The Sneedville news. (Sneedville, Tenn.) 191?-19??, 1918-08-23
BY CORA HARRIS,

BY CORA HARRIS
(Author Of "a Circuit Riders WIFE
Ewes Second Husband" Ete.)
During, the Thrift Stamp campaign
In July, 1918. a prominent citizen was
sent into o backwoods farming com
munity to arouse the people. and II
possible sell Thrift Stamps. He was
not expected to have much success
with the sale of stamps because the
people were very poor and illiterate
The effort was to be chiefly educa.
tional.
The speaker found dingy company
OF farmers and their wives waiting
for him In an old field schooIhouse.
He began his address with argu.
ments for the support of the govern.
ment reduced to the simplest forms.
No one seemed to listen. The men
stared straight ahead as II they had
something else on their minds. The
women famed themselves and looked
out Of the windows. He changed his
manner OF speech to an impassloned
appeal; no one was moved. He
paused perspiring before making a last
despairing effort. But before he could
60 on q tall. gaunt farmer stood up In
the back of the house and waved his
hand beseechingly:
mister" he said, III you are done
talking, give us chance at them
Thrift Stamps so We kin sign up and
get back to the field"
He give them the "chance." They
bought nineteen hundred and fifty
dollars worth of stamps. although
there was not a man among them who
owned property to the amount Of two
thousand dollars.
1--WE own this land" the farmer said,
addressing the prominent citizen GRIM
ly as he passed up the last pledge card.
I'VE own all this country. The govern
ment at Washington belongs to us:
we made II and II is ours. The army
In France is ours. too; they are our
sons. We sent sIxty-two boys there
from this district. and I reckon we
know II Is our duty TO work for them
and take care Of them while they are
busy whipping them Germans"
This IL the best. most serviceable
md Intelligent definition of patriotism
have heard since this war began.
Victory at Any Cost.
This is the most expensive war ever
known. still beyond our Imagination
to conceive Of The enormous destruc-
ton wrought by the submarines. the
terrific sums spent for war materials.
the loans to our allies, none Of these
things account for the Incredible ex-
pense. The real explanation is that
civilization demands that II shall cost
everything. Never before has any ma
ton spent SO much TO insure the health
of Its soldiers. never before have such
provisions been made TO safeguard n
great army morally. More Is being |
spent to equip hospitals. provide am |
balances, nurses and doctors to care |
for the wounded than whole campaigns |
cost In former wars. Never In the his |
tory of man has such provision been |
made to Insure widows and orphans |
and soldiers from the after effects of |
wounds and poverty. Formerly when |
a man entered he army to fight for his |
his country took his life. and
that was the end Of II II he was killed.
Now the government pays. and pays /
for every man who lives
or dies In this struggle. All this Is so
because rs nation we have developed
a sense Of justice and honor that re-
CARDS any and every expense us sec
ondary "a the one tremendous obliga-
ton 10 Its citizens
Our allies were compelled TO fight
Germany to preserve their very exis-
ence. but we chose to fight her when we
might have made shameful treaty
with her that would have insured n
shameful peace. because we are not a
craven grasping nation, but n nniion
,uilt upon ideals. aud Il costs more TO
preserve an ideal than II ever costs to
preserve peace. because you cannot
,uy them--you must achieve them.
Nothing stands between the world
nd this catastrophe but the American
,eople. their honor. their energy, their
idclity nnd their wealth Our troops
n France are only the sword arm OF
he nation. We. the people at home.
ire the body and life Of that army.
Z we fail ut all. they must fall en-
ireiy.
We are about 10 make another loan
4 six billion dollars for war expenses
{ Is not n gift. but IN Investment we
make In the lives NJ American soldiers
nd an insurance we take out for the /
afety OF our country. {,