The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1919-01-29
THE AMERICAN MORALE

The American people demand and
prize freedom, but as well as any 9TH
er people on the face of the earth
they realize the only condition upon
which freedom can be enjoyed and
maintained. Every true and typical
American feels that he is personally
country. He may delegate certain
powers to government, but he is con-
scious of being a part of the govern
ment.
Patriotism has a peculiar meaning
for Americans. 1t means something
more than adulation of a geographi-
cal section of the world; something
more than pride in national wealth
and strength; it means loyalty to the
ideals upon which the Republic was
founded. Lincoln expressed it's mean
ing magnificently in his Gettysburg
speech when he said: ut is rather for
us to be here dedicated to the great
task remaining before Us, that from
these honored dead we take increased
devotion to that cause for which they
gave the last measure of devotion,
that we here highly resolve that these
dead shall not have died in vain, that
this nation, under God shall have a
new birth of freedom, and that gov
eminent of the people, by the people
for the people, shall not parish from
the earth.' The endurance of gov
eminent of the people, by the people,
for the people, is being tested in
many parts of the today; whether
such government can endure has
long since passed the point of deter
mination in the United States. There
should be no question as to that now.
The one transcendent thing in the
government of the United States is
that it is the kind of a government
for which freemen are willing to give
the last full measure of their devo-
ton.
In parts of the country at present
there are groups of people, sometimes
forgetful and sometimes ignorant of
American ideals, who undertake to
introduce into the political life of the
country theories and practices utterly
foreign and repugnant to the national
sentiment The sudden return of
peace, with the economic disturbance
which the change from war conditions
groups 10 mean that they can throw
off the restraints of convention and
even Of law, and undertake to repeat
although in weakly initiative man
ner, some of the performances that
have lately been reported from anar-
| chy-ridden nations. In certain CEN
tiers of population it is seen that some
drastic measures may be necessary IN
order to bring groups to realizing
sense of the fact that riot and law
lessness will not be tolerated. No
doubt, the authorities will do their
part, promptly and positively toward
maintaining good order.
| But the main reliance of the country
will be in the morale of its people,
and this reliance will be well placed.
| The overwhelming mass of the Amer
lean people, differ as they may about
minor matters, may be counted upon
TO guard the national institutions
against all forms of attack. Those
who imagine that these institutions
can be assailed with impunity, will be
awakened swiftly to the fact thai
they have never known the real Am
erica nor sounded the depth OF Am
erican character and sentiment.
| The United States is not a machine
made nation: it was not made for the
people; it was made by them; it re-
presents the ideals of the people,
stands for them; the United States is
the people, and those who raise their
hands against it raise their hands
against the people.
American morale is a rock. The
waves of anarchy may dash against i,
but there is no present likelihood that
they can undermine it.-Christian