The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1918-03-13
THE APATHIST.

Wy Illus. AuulSOH OIL Cue NlllSdnCeSD
Apathy! Pm beginning to think
that your apathist Ito coin a word)
is pretty nearly as bad as your paci-
fist. You can at least pillory the pa
cifist, plant the red flag over him, and
warn straightout Americans to give
him wide berth. But your apathist!
What in heavens name are you GO
ing to do with this chap? He isn't
traitor, he isn't false propaganda,
he isn't even a willful >obstructionist.
He is simply human invertebrate
"a dead weight in a war-working
community that has got to be logged
along because there's nothing else to
do with him.
Often this chap is what we used
to call in pre-war days a good citi-
zen." He pays his bills, provides for
his family, goes to church, gives a
bit to charity, and-if it doesn't in
terfere with his intimate pursuits
registers and votes in the municipal
elections. A good husband, a good
neighbor, a good fellow-but not
! good American in these days we have
entered on.
| know Mr.. Apathist, and you know
him. AS a rule he hasn't anyone of
his immediate blood in the army
he and his are all safe, sound and
snug. You seldom see him at pa
triotic rally, or on a committee to
boost the Red Cross, or in a Y. M.
c. A. cover there drive, or buying
smokes for Sammies. But he buys
Liberty bonds-you bet! And war
savings stamps, and thrift stamps.
Good business, that; you can't lose.
But these other things they are beg
ging for-there's plenty of time to
come across for them when we really
begin to fight. And, you know, it's
not so sure that we will have to fight.
Something is likely to happen before
we get to the firing line-peace, or
revolution in Germany, or something.
And anyway, the government is run
ming this show, and taxing the life
out of US to do it. The overnment
doesn't need my help. Pm just one
in 100,000,000. Let the fellows who
have the money and time to spare
do the shouting. I've got all l can
attend to keeping up with my grow
, ing business.
You've heard Mr. Apathist talk
just like that. | have, anyway. He
has ten tons of coal in his cellar
when the state fuel administrator
says the limit is two; there are a
hundred pounds of sugar in his pan
try when the grocer is allowing but
three pounds week to a family of
four; he burns up gasoline joy rid
ing on Sundays when the government
begs the people to help conserve the
supply on hand. In short, he's the
care-free fellow citizen who runs right
along on a pre-war living schedule
when a patriot man has put the
brakes on his personal expenditures
wherever retrenchment will foster
the country's needs.
What's the matter with this chap?
I'll tell you. He is afflicted with men
tai myopia. He is devoid of imag-
nation. He is a materialist, hedo-
mist, an unspiritual clod OF clay-self-
conferred as a turtle buried in the
mud. He believes only in what is
damned up to his nose what he can
taste, touch, smell and hear. He can't
visualize this war; he couldn't do it
if he was furnished with telescope
that would give him a closeup of
! the bloody trenches in Flanders, or
an audiphone that would let him hear
the roar of the great guns The mo-
ment ne put the INSTRUMENTS dSlue lie
would lapse into his former sense of
aloofness from the scene. Three thou
sand miles away! What interest could
he have in thing SO remote? If the
Germans were fighting on the next
block-why, yes! He'd grab his gun
] and 90 out with the neighbors and
head 'em off. He'd fight for his home
with any man. But across the seas!
Pshaw, what's the use Of getting all
stewed up over something that doesn't
actually touch you-your own COM
Portable, well-clothed hide?
That's your apathist! Dear Lord,
how l would like to put pin in ev-
cry chair he sits in-in every bed he
lies in-in every shoe he walks in.
If l could only prod him, body and
soul, until he was all awake and
alive, and would pitch in and do a
he-man's work for the hottest cause
humanity's sun ever famed on! Ii
| only could!
Friend, have you an apathist in
your town? If you haven't, come
down here to my town and I'll show
you not one but 100 of him. And
if he reads this he'll wonder who the
dickens Pm hitting at. He'll take
it to himself just about as soon as a
hog will take feas from an alliga-
tor. Isn't it so. Mr.. Apathist-YOU
the chap whose eye is on this line?
If YOU can't raise a pig, save one.