Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1918-05-25

kinks we are Bing to sacrifice any
body for our oW gake tell them nov
hey are mistak
For the glory this war, my fel
oW citizens, in ar as we are con
cerned. is that perhaps for the
first time in histo an unselfish war
could not be pr04d to fight for 6
selfish purpose, but I can be proud
10 fight for mankind. II they wish
let them come forward through &C
credited representatives and lay thsiI
terms on the table. We have laid
ours and they know what they are.
But behind all this grim purpose
my friends, lies the opportunity tc
demonstrate not only force which will
be demonstrated to the utmost, but
the opportunity to demonstrate char
acter, and 1t is that opportunity that
we have most conspicuously In the
work of the Red Cross.
mot that our men in arms do not
represent our character, for they do
and it is character which those who
bee and realize appreciate and admire
put their duty is the duty of force.
The duty of the Red Cross Is the duty
bf mercy and succor and friendship.
Have you formed a picture In your
of what this war is doing
for us and for the world? In my own
mind am convinced that not a hun
dred years of peace could have knitted
this nation together as this single
~ Lar
and better even than that, If possible,
it is knitting the world together.
Look at the picture. In the center
of the scene four nations engaged
against the world and at every point
of vantage, showing that they are
seeking selfish aggrandizement; and
against them twenty-three govern
ments representing the greater part of
the population of the world, drawn
into new sense of community of in
terest, new sense Of community of
life.
Many from America.
THE secretary of war told me an in
teresting incident the other day. He
said when he was in Italy a member
Of the Italian government was explain
ing to him how Italy felt near to the
United States.
"'If you want to try an interesting
experiment go up to anyone of these
troop trains and ask In English how
many Of them have been in America,
and see what happens
He tried the experiment. He went
up to troop train and he said: How
many of you boys have been in Amer
Ica? and he said it seemed to him as
Il half of them sprang up: Me from
San Francisco; me from New York;
all over There was part of the heart
II America in the Italian army. Peo-
pie that had been knitted to US by as
sociation, who knew US, had lived
US, who had worked shoulder
% shoulder with us, and now friends
of America, were fighting for their ma
i've Italy
Friendship is the only cement that
will ever hold the world together. And
his intimate contact of the Red Cross
With the peoples who are suffering the
errors and deprivations of this war is
soing to be one of the greatest instru-
nentalities of friendship that the
world ever knew, and the center of
he heart of 1t all, If we sustain it
will be this land that we SO
learly love.
MY friends, great day of duty has
ome and duty finds a mans soul as
10 kind of work can ever find it.
May I say this? The duty that
aces us all now is to serve one an
ther, and no man can afford to make
fortune out of this war. There are
many amongst US who have forgotten
hat, If they ever saw it. Some of
ou are old enough am old enough
to remember men who made for
unes out of the civil war, and you
now how they were regarded by their
That was a war to
ave one country-this is a war to
ave the world.
"And your relation to the Red Cross
J one of the relations which will re-
eve you of the stagma You can't
i've anything to the government of
ne United States. 1t won't accept it. |
here is law of congress against ac-
epting even services without pay.
he only thing that the government |
ill accept is a loan and duties per
ormed; but it is great deal better |
} give than to lend or to pay and your
reat channel for giving is the Amer
.an Red Cross.
Down in your hearts you can't take
cry much satisfaction in the last an
Iysis, in lending money to the gov
rnment of the United States, because
le interest which you draw will burn
our pockets; it is commercial trans
elton, and some men have even dared
, cavil at the rate of interest, not
moving the incidental commentary
lat constitutes upon their attitude.
Meaning of Gift.
"But when you give, something of
)ur heart, something of your soul,
of yourself goes with the
#, particularly when it is given in
lch form that it never can come back
Z way OF direct benefit to yourself.
Oh know there is the old cynical def
fion Of crnti titu5n &C tfho IiuaIxy ax