The New York herald., 1920-01-11

enough Nothing is enough as long as a
single soldier goes unemployed or dis
abled hero is embarrassed by want.
Americas Duty.
Our first duty after the war was to care
Nearly all of them were a hundred pei
cent patriotic. No matter what their con
victions may have been before the United
states plunged into the conflict. after.
ward there was only one thought
America must win the war Some OF
volition but the great majority were
forced by conscription from the vocations
Of civil life. They responded cheerfully
TO the draft, it is true; nevertheless, al
over the land professional careers were
business enterprises, de
stroyed. student terms broken up, planted
fields left untitled. lucrative positions lost
This condition, as far as possible, shoulC
have been repaired-not tardily but imme
diately; not after the League OF Nation!
was debated but before it was presented
not after the wrongs of Europe had beer
righted but before the wrongs Of Europ,
were considered.
! And the actual victims Of battle-tht
wounded, the blind, the lame. the sick
the armless, the disfigured, the demented-
the government wrestles with the wrongs
of Europe while these heroes wrestle will
the problems of existence; the statesmen
at Washington struggle with academic
questions while these veterans suuggl,
with the profiteers.
The American Legion" has been formed
I from the veterans of the great war !
spirit of unselfishness seems to pcrvad'
this organization. Its members in
sense have been sobcrcd by the dreadful
realities OF war. The objects of the Legion
are lofty, patriotic and benign. 1t pro
poses to combat 'autocracy both Of th'
classes and the Masses II seeks to maxi
right the master OF might it hopes t'
promote peace and good VIII on earth
! \ grander preamble was never conceived
Statesmen would do well to pattern aftel
this noble declaration of principles.
( The American Legion IS a civilian or
sanzation. yet its mcpbers are heroes
Magnanimously they recognize the i'm
]
ton" Silently tho disabled veterans en-
dure their woes. Their symmetry is gone
1 their health. their vigor their streng TN
their capacity to earn. but little do the,
complain. The fortitudc Of these Spar
tans. however, does not obscure the fac
that they are all but forgotten today b,
I the same great officials who lauded then
| In the hour of danger and stress an,
loaded them with encomiums as the.
marched TO the front
sThe government has failed 10 heed full,
the misfortunes Of the veterans or to dea
adequately with their needs. Recogniz
ing this, and appreciating the disastrou
consequences OF delay. the American
Legion has undertaken TO rouse the slug
gish statesmen 20 action. Among the sug
gestions which they have made TO Con
gress the most important one. perhaps. 4
the recommendation that the unproduc
tive lands Of the country be converted
into farms and homes for the soldiers
Duty OF Congress.
Considered entirely aside from the duty
OF doing Justice 20 the soldiers. no sub
feet could more profitably engage the az
tention OF Congress. The population o.
the United States Is increasing at NJ
amazing rate. The 100000 marx was
long since passed Nearly 10000 human
beings CrORG dTOuHh ANtN ''A'' ''N-
They must be fed. And the swariniht
masses Of Chicago. Philadelphia, Boston
ST Louis and other great centres OF popu'
lation must have food and clothing. They
do not produce: they consume. The PROB
lem Is stupendous. Something must b'
done. Ratification OF the League Of Ma
tiops will not supply flour and meat: eN
citement on the stock Exchange VIII no.
lower the price of milk; issuing weekly
warnings 70 Carranza will produce nc
SUGAR for the table.
These subjects are SPECTACULAR. OF cours
and occupy the profoundest minds OF th'
nation but they are as devoid OF substan'
tial results as the researches OF CULVER
Iaputans. These weighty matters con
sumo the energies Of statesmen. while th'
profiteers consume the substance or th'
people Operators manipulate the market
and magnates manocuvre with the Goa
supply. but nobody seems to be concerned
with the fact that the cities Of America
are becoming ovorcrowded and the farms
deserted and that as a result high cost Of
living must follow.
No person Is simple enough 70 underrat'
the piracy Of the profiteers and the effec
OF their unhindered forays upon the tables
~ the masses but this species Of brigand
age Is possible only N country wher,