Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-11-10


their days work arm in arm, were
kept infiamed against each other
until the feeling of one for the other
was as the feeling Of Cain toward
Abel.
Church societies were turned into
political units and partisan propa-
sanda frequently displaced the
Word Of God in pulpit dissertations.
a favorite appeal was 20 the pride oil
pre- war period talked glibiy of the
German" vote, the Irish" vote. the
French" vote. the italian vote, the
Labor vote. the Farmer vote. the
Soldier vote, even going 50 far as to
openly advocate to the soEs and
daughters of these races that they
ought. for the sake Of gaining poiit-
ical favcrs for themselves to unite to-
Sether, not as Americans. buL as Ger
mans, as Irishmen. as French. as
italians. Is Laborers and as farmers
jim order to demonstrate their infiu-
ence.
The war wiped out temporarily
that whole vicious program. Ameri-
can citizens were satisfied to be
american citizens. Men still declared
themselves Democrats and Republi.
cans. Calholics--and Professionals
'eNew Epslanders and Sduthernurs 6u'
the appeilations meant next to moth.
ing-ihey We're al Americans.
Not only in the army and navy but
in the great mass Of civilians en-
gagged in war work men and womer
from Maine fought and worked side
by side with men and women from
Mississippi ard Louisiana. Demo.
Gratis and Republicans. labor leaders
and bankers. Catholics. Protestants
Jews and unbelievers. descendants OF
the Pilgrim Fathers and those whose
ancestors saw America first at Castle
Garden. Joined i'm carrying to a glori-
Gus end the great enterprise on which
our nation had entered.
In the face of the greatest danger
which has menaced modern civiiixa :
tion political. religious and social
distinctions vanished.
We all followed one flag We
prayed in unison to one God We
learned to judge men by what they
could contribute to the common good
in terms of service, not by their
wealth or ancestry. We united and
we accomplished miracle We proved
TO the world that the spirit of Bunker
Hill and Yorktown ard Valley Forge
Of Nicksburg and Gettysburg and the
Wilderness still lived. We turned
our democracy into an autocracy for
the sake of heightened efficiency. i'm :
posed upon ourselves conscriptioh
law. raised our army Of over 1900. .00C
men In is months. transported half OF
them across the Atlantic Ocean. in
spite of mines and submarines. main
tained an army and navy 5000 miles
from its base of supplies and financed
not only our own military operations
but loaned billions to our allies.
The war was won. The Armistice
which went into effect year age
sounded the end OF the German dream
of world supremacy. After America
entered the war. it could only end one
way. No power could Withstand the
efforts Of 100.000.000 free people
energfzing in a Just cause. Our duty
is to prevent the loss in peace of that
which VIC won. in war.
do not mean the loss of what we
won from Germany. We need not
fear Germany I mean the loss of
what we won from and for ourselves.
Our dangers lie within rot without.
America must not again be divided
into warning groups and jealous
classes. The spirit of patriotism,
which enabled us to win the war
must be kept up. There must be just
one group of citizens in the United
States and that group must all be
Americans and consist OF at least
100000 people. When we differ on
public questions we must differ as
Americans and as patriotic Ameri-
cans. Neither BoiShevistS nor Reac
tionaries are going to rule this coun-
try. No matter where he come from.
no matter what church We attend or
whether we atteni any church or not.
no matter whether we work with our
hands or our brains we must all re-
tain the war viewpoint and be. first
of all and last of ALL American citi-
living for the advancement Of that
citizenship for the good Of our ceun-
try and for the maintenance of its
deeds.
The men who by reason of age or
because of home duties were pre-
vented from participating in active
service but who gave of their. time
and their earnings and willingly
mortgased their future to raise the
for the carrying on Of the war and as
well those who served in Y. NJ. c. A..
the Knights of Columbus. the Saliva
ton army and the Red Cross cannC t
afford to see the result of their effort
thrown away.
The loyal women of America who
served their country at home and
abroad. who risked their lives in the
field hospital. who gave unsparingly
of their health and strength In the
work of the various organizations
which they maintained and who
contributed in every useful way to
the great end have a right to insist
that their work shall not be wasted.
The boys who served in the Army
and Navy, who uncomplaininglS did
their part, in cantonment at home.
on board ship. i'm camp service in
Europe or on the actual field of bat
tie who have returned to US in good
health and ready to take up their
daily work again have a right to de-
mand of all of us that that which