Gilpin observer., 1918-01-31
The Poisoned
Dove
By Richard Wa,hburn Child

lew months ago. A reporter on the
pier in San Francisco said, "What do
they think in the far East about when
the war will end?"
That was the first expression about
the war heard by an American return
Ing to his native country and aching
to know what Americans ut home had
been thinking, planning, doing, how
we We're expressing our manhood and
womanhood, whether we would soon
find way to mobilize America and
throw the giant force of her against
the menace of men.
heard this query with sickened
spirit. The reporter would never have
asked the question unless in behalf of
the readers of his paper. Could this
represent the spirit of the people
the spirit of America?
I had heard the same question in
England back in the days when the
Zeppelins had just begun to come over
London with the slogan "Women and
children first.'
"Over there" however, they learned
long ago of the folly of living daily life
with the sound Of this question in their
ears. They have learned that insid-
iously, quietly, imperceptibly, the per-
sistent tap, tap, tap of this little Ques-
tion weakens the cause, turns the edge
of determination, enters the subcon-
scious mind like slow disease drain
ing Off fighting spirit, manhood, and
the dash and power of the one purpose.
and beats upon that which should be
the unbreakable will of people who
must win.
Moro Dangerous Here.
For America, this question haunting
the minds Of its citizens is more dan
gerous than it was "over there" Our
soft prosperity, our distance from the
struggle, tempts weak men to cling to
the comforts of peace. We have not
felt the gaff Of war. Not yet have we
learned the pain of that full deep
thrust of regret that when democracy
called for us, we, the pioneers Of lib
erty, asked why and how and when
but, at first, did not come. We have
not learned even the prelude of that
day when the war will have seized
upon and wrung our hearts, when the
ghosts of our men come back to sit In
the farmhouse kitchen or in the leather
chairs Of the club, to click the latches
of village gates, and march in invisible
brigades up the asphalted avenues.
So the flabby men and women among
us still go on asking in that voice Of
childish eagerness, "How long will the
war last?"
And the selfish retailer, trader, or
financier, fat with gain and ease or
lean with avarice, thinking of the ef-
feet Of peace upon the market, asks,
"What would be your guess about the
end of the warf"
And even the thoughtless and the
ignorant and empty-headed, who would
otherwise say, as this hot enough for
your" or do you think it's going to
snow?" say now, swell, when will the
war end?"
The Two Types.
Test the spirit of these questions by
the two types-those who ask them
and those who do not. Which is the
type Of person whom you would trust
for character, courage, and sense, for
unflinching determination when some
thing has been begun, to "see it
through?"
remember leaving Kitchener's Of
fee in London to visit the recruiting
at Scotland Yard. Six feet four inches
and 250 pounds of retired British army
veteran, hardened, reddened, grizzled,
was my escort. That was in 1915.
'There's too much wondering when
the war will end" said he. "My three
boys have gone"
ITO France?" said I, misunder-
standing.
ITO rest" he said, Strengthening.
"Killed in action. Perhaps It's that
which makes me squirm when hear
any Britisher guessing about the end
Of the war. My good sense would tell
me anyway. If you see two men fight
Ing, would you put a bet on him who
was wondering when 1t would be
Over?"
mo"
"Nor I. When they ask me when
the war will end, I say, Something
like a year or two after the Prnssians
think it time to STOP"
For contest between two men, two
football teams, two nations, or two
great alliances struggling In the great
est war of all, over the greatest issue
of all, there can be no other doctrine.
When John Paul Jones' antagonists
asked him If he was ready to stop
fighting and he answered that he had
not begun to fight, 1t was not John
Paul Jones but his enemy who was
wondering "when 1t would be over"
No man, no woman who contributes
even by innocent, thoughtless mouth
ing to mental attitude expressed in
wondering when the war will be over
Is fulfilling the obligation Of Americans
to go straight and hard and together
bo nta1a Yplfnd Oh