The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-04-05

.IF WE AT HOME STAND FAST"
There has been a vast amount o
quiet, cheerful and sometimes heroi
sacrifice. We have given of our fesl
and blood for the cause; of our wealth
of our Injuries, and sometimes of on
comforts; but there are some of US
too many-who in this crisis hav'
pursued the way of personal profit
and who have not hesitated to obstruc
the mighty work of national prepare
ton, if thereby we might make som'
private gain. And even if there were
none such, let us not talk of suffering
and sacrifice in the presence of Bel
GUM and Serbia and France, or even
of Great Britain and Italy.
And yet if we may not boast, we
surely need not despair of the republic
In the presence of real chisis, we
have shown capacity to think nation
ally, to act unitedly, to accept discip-
line and sacrifice, that has disconnected
our enemies and astonished many OF
our friends. There are greater trials
and greater burdens in the future for
US, but if we meet them with the same
spirit that we have shown so far we
shall come to the end Of the war with
the cheering conviction that, although
we have delayed and stumbled and
Numbered here and there, we have not
in the end been unfaithful to the ira
ditions Of our past, or to the convic-
tions Of our souls.
One of the French papers had re-
Gently a picture of two war-battered
poilus talking together in 9 trench.
One asked if he thought France would
win, and the other replied; eyes, if
the people at home stand fast" In
these words lies the whole situation.
We need not fear that our boys at
home will give way any more than the
French people need fear that their
gallant soldiers viii fail. Those men
who are giving more than eny-cf lls-.-
who are giving their lives if necessa-
ry-are the very ones of whose con-
stancy and courage we may be most
certain. They will win the war for
us if we at home stand fast. Those
of US who have money must be ready
to pour it out for the nations need;
those of us who work in factories and
shipyards must think less Of our i'm
mediate advantage in wages and in
hours of labor and more of what we
can do to speed the work of military
preparation. Those Of us who own
businesses or cultivate farms must
strain every nerve to produce the
greatest possible quantity of supplies,
and must be too proud of our service
10 profit unduly by the necessities of
he country, Those of us who can see
10 other way to serve can help by care
Jul economy in the use Of things that
BUR army and our allies need, and by
confident support of the gov
in its tremendous task.
The war bids fair to resolve itself
into a question Of morale-frst Of all,
perhaps the morale of the civilion popu
Iation. It is against the morale Of the
people Of Germany and Austria that
President Wilson directs his policy; it
was against their morale that the Rus
sian revolutionaries, discarding milf
-ary weapons, made their campaign.
t was by the breakdown Of civilian
morale that Russia was reduced to
impotence, and a subtle weakening Of
.iyilian morale in Italy through Ger
nan influence was behind the militia
y defeat of the Italians last fall. We
must be on our guard against any at
empt to plant encouragement or des-
ension among us. United, we are UNI
Iuerable; divided, ives hall fail
The Companion.