The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-02-28
Why the War Must be Fought
Through.

and the support of the government
became the duty of every citizen.
The shortest road to peace is the
road straight ahead Of us, with no
now would simply tend to prolong
the war and make it more costly in
money and in men, and no one can
afford to take upon himself the re-
sponsibility Of adding one unneces-
sary day to the wars length or one
from the nations treasury.
| The more earnestly one desires
peace, the. more loyalty he should
support his government as the only
| means OF Fastening peace.
Patriotism is love of country ex-
It is a permanent quality but mani
tests itself in various ways accord
ing to the needs of the time. 1t re-
quires that the citizen shall put his
country above himself and the in
terests that are personal to him, no
matter what the cost OF the sacrifice.
This he does without attempting to
figure out what he is to receive in re-
turn or when the return is to be ex
pected. If he were to enter upon a
systematic calculation he would find
himself very largely indebted to his
country for advantages SO great that
he can hardly estimate them and so
of them. The good that one derives
from citizenship in country like
ours enters his life somewhat as the
breath enters his body. He receives
as a matter of course and he enjoys
without stopping to think OF his con
dition if he were deprived of the
cause he lives under the flag. 1t is
only when his enjoyment of them is
interrupted or when right is de-
MED, that he really recognizes the
importance of that which is daily his
but which he unconsciously accepts
and uses.
The American citizen lives under
the best government in the world.
1t is peoples government, admins
tered by those whom the people
choose, and according to a written
constitution which the people made
and which the people alone can
increasing virtue, intelligence and
patriotism of the people and can be
made as good as the people desire
it to be.
Because American citizenship
carries with it more blessings than
citizenship in any other land the
a. sacTe e1z ore f fan a ne w nag
citizen to make sure that the blessing
of his government shall descend I'M
impaired to his children and his |
children.
The return t! which the citizen
work done by his, town or city is col
lected for through assessments made
against his property and is counted |
in his fixed charges. The work done |
by his state is likewise charged up
to him in some proportion fixed by
law. And so with his contribution to
the federal government. He makes
sometimes grudgingly, but in ordin-
the whole cost of citizenship to him |
He is liable, of course, to jury
duty, but he receives compensation |
for this. 1t is his duty also to at
tend caucauses, primaries, and cleo |
tons, but as this is not compulsory,
venience where it is not matter of
pleasure or political interest.
In time of war, however, the cost
of citizenship increases, and he is |
called upon. to respond to- numerous
demands which are are, unknown IN
demand that can be made upon his
patriotism is the call to put his life |
at the command Of his government |
and die, if necessary, in it's behalf |
He should be more willing to do this |
in this country than in anv, other be-
cause the right to take this country
into war is not lodged in an hered-
everywhere in the past and still is !
in some of the countries of Europe.
No power can involve this country |
in war except congress and that |
congress is now chosen entirely by |
the people The senate was former
hoy al fal hyrV
state legislatures, but since 1913 the |
senate has been as representative a |
body as the house and is as COM
pletely under the control OF the peo- |
pie. The citizens of the United |
States, therefore, have all the pro-
lection against war that modern
methods OF government have provld-
by the deliberate act of those whom
they have chosen to speak for them.
In former days the soldiers need
ed to meet new emergency were |
secured by the volunteer system
the call being general and the re- !!
sponses being dependent upon 20 n the
however, congress by a large major
ity substituted for the volunteer sys-
tenn a system described as Selective |
Under this system,
the age limits are fixed and all with
in those limits are required 10 reslS- /
ter. Then those who have register
ed are classified according to certain
rules that are intended to recognize |
relative equities. The conservative
system does not prevent volunteer |
service but it has naturally lessened |
the compelling force of a call for
While comparatively few are call
ed to military service, the number |
upon the resistance to be
overcome and the length of the war,
every citizen has his part in the win
ming of the war. he is expected to |
observe such rules as may be pre-
scribed for the production and con-
servation of food. Those who are
in authority in Washington make |
their calculations as to the amount
of food needed for the army and
navy and as to the kind that is most
needed. And in this way we have
own citizens and soldiers but also !
the needs of those who are in the