Trench and camp., 1919-01-23

tlOn, winch resulted IN the Qeclara-
ton of the Rights of Man. Every
child knows what 1875, and 1865,
have meant in our history.
All these ordeals OF suffering and
death have dignified those who took
part in them, so that 1t is painful to
hear OF any one of them who ever
descended to the common level in
after-life. 1t pleases one always to
learn with what dignity Washington
lived out the remainder of his days,
after the War for Independence.
Americans are proud of the lofty
minded Lee, who went quietly to
work for a small salary, though Of
fered much that was better, and lived
as a model citizen in a united Re
public. There are enterprises SO great
and lofty that they shed their luster
upon those who took part in them,
and make those participators want
always to live up to the level which
they have once attained.
1t was not always clear to those
we now revere that they were living
in a crisis-time. Generally they went
simply about what they cor sidered
their duty, and it was only later on
LudJ luCy CdluC W IU61IZC LuC mHOI
tance of what they were doing. They
felt 1t duty and also a privilege to
fight for their country, or their faith,
or their dear ones. People have al
ways felt that, amidst the hustle and
noise of the modern world, the day
of really great and ennobling enter
prises was over.
We always think of the past as the
time of mystery and chivalry, Of fair
les and giants, of crusades and high
deaths and glorious fame. Things
were said and done at the Round
Table that are not done to-day. To-
day there is no Prester John, or
Richard of the Lion-Heart, or Julius
Caesar, or Alexander the Great Ev-
erything to-day seems to us to be at
dead level of mediocrity, because we
live in it from day to day, and it does
not impress us as anything extraor-
dinary.
A New Era
Yet, in ages to come, men will date
history rom the day we live in. Then
they will account us as those who
we're privileged to live in high and
glorious times, taking, part in high
and exalted deeds. And why? Be-
cause these last years have brought
to completion one of those great
world-enterprises that constitute the
milestones of history. No such gi-
gantic struggle between right and
wrong has ever taken place on earth
as that which has just been gloriously
finished In it has been saved and
defended the very heritage of people
who will walk above our worn-out
bodies a thousand years hence.
Was 1889 a great crisis-time? Yes,
because out of 1t came the Rights OF
Man. But out of our time comes the
Rights of Nations. Was 1776 great
date? Yes, because then was born
the freedom of great nation. But
out of our time has been born no less
than the freedom Of the world itself
of all nations We do not see all
this clearly, yet; but if we reflect on
what would have happened il we had
not won, we can see better what we
have preserved and safeguarded. II
we had not won, nation would have
faced nation in suspicion and hostil-
ity. Freedom would have existed,
not for us all, but for our brutal op-
pressors. Our wives and children
would not have been safe; our prop
erty would have been less than our
own; our destiny would have been
gray and cold, instead of lighted with
hope and warmed with confidence.
And these who have fought for all
this-are they less than the Cru
saders of old; less than the crew of
Columbus; less than the Spartans at
Thermopylae? Never; they are the
equals of them all, and, judging from
the magnitude and majesty Of their
enterprise, they are greater than any
of these. A dignity rests upon every
man who has fought and died; on
every one who has fought and lived !;
on all who would gladly have fought,
whether they were to die or live; on
all who supported and breathed cour-
age into the hearts of those in the
front line-on the youth, the man in
his prime, the man in his old age,
who strove to do what he could,
whether by fighting, working, or de .
nying himself; and on the girl, the
wife, the mother, who worked, or
sacrificed, or went hungry, at home
All are heroic. They need not fear :;
centuries hence they will be ascribed