Evening journal., 1918-03-26
The Passing Show
BY JOHN G SHEA.

Passing down Market street Saturday
afternoon amidst the shoppers shoul-
dering against those OF many walks OF
NE, was amused at the seeming gsyety
and self-satlsfacti0n which was shown
by the passing thr0ng.
The spring cline brought out many
to do their Easter shopping and those
who had shOpped early and were al
ready arrayed In spring fashions OF
attractive styles The stores were be
fitting for the occasion, being artistic
ally decorated and altogether IL formed
a grand panorama Of colors Money
seemed plentiful and the merchants
looked well pleased at the results Of
the day.
Mingled here and there were men Of
the army and the navy In their uni
forms OF khaki and blue. which, like
dark cloud lowering about the sun, hid
momentarlly the gay light which pro
vailed and called 10 mind the fate OF
our brothers aud sisters across the sea.
saw torn, mangled and bleeding Eu-
rope, wrought asunder by a hideous
war. whose peoples at that very mo-
ment were without food. clothing and
shelter under the same sun sacrificing
and stolcally suffering everything for
the cause Of democracy. l saw hos
pital quarters overhowlng with the
wounded brought from the battle front
shattered and torn manhood and many
made sightess forever. l saw gassed
victims suffocating and struggling for
the very breath of life, and what ter
rible contrast 10 was to the calm, un-
begliled shopping crowd on Market
street
Should not this drawn line Of COM
parlson point out our laXity and urge
us TO put aside our fads and fancles
! IN face OF such living holocaust, slim
| ulate a more hearty cooperation Will
/ our government which through its va
| ri0us departments, Is daily spending
millions of dollars and every energy
/ 10 bring TO the minds OF our peOpl,
/ more clearly this very picture Of the ter
rlble catastrophe which enshrOuds Eu-
rope and which lkew Sc cOnfronts MS
that America is the backbone and only
hope Of the Allies. who are praying and
looking to us for succor in lhe way OF
ships. munitions OF war, foOdstufls and
men 20 instil new life into their worn
and tired-Out armies, who fully believe
that YOU and ] are econOmizing on food
fuel and money and that we are backing
up 70 our utmost our young manhood
who have calamity gone forward 10
sacrifice their lives on the altar OF the
battlefield. Awake America. Awake, ia
the cause OF democracy surge fOrth
with every fibre OF your being and let
your hearts beat like drums for DEM
Ocracy's cause, 20 preserve your coun-
try, the land OF liberty. your homes ano
your children's homes.
This being Easter, des gnatng the
Resurrection Of Christ, who Willingly
gave all TO the ignominious death on the
cross. so that we might enjoy q demo
cratic world a safe and sane place tc
live. let us, like Him, arise above our
selves and put aside our selfish inter
est, our ambitions and struggle fol
money and gains, centralizlng oul
whole efforts towards winning tht
worlds goal democracy and freedom
from the Germanic, satanic military
rule.
And like a critic, I again looked upor
the passing show and was awe-strickeI
al the unconcern and light-hearteunes'
OF the members Of the crowd, Wh'
seemed Ike innocent sheep unaware o.
/ the wolf at their very door.
But the fact impressed me now prou'
/ Wilmington should feel TO be the very
center OF such industrial activity, en-
gagged IN building ships and the manu-
facmre OF munitions OF war whicn ha
brought from afar many who are en-
loving this season OF prosperity en'
who should stir up patriotism 10 cen
tribute freely 90 the many war Iund
to alleviate the European sufferers ant