Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-11-12
James N. Pierce was
Good Editorial Man
Last Editorial Appearing In
Wisconsin Farmer Spleen
did Tribute on ARMS
tice Day.

James M. Pierce for his farm papers
appeared in the Wisconsin Farmer
last week after the announcement OF
his death. 1t is a heartfelt tribute
to those who suffered in the World
War and is also very appropriate as
the last article that was ever to ap-
pear over his well known signature.
OF all the host of writer's VINO
have written Of that war, its causes
effects and the after effects which
would necessarily come about as
result of it, there are but few VINO
displayed as wide grasp OF the du-
ties owed by nations to one another
and individuals to individuals, from
a non-partisan standpoint as did Mr.
Pierce, and the spirit is plainly man
Tested in the Armistice Day testi-
moniaI which was written several days
in advance of his sudden demise.
On next Thursday morning at IL
o'clock the purring wheels OF indus
try should be motionless for brief
moment, while the people of a great
nation pause uncovered, to offer 81
lent benediction upon the fallen
heroes and pay solemn tribute to the
living soldiers who returned home.
School children will drop their work,
farmers will rest from their labors,
and all of us will be reverent at the
same hour when, two years ago,
there came lull on the battlefields
of France, as our intrepid sons
ceased to crown her hills with flame
and battle her soil in blood. My
heart quickens as I recall that fall
morning of November II, 1918, when
every bell and horn and whistle in
the land proclaimed the signing of
the armistice, and awakened us to a
day of celebration of peace in pros
pect
The tumult and the shouting have
died away; the officers and the priv
ates have been demobilized; quiet
has displaced the uproar on this Ar
mistice Day, for our celebration will
be one of prayerful consideration of
the problems we are facing as a re-
suit of the war Long lines OF 1eaden
caskets are being landed at our ports
now, bearing the bodies of our saint
ed dead, who so proudly marched
away. In many a grain-belt town and
country church, memorial services
will be held for some lad who gave
his life in the mud-carpeted, vermin-
ridden, gas-filled trenches, whose
body has reached home under the
starry shroud of the banner Of a
proud nation-the body of a hero
escorted home with full military hon.
ors. There will be aching hearts on
this Armistice Day, whose grief must
mingle with the feelings of thanks
giving in the hearts of others, whose
sons have returned alive. But every
where will be the determination of
a heroic ration setting it's face to-
ward the solution of the problems of
reconstruction.
1t hardly seems possible that two
years have sped by since the ending
of the war. Many things have hap
pened in that time. More than a
year ago, the hesitating German en-
issaries signed the treaty of Yer
sailles. But peace is not reality;
the United States has not signed the
treaty and the covenant OF the
League of Nations, which is insep-
arably linked with it. There have
been wars during the year on both
sides of the ocean, some thirty hav-
ing been in progress in Europe at
one time. The western hemisphere
was more fortunate-one revolution
in Mexico, in which a president and
some generals were killed; a few re-
volts in the United States; a race
riot or two, having made up it's dis
turbances. The League of Nations,
debated over in two sessions of con-
gress and carried into the national
presidential campaign, now comes up
for the decision of a new president
and to some extent a new congress,
who assume their obligations in
March
The problems of peace are always
more weighty than those of war; the
difficulties to be confronted in re-
construction more apparently insur-
mountable. Enthusiasm and the ne
cessity of winning war two years
ago, caused us to count not the cost
nor split hairs on policies. Recon,
struction follows destruction as sure
ly as day follows night; extrava,
gance turns to thrift; recklessness to
sober deliberatdon. The pendulum
swings from one extreme to the
other, and at the recurring end is
laden with heavy taxes, tight credit
and business depression. We are in
a period of change, confronted with
the necessity of pressing onward
keeping the faith that we will
emerge from the shadows into a
newer, brighter and grander day.
A H.