The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-04-12

|
Science club last night by Dr. G. A.
| Cahoon, pastor of Centenary Metho-
dist Episcopal church. The paper
| follows:
The Worlds War Scrap Heap is a
topic rather comprehensive in its
suggestiyeness. though one is bound
to state that il is somewhat elusive
in its imports. Perhaps events have
not moved with as much rapidity and
conclusiveness as the program COM
mittee had intended. or expected. six
month ago; or it may easily be that
the committee saw in this topic Wis
sions of possibilities that the writer
has not grasped Using Indian ter
minology it might be applied to the
heap big scrap" Of the present
world conflict. A scrap heap" how
yer suggests 4 Junk Pile" and Il
war scrap heap" suggests the things
which may have been "scrapped" on
rendered worthless as a result of war:
and the describing of particular
war scrap heap" must therefore in
volve the consideration Of that which
has become useless as a result of the
events of the particular war.
This would seem to mean that the
theme THE World War Strap Heap
has reference 10 the ideas and ideals
previously held; the forms Of politi-
cal government previously recog-
niZed the methods OF procedure
formerly practiced that have now been
rendered obsolete. And that the theme
does not refer TO that which it calls
to mind-the mighty pile whose
apex seems to pierce the very skies,
the pile of havoc, ruin and devasta-
ton which this war has wrought.
Indeed, one could not calmly con-
template, much less CONSIDERABLY
discuss, the great mountain range OF
hliehted lives; Of blasted hopes and
broken homes; of the agonieS OF
wronged and raided womanhood of
the pitiless, pleading cries OF inno-
cent, helpless childhood, mountain
range piled heaven high as the refuse
resultant from the decision of a ma
TONS leaders to treat hitherto inviO-
late and sacred treaties as mere
scraps of paper" This historic
phrase itself becomes lighted torch
that starts mighty confederation.
whose flames, ieaping the seas, lick
every continent in laird embrace.
and whose debris becomes a gigantic
Charnal = pile--the worlds war
scrap heap" resulting from the mis-
use of so-called scrap OF paper"
Possibly that which America has
thus far most definitely committed to
the scrap heap is her SNUG self com
placency, her imagined security and
her consequent lack of concern in
wCrld-matters. We have been shak-
en- out of ourselves and are now bit
chagrlned at our narrow provincialism
OF say, even two years ago. Did we
not know and could we not under
stand that no nation liveth unto it.
self alone. No wonder we were
-scorned by our. brothers struggling
overseas when our chieftain declared
in our behalf that as for us we were
too proud to fight in behalf of the
rights and against the wrongs of hui
manly. And little marvel that men
engaged in the throeS of great strug-
gle and passion should have returned
us whitening sarcasm when in the
lace OF the issues involved we dared
out victory, as though peace were of
more worth than moral and eternal
values.
And how little we understood OF the
evils that have grown up under the
protection Of our own democracv-
asleep, IS it were. to the dangers
from within and with our eyes more
than half-closed to the foes from
without.
we were dwelling in modern ITO
pia. No one would dare attack us.
OF even incur our wrath: and if they
Should one hundred million loyal cit
lzens, many of whom had been gath
cred at the rate of a million a wear
from every whithes would rise as one
man and smite who dare oppose
million men springing to arms be-
tween sunset and sunrise the hour
OF the country's need was an elo-
quent and forceful figure of our faith
IN those who breathed the air of
freedom and enjoyed the benefits of
our civilization. And once It WIS
true. But the coming of alien faiths
and alien allegiance and every vagarv
under the shining stars inlet and
InhindeTed, have sown the seeds of
noXious weeds and scattered discord
broadcast. What some have taueht
and feared these numerous years was
really como to passive, had re-
ceived an alien host faster than we
could assimilate or Americanize. Did
man dare lift his voice AGAINST
foreign school and foreign church, he
had his pains as his reward and men
smiled at his provincial fears.
Did any warn Of impending danger.
and question the loyalty of class or
cult, he was branded as a calamity
bowler; while the advocates of every
propaganda did their pernicious work
under the protection of liberty, of
conscience and freedom of speech
Suddenly and rudely we were
awakened. Freedom of peace had
been grossly abused and liberty had
become license. Even in a democracy
evil must be restrained: laws must
DE enforced; pernicious propagandists
bridled and demagogues held in
check.
A new day is upon us, old things
are passed away and it will be long
ears before we may be as inert
lethargic and Indifferent as hereto
fore. Henceforth we have loads to
lift and work to do and may not
shirk nor fail
In the light of our bitter and cost
ly experiences resulting from disloy-