Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-09-18
OF WHAT ARE
WE THU lKINR
- -


- o. The Hagaasaas
What 10 In the mind Of the Ameri.
can citizen while 1.-THE etar-Spangied
Banner" Is being played7
OF what are we thinking7
Are we thinking of the flag and. all
that 1t stands for, or are our minds
otherwise engaged:
OF course, it is: reasonably certain
that we are thinking Of something,
but have our thoughts the SLIGHTEST
connection with the message our flag
Is carrying to the enemy7
We Obediently arise with the first
sonorous note of the anthem and we
remain standing till the end. We have
learned, Or we are learning, to face
the music" more or less at attention.
and we are developing the conviction
that It Is an ofense to chatter while
the strains of our war song. perhaps
our death song, fill our ears. But are
we thinking Of 1.-THE star-Spansled
Banner''7
Or are we silently urging the mu-
sicians to hurry up and be done with
1t SO that we may resume an inter-
rupted occupation7 Are we impa-
tiently waiting to take up a broken
conversation; game of bridge; the
telling Of story; the reading of a
newspaper; the liberal art of cr1t1-
Ching the war department, the navy
or the administration; or what is in
f1nitely more incompatible, exploiting
the hateful efficiency of the foe1
~The star.spanoled Banner"
We sit In public places, and We
arise because we are In public places.
We suspend for the moment our phys
zeal interests and we look about us
to see If other people are doing the
same7 Some Of US get up grudgingly
and stand as we happen to have been
sitting, with our backs to the music;
some Of Us go on knitting; others of
US continue to keep our hands in our
pockets and our cigars in our mouths;
others think that nothing more is re-
Quired Of them than the lowering Of
the voice to an undertone; others con-
slider q bland expression Of resigna-
ton to be efficient; and some fall into
an attitude Of tolerant submissiveness.
There Is little or no evidence Of e1-
altation, no sign of an inward thrill,
no suggestion of profound emotion.
The beautiful, inspiring concentration
Of thought that attends the 'tMarseil-
laise" is lacking; the full-hearted SEN
satfon that glorifies "Rule Britannia"
is absent; even the fervor of the Teu-
ton as symbolized In cultural acclaim
is sadly wanting. We, the most imag-
NATIVE, the most alert people in the
world, are totally devoid Of imagine
ton during the rendition Of our war
song.
Why should we not think, or even
pray, as the French. the English and
the Germans think and pray while
their song of hope is being sounded7
"The Star-Spangled Banner Is our
battle-song. It goes into the thick of
the fight with our flag and our boys.
1t emphasizes our hopes, our aims, our
longings; and Of what are we thinking
we who stay at bonneville its
strains are falling upon our ears? Are
we, so to speak, playing the game7
Should Offer Prayer.
ga Why shouldn't we, one and all, great
and small, think alike for as. long as
five minutes in each day7 Let there
be but one thought, one prayer; while
the hymn is ringing. From one end
of this great land to the other let this
be the beginning Of our prayer the in
slant the band strikes up 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banner"l
God be with our flag and our SOL
diers and our arms wherever they may
mel" T.
And let this be the end Of our de-
vout, intensified prayer as the last
note dies away:
"God give us Vfctoryl"
Not perfunctorily, not as a matter
Of duty, but with our hearts in it, our
nerves aquiver, our eyes glowing with
the fire of enthusiasm.
One thought, one prayer in a hun
dred million mindsl
Every heart full, every mind intent
as we face the enemyl For, after all,
this Star-Spangled banner Of ours is
facing the foe In a far-off land, and
there L. no other direction in which
we may look
=. Our men go with the banner to the
music Of guns; we stand at home and
face, not the guns, but group of fid-
dlersi Our thoughts, our prayers, new
ertheless should be the same as theirs.
Our silent prayer, however brief,
should be for Victory. Let us always
utter it, one and all, while 1.-THE Star
spangled Banner" is being played.
@eGod give us Victoryl" - - =
:. ON AMERICAN TOLERANCE
BY CLINTON SCOTLAND,
, OF the vlgilantes. -
Too lOn3 haYe wa been lay and lAnSaa,f =