The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-05-26
Americas Aspiration Not to
Fight the World, but
to Lead in Peace
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
WILL BE ESTABLISHED
I'm Gods Own Good Time,"'
Declared Rev. F. L. Good
speedin Memorial Sermon

=
and characterizing NJ q 4al day as an
agency for peace ra y .yhan for the de-
velopment of the q spirit was de.
livered by Rev. - Goodspeed, pastor
of the church. ~ services were largely
attended, the c. rch auditorium being
filled.
Seated in reserved sections in the front
of the auditorium were members of r. b.
Crandall post, No. So, G. A. R., of Col
J. b. Meade circle, No. |, Ladies OF the
G. A. R., of Major L. A. Abbott camp
Sons of Veterans, of Sons of Veterans
auxiliary, No. 5, of the Spanish-Amer-
lean war veterans and of the service men
of the recent war, all the FIVE last-named
bodies acting as escort to the Civil war
| veterans in the short march from the
post headquarters in the city hall The
| front part of the church was decorated
with the United States flag and the flags
OF some of our allies in the war, the dis
play being simple but quite attractive
On the platform, too, was stack OF
arms, lending color to the military ma.
ture OF the services.
| Martial and patriotic music predom.
mated throughout, and the regular or
ganist and choir were assisted by Ken
meth H. Gale, member of Pershing's
headquarters band, who recently returned
to the United States from France with
| the band in order to assist in the Vie
tory loan campaign. He rendered the
offertory solo as well as accompanied in
the hymns, making distinct addition
to the effectiveness Of the music mum
bers on the program.
In his sermon DIR. Goodspeed extended
hearty welcome TO the members of the
various organizations represented and
then spoke at some length on the sub.
ject "0ur National Defenders" paying a
deep tribute to the soldiers of the Civil
war, the Spanish war and the Great
War" as he designated the conflict about
to be completed with the signing of
treaty of peace. He characterized these
wars as the development of the high
ideals of the United States and of the
people of the country and said that the
wars were not fought for the sake Of
| fighting, nor yet for the sake of ag
grandizement, but rather for the defense
of a principle or the relief of the OPP
pressed. He spoke in part as follows;
Memorial day is not for the glorifica
| tion of war. However righteous war
may be, somebody's sons must be sacri-
feed, and when it is conducted for ma
tional aggrandizement or glory or re-
venge, then it is only organized murder
America took up the sword only as a
cruel necessity, took it up haltingly,
sadly, tearfully, because
Peace is no peace ii it lets the ill go
stronger,
Only cheating destiny very little long
er;
War, with its agonies, its honor and its
crimes,
Is cheaper, ii discounted and taken up
betimes.'
"The men who fell in the Civil war
died for liberty-for us and the future.
They are at rest There is but one sen
timent possible toward the soldiers, both
living and dead--cheers for the living
and tears for the dead.
"One of the heaviest sacrifices made
by the men who fought the Civil war
through to a successful issue was the
disappointment of early unfulfilled
uitdAlS anu iNHtSs b'QthG Nti1 AlbhA
school and college and some from the
farms and shops, all laid aside for the
time their first plans. And when four
years had passed many came back brok
en- in health, their dreams of success new
er to be realized, opportunities were gone
forever, and so many went to the plough
or the plain who would have graced the
pulpit, the forum or the professors chair,
The pathos of the situation lay in the
fact that they looked longingly to posi-
tions they might have filled with honor
and success, but were doomed to 20 on
to the end with their best powers un-
developed and life's finest riches un-
gathered To die for their country in
glorious battle would have been com
paratiyely easy They had to do the far
harder thingto turn all life into daily
sacrifice, where the plans and hopes of
youth must remain forever unfuifilled.
"They teach us that the progress of
the future is always built upon the sac
rifices of the past. They widened the
domain of human freedom. 1t was more
than a mere fight of men with men,
That is only brutality, II was 4 war Of
principles, the eternal war Of right with
WTUUR, IL WIS HOt NdECu w oNSl hiiNN
the people of the South, IL was waged
not against the South but for the South,
and the victors boasted not of victory,
but of united country, The aspiration
of America is not ability to fight the
world but to lead the world in the arts
of peace and cement the nations into the
brotherhood of man. We boast not Of
triumph but we are proud to prove the
stability and permanence of govern
ment Of the people, for the people, and
by the people.
"The best we can say of the boys OF
1917 is that they proved worthy of their
sires. And Americans from other lands,
Americans by adoption and not by birth,
the Briton, the Swede, the Pole, the
Italian, even the German, men of every
cline. who love America, all fought as
well as her native born. America has
gotten into their blood. Someone has
said for the American army this Euro-
pean war has made no heroes No gen
eral became a universal idol. The STRAIT
egy of the war was not ours. We
fought under foreign commanders, None
of our officers became outstanding men.
But all were of heroic mould. Those
who have no medal on the breast have
one inside the breast, in the living heart.
Lack of opportunity alone prevented
Continued on page tVe.)