref
!, dices, discovering its dreary isol
tions, laughing away its naughty r
straints, opening pleasant doorwa,
to human, fellowship.
.K Fill your place, wherever it is.
$ There would be no golden shout
all er straps or stars of military desis
Isl but for the hopeful, uncomplainir
ed industry and steadfast loyalty of me
We in blue overalls.
e.
he |