The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-06-17

and personality of Abraham Lincoln.
Patriotism. of the Lincoln type,
however, is not born in the atmOs-
phere. You cannot grind it out upon
occasion with any kind of social or
political music. If you wish to have
patriotism in the future, you must in
spire the present with your service,
your sacrifice and your heroism.
Believe me, the whole world today
has an anxious finger on the pulse of
American industry. And so far as labor
is concerned, look upon the present
war in the light of the grandest kind
OF opportunity. A clearer and a wider
measure of justice to the laboring
hosts in America after the war will
get it's inspiration from records of
service, from records of patriotism,
and not so much as some people
think from the lessons or precedents
OF emergency dictums. At the present
moment, with our precious boys on the
way to the trenches, the mind of So
cial and industrial America is being
planned and burrowed with patriotism
of the pure and simple variety. Can
we, in industry retain our liberties
and neglect the flag that gave them
birth? Think of the American Job Gre
ating and fostering the American citi-
zen! Think of the royal welcome of
the flag to the immigrant! Think of the
patriotism this welcome should and
does kindle. Think of the American
flag on your shops, on your factories,
IN your streets, on the miners shack
In the mountains, calling afar to the
battle-stained banners in the trenches
fright on, boys, we are with you'll"
A Pleasing Personality.
Mr. Fagan's attraction as a speaker
is accentuated by rare personality
a personality developed by a rugged.
picturesque career. Beginning practic-
al life as a telegraph operator, Mr.
Pagan, at the age of sixteen, left his
home in Scotland, to take his first
job in Brazil. There he fell i'll with
yellow fever, but came out a victor in
his closely contested bout with death.
Next he bobbed up in South America,
during one of the diamond rushes, and
managed to scrape a reluctant exist
ence from nature at it's widest and
civilization at it's crudest.
On his arrival in this country some
years later, he obtained employment
with an eastern railroad, and began
gathering the material which he later
embodied in his widely read articles
on the labor situation. He worked
thlrty-three years for the railroad
during which time he acquired deep
sympathy for the working man, bal
anced by an unprecedented regard for
the rights of the employer.
"A new spirit has manifested itself
in industry in this country as a result
OF the war; says Mr.. Pagan, " a spirit
| that has placed patriotism above pro-
fits, and public service above the al
mighty dollar. Industry in America
! realizes that it is to be the deciding
| factor in the war, and the financial
salvation of the country after the war !;
but II it is to meet the gigantic task
| that cOnfrOnts it, it must be strength
| ened from without as we'll as from
Garner and the consumer must be
made feel their responsibility as part
nefs in American industry, and must
be taught the need of encouraging
| rather than harassing it,
The American consumer must be
conscripted into the army of industrial
protection, and must be taught that
every bit of labor trouble or unwise
legislation reacts disastrously. not
alone upon the nation, but upon him
self, affecting him in one hundred
dlfferent ways, the most obvious of
which is the imitation of the cost of
living, due to the increase in the cost
Of production.
The American merchant, who is one
or the first to feel the benefits of in
dustrial prosperity, should aid in the
scheme of public education by show
ing his customers how their well-be-
ing is linked up with the prosperity of
the manufacturers in their district.
The employer and the employees
have been brought closer together as
result OF the war, and the vision of
partnership between them, which be-
lore the war was rapidly crystalizing
into perfect cooperation, has been
qulckened into reality by the magic
touch of patriotism. This partnership.
however, can only be cemented by a
friendly attitude on the part of the
public"