The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
CHRISTMAS, 1913.

bic to attempt no extended survey Of the year nor
Of the period. Seasonable fragments, thoughts and
ideas, are in order Bits of things, floating on the
surface of our minds gathered in little clumps
by the eddyings of our intellectual and emotional
processes (dighifed word, processes), must be
taken account of.
1t is the end of the calendar year, or nearly. 1t
is not quite the end of the first year Of Books and
the Book Worlds existence but that is not far off
Let get ready to take stock and let us itemze IN
preparation for the annual inventory.
But at the outset let us thank Con that for the
first time in five years we shall see dawn Christ
mas Day with peace on earth and good will toward
men.
The Immortal Year.
There are years, as there are days and moments
which are really timelcss. Such year 1918 has
been In 1918 we whose privilege it was to live saw
our country take its place the last frontier of
Liberty there to fight the last great fight of free
peoples In this closing year we have seen the be-
ginning of our participation in a struggle without
parallel in human history; and we have seen the
victorious end of that struggle To have been alive
in the last six months of 1918 has been something
greater than to have been alive at any time in all
the centuries of recorded time. To have partici-
pated in the conflict is TO have had share in
deathless triumph; merely 10 have beheld that tri-
umph with mortal eyes is 10 have looked upon I'M
mortality 1t is greater thing than to have seen
the Maid of France riding at the head of armed
men; and who shall say that We saw her notf 1t is
greater thing than can be measured in thought or
expressed in words. COP may indeed rest us, and
FlIrrn ylO Ial
let nothing us dismay.
There was never such year. 1t was as though
spring had blossomed in November. When the
great guns fell all silent 400 miles Of twisting
line from Switzerland TO the sea the minds OF men
and women everywhere were attuned to a single
thought We could look upon little child and say:
ave have saved you this. You may have to save
those who come after you, but at least you will not
have to face the rain of death at Verdm and your
agony will not be endured at the Marine"
A Charge to the Child.
Looking at our children we can say to them:
1--WE have but one lesson for you, learned at so
dreadful cost. It is to have faith and to keep the
faith 1t is to believe at all costs 70 hope to endure
to put your trust In something high and holy and
worthy Of all you have and are Do this and
nothing can defeat you. The bOwmen Of Agincourt
will nterpose their shields at your Mons, and ST.
GEORGE will draw his sword to give you victory,
and LAFAYETTE in his tomb will hear your crying
of your presence, and the dead LINCOLN will COM
fort you for your costly sacrifice upon the altar of
Freedom Nothing that is truly believed that is not
truly lived! And nothing that has been truly lived
can perish entirely"
Looking at our children we can say to them:
"Be pioneers 1t is the peculiarly American trait
to look for intrinsic worth, to exalt the above
the work, to express things by living them Keep
that standard. Apply it unfalteringly to every
other form of expression In every species of writ
ing, for example, look for something which will
shape mems lives For the most influential thing in
the world is the life lived by man in any COM
mnnity of the world. And writing is nothing but
the effort to put that living example before the
widest possible number Of men. The effort may be
helped by or less of art, and it may not. Pay
M hood TO tha foftb n aYcnDt II