Mountain advocate., 1919-05-02

And besides, molly went on, we
are not absolutely certain the war Il
over. We can't bring all the boys
back home right away--we shall have
10 keep some OF them over there for
a long time, to watch and wait untL
we are sure Germany Is really sincere.
And our boys over there must be fed
and clothed. And there arc thousands
OF odds and ends OF expenses which
must be met. We simply can't--we
must not leave our lob unfnishedi"
Corwin looked at her with reluct-
ant smile.
There is a great deal OF logic In
your presentation Of the Governments
case" he said. But that doesn't alter
the fact that the Government was en-
travagant. Look what the war Is go
ing to cost u.s."
What would II have cost us II Ger
many had won7" asked Molly. Instead
of buying Liberty Bonds or Notes to
store away in some safe place. mean.
while drawing interest on them, we
would now be getting ready TO pay
billions of dollars OF tribute money TO
Germany"
80 you think we ought TO make this
last Liberty Loan a successT" said
Corwin.
ben is over there" declared the
girl. HE went over at the behest Of
the which is all OF US.
He went for definite purpose--to
fight for his country, and to win. lie
was prepared to give hts life for US.
And" here Molly's voice quavered-
''he may have done so BY this time. for
have not heard from him for several
months. Our boys have done their
part; they have given their limbs.
their sight, their lives. And we. back
here, enjoying peace are-some Of US
reluctant to back them up with our
dollars. Money! Why. Mr.. Corwin,
how much per capita has this war
really cost US. in direct outlay7 Here
are ope hundred million people. That
means that IL each and every one OF
the hundred million advances the Gov.
ernment ten dollars the Government
has one billion. Ten dollars! Multi.
ply that-by twenty. That would
mean that IL each of the hundred mil.
lion gave the Government two hund.
dred dollars. the total amount would
be twenty billion. II you could buy
liberty for two hundred dollars - II
you could buy immunity from attack
for that amount, would you hesitate?
Many men pay that amount to their
lawyers-and much more--to defend
them in a lawsuit!
$50 you see, Mr.. Corwin, though the
amount of money expended seems to
be enormous, it really isn't so much
for each Of us to bear. Why" she
added, her eyes cleaning with a lu-
minous moisture; "T would give
thousand times that sum, 81 I had II,
to be sure that Ben would come back
to me. would give everything I
possess to bring any glrl's brother
back!"
A thrill OF sympathy ran over Cor.
whit was perhaps the first unseliish
emotion he had experienced since the
day when Gary Miller, In his private
Office at the Merchants Bank, had
filled his mind with this poison OF
potential disloyalty.
But the emotion did not last; 1t was
transient, surface-it went no deeper
than his thoughts. after the first stir
ring surge. II did not reach the
heart; 1t did not strike the solemn
note Of patriotism. Watching him
closely. Molly saw his eyes grow Gym
ical again; and she drew a deep. slow
kbreath-for she had been hoping he
would surrender. that he would come
to realize that the Nations trouble
meant something more to him than
the consideration OF self: that he
would be able to see with broader
vision, and that the real Corwin, hid
den beneath the cynical mask he af'
fected, would be revealed. For she
could have loved the Corwin OF her
ideals.
at all comes to a question OF indi-
vidualism," he said. we are all will
ing to sacrifice. providing We gain
something by doing so. The motive
underlying all this fuss Is the desire
Of every man engaged in II to express
hfs personality in one way or another.
The soldier, I believe. has less chance
to be an individual than any other
class concerned In the war. For he Is
slave to discipline. He has to obey
orders. He Is drafted. or he voiun-
teers. But once he enters the army
he loses his individuality and becomes
a part OF the machinery OF war. He
is a pawn-a human sacrifice to the
greed of other individuals. II is my
opinion that, left 10 decide for them
selves. very few men who are now in
the army would have Joined II. They
would have preferred to stay out and
let the other fellow do the fighting"
Molly's face had grown very white.
"Mr. Corwin," she said slowly;
"either you do not understand, or you
are deliberately denying your Ameri-
canism. You ought to know better
than to talk like that!-
She sat very straight and rigid.
breathing fast.