Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1919-01-01
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PUBLIC FORUM.
A SLOGAN OF PEACE.

"America-saf for the American
boy"
A slogan to fire with enthusiasm the
heart of every right thinking man and
woman A slogan to inspire the heart
of the nation with stern determination
to carry over the top the mighty re-
solve that it shall not be, that the en-
vironments of the camps are safer
for our boys than the environments
of the homes. A slogan of heartfelt
appeal to unite in nationwide drive
to seek out and eliminate from the
home environment what was found
necessary to drive out of the camps
for the physical and moral welfare
of the boys in training. Social vice
and intemperance had to be driven
out to make the boy a soldier fit to
die for his country. What about driy-
ing these evils out to make him a cit
izen fit to live for his country? The
problems OF war arise for solution but
seldom The problems of peace and
good citizenship need solution every
day of our lives The American boy
has proved that he is worthy of every
safeguard that can be thrown around
him. The boys from the farms, the
mills, the mines and the desks have
shown beyond the shadow of a doubt
that we builded well when we safe
guarded them aS never before. They
plucked the crown of victory from the
brows of the most highly organized
military nations in the world and
placed it in our hands as reward for
our care and solicitude for their well
fare. When released from the leash
by doubling military leaders and al
lowed to go forward as an army. they
never turned back They proved
themselves better than the picked
fruits of generations of military train
ing. Why? Because they were
taught in the camps the value of right
ideals, right living, clean, strong
bodies, and sober, clear thinking
minds. That's what gave them pep
and push and morale and enabled
them to play the winning part in saw
ing the civilization of the world.
AS yet it seems as if we do not re-
alize fully the splendor of the ching
they have done and the wisdom we
may reap for the future from the les
sons written in blood and tears dur
ing the past trying years. God for
bid that wartime efficiency should
give way to peace-time indifference,
and that which helped build up an
army of splendid efficiency in an in
credibly short time should fall into
neglect and disuSe. Can we not turn
our war welfare work into peace well
fare work? Think what it would
mean to have Y. NJ. c. A., X. of C. and
other welfare associations working in
every town and village and hamlet in
the land. And why not? The condi-
tions for the work here are far more
favorable than those under which it
was carried on thousands of miles
across the seas.
At the present time the only club
houses to be found in the average
small towns and villages are the sa-
looms We practically drive the hoys
into them because there is no place
else for them to go for entertainment.
Daily and hourly we see the body and
soul destroying fruits of intemperance
as form of amusement but seeming
ly with blind indifference. We know
our boys come home from Y. M. G. A.
and other welfare clubs with steady
steps, clear eyes and unclouded brains
refreshed with amusement that builds
up vigorous, clean, moral manhood,
and yet we do not seem awake to the
crying need of the hour.
Eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty" Let us take from the hands
of our boys the banner of clean and
honorable right living, so firmly up
held in lands across the seas, and
bear it aloft floating proudly ahead
while we march onward to a great,
grand and glorious victory of peace.
America-safe for the American boy.
E.