The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-05-25
"THE HOUR"
Continued from First Page)

/ poverty as most OF Cnem VIII, We
know they enter it with traditional
handicap of the worlds belief that
the work Of a woman is not worth
an honest wage"
"AIl this we know and we know, too
of millions Of hearts who IN this
twentieth century beat in love and
compassion and respond TO that holy
cal of the brotherhood of man, who
win now respond only to a spirit of
unutterable hate. All these things
we know, and we might paint still
other pictures of the sorrows that are
sure to come, and we may ask our
selves rather a more unusual ques-
ton and that is: What good has come
out Of the war;"
Gwen in trivial misfortunes we are
wont to say, it is an i'll wind which
blows nobody good. What may we
not expect then from worldwide
tempest? For let US not forget that
although wars may come and wars
may 60, nations may rise and nations
fall, men die and women be left to
work and to weep, there is evolution.
| 1t is Gods law and the human race is
bound to march on. Whittier is it
going? Already the seers and proph-
cts are making their predictions, and
those who are lovers of freedom tell
US the war will bring an unprecedented
stimulus to the growth of democracy.
The pacifists say it means the end of
lbloodshed, and the long eternal peace,
the economists and social reformers
say it is bound to bring a fairer dis
tribution of wealth and wages and a
consequent improvement of health and
happiness. God grant that all these
visions may be realized.
"And what will the war mean to the
women of the world? All those iron
bars set up by tradition ages ago
across the seas have been let down
and we hear of women standing in
pulpits preaching where their clergy
men had gone away to war; we read
of them performing religious cere-
monies and standing in places which
| five years ago would have been re-
| garded as far too sacred for the sin
full feet of any woman. We read how
women are taking the place of high
administrators and entering even the
secret service, and we know that five
years ago no woman would have been
accorded such positions of trust and
capacity. We read of thousands of
women who have been giving tender
and skilled aid to the thousands and
thousands of wounded men, who yes
terday had never known the meaning
of real respect for any woman, and
we know how the nations are turning
their hearts in gratitude to women,
for it was the women who last yeal
and the year before planted the crops
and harvested them in good time, and
the nations know that it is the wom-
en- who are to feed the people of those
stricken lands.
"More than ever before in the
worlds history this is woman's war.
The victories of the South in the war
between the states were largely at
tributed to their grand women and
more than ever must our men in this
world struggle depend upon US.
'The opening of the club this after
y
history of the Woman's Club of Ocala
as in the thousands of other clubs
throughout the country. We have
heretofore, in a generous way been
selfish. We have, it is true, worked
for the good of our community and
we can boast of many laurels won in
our endeavors toward the betterment
of civic conditions. But this year we
are called upon to care for, not only
the comparatively small duties which
are Immediately at hand, but we
must get the world vision and be
ready at all times to subordinate our
Individual club plans to the larger
call of humanity.
"And so with steadfast faith in the
belief that the progress of the worlo
is onward and upward, shall we not
rise with strength matched to our OPP
portunities, willing to sacrifice our
comforts and ourselves whenever
need me and show to the world that
the women of the Southland, as in the
days of old are true to their blood and
able to uphold traditions of the past
as no other women in the history of
| the world.
SIN closing, let me repeat with Ella
Wheeler Wilcox:
| The Hour :.
This is the worlds stupendous hour
The supreme. moment for the race
| To see the emptiness of power,
The worthlessness of wealth and
place,
To see the purpose and the plan
Conceived by God for growing man.
And they who see and comprehend
/ That ultimate and lofty aim
VIII wait in patience till the end,
| Knowing injustice cannot claim
One lasting victory, or control
Laws that bar progress for the whole.
This is the epoch-making time;
| God thunders through the universe
A message glorious and sublime,
At once a blessing and curse
Blessing for those who seek his light,
l n r l.