The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-22
"Peter-Out' Patriots
(By Ellis P. Butler of The Vigilantes

(By Ellis P. Butler of The vigilantes)
The verb ito peter-out" is queer one The
dictionary says its origin is uncertain, but have
an idea it comes from the Peter whose loyalty
to Christ fatered when the cock crew thrice He
was faithful when the cock crew once, and when
the cock crew twice, but his morale weakened as
the long night dragged. He "petered-out." He
"came back" however. He was the rock on
which the church was founded at last.
The American who weakens and then strength
ems is not as bad as the Judas who sells his coun-
try. He can "come back
The patriot who weakens and then comes
back" only comes back because there are others
who do not weaken. If we all weakened it would
be all over with us, and with patriotism and with
America. Freedom would be dead autocracy
would rule
Don't you be the one to weaken! Don't you
be the "peter-out" patriot Perhaps you canvas
sed in the last Red Cross or Liberty Loan cam
paign, and in the one before that, and the one
before that, but now you are so tired! You'll
let some other fellow do it.
Don't do that! Buck up! You've made good
record so far; keep it up. Let on that you've en-
listed for the war; if you peter OUT you are
deserter.
f1uu QOH tIlulk IL VIII not De Known. Al
ready, here and there you hear people saying of
this one and that one, ooh! he's peter-out pat
riot. He was mighty wonderful while the job was
fresh and interesting but look at him now! He's
quit"
The peter-out patriot is noticed because there
are SO few of him. He sticks up like a sore
thumb. He is the woman who was going to let
her automobile be used whenever needed for loyal
work and who just can't spare it now. He is the
man who was eager to write for the Vigilantes
until the novelty wore off. He is the child who
gave up gum and candy to buy Thrift Stamps
until she forgot. He is the man who ate ration
ally until he lost the novelty of it and then began
stuffing his over-extended belly again. He is
the woman who planted her garden but stopped
cultivating it when the sun grew hot He is the
man who shouts when the band goes by, and
never does another blessed thing to help win the
war;
The peter-out patriot is the curse of any
country. He rushes in at all beginnings. He is
the man who makes this loyal organization show
a huge membership that gradually peters-out
He is the man who boosts his towns subscription
to the Liberty Loan and then fails to pay his in
stallments. He is the man with the mental and
moral hook-worm His bump of grit is hollow
His real love for his country is pigs love for
Thoughtful. Even pig will rush to the gate and
grunt joyfully when its master appears, but it
has short memory.
Instead of being peter-out patriot be bull
dog. Take hold and hang on. Grab a little more
work between growls. There will be two phrases
of honor some day. One will be "He gave his life
for his country The other will be HE did his
level best for his country all through the war"
There will be two great phrases of disgrace. One
will be He was shot as deserter" The other
will be HE petered-out!'