Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-11-11
THE SUNSHINE OF PEACE

Tho world has been upside down. Mankind has been killing of
its best lives instead of conserving them. 1t has been shooting It's
wealth away in the roa of guns and bombs. Its hands have been
devoted to destruction. Its wheels of grogress have been stopped.
It's attitude toward almost everything in this life has undergone ire
mendous changes. Even its thoughts have been twisted and warped.
Peace finds the world in chaos. Before us is a new beginning,
with revolution. in large or small degree, probable in every one OF
our economic, industrial, and social relations, and Solomon himself
would fell successfully to pedct where and how far we Will so.
BIT through the confusion and uncertainty our duty appears
clear. We must rebuild the house in which we live more wisely and
permanently. We must have a house to fit all of a common family,
not one so cramped by caste architecture that a large part Of the
family must sleep and eat out in the woodshed. We must scrub the
blood off our doorstep and sweep the garbage of hate from the cor
ners of our rooms. Where the battlesmoke has blackened the win
dows, doors, and furnishings, we must repaint in cdors OF beauty.
And we must dedicate the house to the bloodiy demonstrated prln-
cple that right is might and shall prevail, in peace or war.
America pays her share of the awful price in thousands OF pre-
eious lives and enormous treasure. Yet, although peace finds her un-
devastated, there are very few other nations among the late belhger-
ents that are confronted today by greater problems. Nations like
Germany. Belgium, Austria, and Serbia, for instance, begin the new
order with little or nothing. Common misery produces a commonaity
in the human animal as well as in others. We begin with our pohti-
cal, economic, and industrial factions practically intact, awake, and
vigorous. But the great war efforts in common have brought us
closer together and we will settle every one of our problems right if
we hold fast to the fundamental principle that all men are equal,
equally entitled to consideration and opportunity.
Clearly our first problem is to redemocratize America.
No peace time.President should hold the autocratic power wisely
and jushfably granted President VIII m a a vital necessity in the
prosecution of war business. 1t was a test of democracy to seek to
draft twelve to fifteen million men. 1t was a test of democracy to
empower a board to say how little sugar and how much bran a hun
bred millions of people should eat. 1t was a test of democracy to
draw death zones around a free press and free speech, and bound up
in, or relative to this proposition of characterization, are many of the
other problems of reconstruction.
Peace is a God given blessing, granted because we sacrificed and
fought for the right without selfish aim. The Almighty has not only
enabled us to stop the frightful destruction and suffering, but he gives
us peace as a glorious opportunity for progress. Let us rebuild our
American house with determination that its foundation shall be
equality. Let us try every new sill and jOist with the plumbline of
exact justice. Let us plane, sandpaper, and paint as copartners IN
patriotism. Let Us partition for apartments for the whole family with
1pgss"sae psS1fs for none. Let us put about it all the beautiful flowers
of brotherly love we possibly can. And that house will endure. 1t
win endure as the highest example of human wisdom and civilization
1t will stand as a radiant monument to our dear ones who laid down
their lives or their careers in the cause of freedom, for all, forever.