Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-04-10
DR., CONOVER IN
A fine ADDRESS
Big Audience Was Out Sunday AZ
ternoOn in Attendance at Dedi-
cation Elks Service Flag.
THE PROGRAM WAS
AN Ey CLIENT ONE
Quartette Rendered r. ~ tic Songs
and the Home WAS bS. fully
Decorated for Occass
The services for the dedicatiN

the Elks service flag by the Decoi
Lodge of Elks last Sunday at th>
Elks home was attended by large
crowd, and an excellent program
was carried out. Old Glory was
prominent everywhere in the hall
and the services were full of patri-
otism from start to finish. quar-
tette composed of Mrs. H. f. Bar
thell, Miss Bertha Berg and Messrs.
b. H. Adams and D. II. Hill render
ed number of patriotic songs in
their usual capable way. Miss Kate
Hustvedt presided at the piano. AT
ter a fine preliminary talk by Exalt-
ed Ruler c. N. Houck, ne introduced
the speaker of the day, DR.. f. w.
Conover, who gave one of the finest,
patriotic talks it has been our
pleasure to listen to in many a day,
and we are pleased to print his ad-
dress in full below.
The doctor opened his address
With the following Introductory
Exalted Ruler, brothers, ladies and
gentlemen, and then launched into
one OF the finest addresses it has been
our privilege to hear N a long time,
as -OllOWS:
Just one year has passed since
the shrill cry OF war rang out over
our land and pierced the 1peace low
ing heart OF every true American.
And when the final bugle call OF
duty was sounded all America turn
ed its gaze upward to that splendid
ensign of justice, THE Star Span
gled Banner waving its signal OF
distress to our natiol. There came
forth from the fields, the offices, the
shops, the stores, aye, from the very
streets, young men or every class
and creed with hearts suddenly
atiame with the holy fires Of patrio-
tism, pulsating with the same i'm
pulse OF love of home and country.
They rushed forth and are still
rushing forth to lay their lives up
on the altar of our country's de-
Tense Gaze a moment upon this
mixed mass of humanity, made up of
the high the low, the rich, the poor,
the strong, the weak, the response
BILE, the irresponsible, the high mind
ed, the derelect, the white, the
black, yea and the copper colored
native OF the plains, and then as
they pass under the inspiring in
fluence OF Old Glory you behold the
greatest transformation that the
world had ever seen. This unclassi-
fed mass, suddenly in a moment, in
the seeming twinkling of an eye, is
pp~ ;,,ta fho ,to ont
hood and defense of our country's
institutions. Equal honor to them
all. They have offered the greatest
sacrifice possible for man to give
his life. They have proven the wis
dom OF our forefathers when they
wrote into the basic principles of
our government THAT all men are
created equal and if allowed to
breathe the air of liberty they will
not be found wanting when the
final test is made. That there is not
so much difference in the value of
our people as one sometimes may
think, to use the words of Joachim
Muller, The Poet of the Sierras,
In men, whom men pronounced as
ill,
/ find so much of goodness still;
In men, whom men pronouHce
Divine,
| find so much OF sin and blot;
! hesitate to draw the line, between
the two when God has
not
Let us then resolve to silence the
tongue of criticism, to forget and
forgive the frailities of their past
and in keeping with the teachings
of our beloved order Write their
faults upon the sands, their vir-
lures inscribe upon the everlasting
tablets Of love and memory Their
die is cast, they have crossed the
line between civilian life and the
stern and rugged duties of sol
dier. Their honor is assured; their
seats in glory will be reserved; their
service will be rendered in perfect
accord with their country's need.
But how about you and about me-?
We who stay at home in compara-
tive ease, safety and comfort Are
we going to perform our duties?
Are we going to render such service
that when these boys return, we
can take them by the hand and look
them squarely in the face with that
satisfaction expressive OF clear
conscience and duty we'll perform
ed. Ii so we have gigantic obstacles
to overcome, obstacles that require
courage, determination and action,
when we know that there are 5000
600 people in the United States who
cannot read, who cannot write. who
cannot speak the English language,
can we sit supimely by when we
learn from Senator Overman in a
recent speech on the floor OF the
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