The Lamar register., 1918-08-14

Did you ever read the story OF Peer
Lux, farmer, of Shelbyville, Indiana?
Mr.. Lux, who is rated as the champ
ion corn grower of Indiana, has learn
ed many things while learning to grow
corn. One is that it is necessary to
supply his neighbor with seed corn
ia order to protect his own planting.
lie finds that pollen from the tas-
sells of the corn in his neighbors
fields is blown over into his fields
that his own corn is fertilized by in
fcrior corn, resulting in an inferior
product To prevent this, he must
make sure that his neighbors' corn is
of as good variety as his own.
Peter Lux believes in personal lib
erty - Individual freedom - indepen-
dence-and all that But his expert
ence has impressed upon him the age
old truth that "the progress of any
single unit Of population Of the world
is limited by the degree of progress
or lack of progress, or other units"
The same situation is illustrated in
Lamar every summer by the big cot
tonwoOd trees which make life worth
living by their shade and make life
almost unbearable by their flying cot
ton. John Jones in the 800 block on
Second street, decides to do away witt
the nuisance by cutting out all cotton
bearing trees. Tom Smith. next door
doesn't care to take this trouble. As
result, Jones' efforts are fruitless
and he suffers from his neighbor's
carelessness.
As another example, suppose we
imagine a successful man who has ac-
cumulated large fortune and who has
attempted to seclude himself and his
family on large estate. He says he
has no interest in what his fellow
countrymen are doing. He supports
no movements for community better
ment.
This man is living his own life. He
thinks he is independent-thath he can
rest in security, no matter what as
going on in the outside world. But
can he
Disease germs which are prevalent
in the community will find their way
into his house, and not even a high
stone wall and guard at the gate
will keep them out.
Lack Of Il good school system will
hurt him even though his own child
rem have the best of tutors. The re-
suit will be an ignorant, lawless popu-
ation and the rich man on the hill
will suffer. for he will be the object
Of blind hate and prejudice.
He will find, as Peter Lux and John
Jones found, that whatever his wishes
in the matter, his life is inter-linked
with the lives of his fellow men, and
his welfare inter-dependent with their
In recent years, this United States
Of America Of ours has been the in
dependent rich man of nations. 1t has
lived to itself; fattened off the mis-
fortunes of its neighbors; been igner-
ant of or Indifferent TO the bloodshed
and suffering about. Like the ostrich
which sticks its head in the sand at
the approach of danger-like the mis-
guided rich man referred to above
America has gone her own way, and
imagined that she was independent
and immune. Wars, atrocities, broken
treaties, disregard for international
laval were nothing to her, because
Of the 5000 miles of water which (she
thoughD protected her.
"Horrible% was the general eJacuia-
ton. "Too bad! But then it's not
our war"
But it came-as it was bound to
come sooner or later. America real
ized that a nation which runs amuck
is a menace to all nations. A few oil
our own ships were sunk. A few OF
our own people were murdered. A
few underhand plots against U.S. a