The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-05
PUSSYFOOT PATRIOTISM.
By Virginia Frazer Boyle.

Al one time we We're told to be neu
trail, but some have forgotten that tn,
| embargo was removed on April &, 1917
Shame TO them that there are ears which
must be assailed by crier and bell Will
! the news but il j. true. Their lethargy
or Indifference might have met with toll
erance prior to that date, but to-day
these same ears must be penetrated
whether they viii or not with the ring
ing challenge, "pro-German or Ameri
cant There can be no middle ground
no side issue. Before our declaration the
attitude denominated as "pussyfooting,
for want of a more expressive word
might have proceeded from laziness, self.
ishness, or the shrinking from facing dis
agreeable things; now it is a henous
crime But it has stalked before trusts
willing TO risk the loss of a nation for
present gain. 1t has been the propaganda
of 'yild-eyed dreamers who would see the
situation, not as ii is, but as they would
have it; and veneered with peace at
any price" it has dared to gsrble the
words of holy writ.
With this menace in our midst. shall
we be as slow to wake up as was Eng
land Shall we not heed her clarion call
to profit by her example? Shall we wait
for the best blood OF our nation to be
spilled upon the fields of France before
we can grasp the crux of the battle to be
waged at home by every man. woman,
and child who is American? Ours is not
a fight of avarice or conquest. We have
not set up a pagan god to war with the
kaiser's Thor. Jehovah, the God Of Bat
ties, still il ours, and it shall be ours to
win for Christianity, civilization and lib
erty for all men if we do our duty. But
there are other things necessary TO solid |
fly the nation along with conservation.
and allied propaganda We
must put our personal loyalty to the |
-est before we can try out" for the |
,ther fellow.
Are you, manufacturer of necessary |
war materials, "puSsyfooting" around
he disloyal utterances of business as
ociate because he is adding dollars to
our cofiefsr Are you, elubman, treating
lightly what that man has said in the
moking room about your government,
BECAUSE you know him as Jolly good
elbow and you would not hurt his
ceilings? Are you, club woman, passing
yer seditious utterances OF woman
kIRc- the Lhult WHO IL ueIdHb !
he is woman, because she believes that
he cannot be held responsibey Are you,
title society coward, minimizing what
on have heard to-day because the Of
ander was on your visiting list prior to I
.pril and you are "too much of a lady
0 be rude Both trousers and petticoats
ave often concealed jellyish, and a
amrod is a suggestion for the strength
ming of your backbones. These offenders
ould not require the offices of secret
srvice men if they had the earnest con-
deration of the loyal private citizen. In
lis grave crisis the government has not
Established military law nor defined lese
a ieste; it has believed in the sincerity
nd patriotism of all its people. 1t is not
lough that they have sent their sons TO
rance, that they have bought Liberty
,nds, have contributed largely to the
ar library fund. and have worked to
AXE the red triangle success. All this
rvice and activity avails nothing for
e great tinality without personal 10y
ty, that loyalty, armored, ready to
rye against any thrust or inImendo
med in any manner whatsoever against
e integrity of this country
Old Glory has never trailed since the
st stars were sown upon its field and
is your duty, my duty. the duty of ev-
Y man and woman under il, please
ID to see that it never shall!