The independent-reporter., 1920-02-12
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY Il. 1920
Lest We Forget

Early last month "A young soldier
hobbled back 10 one of the great Army
hospitals after his furloneh "bock
HON i'm the Central Wesf. IIe Wa
crippled in boil arm and Lee AID
proeress through life VIII never he
other thau SOW AID diG cuIf for him.
lie is rated "totalle q d.+nhled. yet. ON
the sleeping ear the nighf before not
one OF his travelling eco Hpanions had
offered TO exchange lower berth for
his inaccessible upper ard TINS make
his Journey easier. Aud most of
these fhOughtless ones were boys
fresh from their vacations and wear
ing the uniform of private military
school students who are doubtless
given fun instruction in the honor
that must always he shown 10 the Ma
tons colors Salute the flag yet
neglect to give a practical thought to
the comfort of one in the eountrY's
uniform who plainly has himself Civ
EN- so much To the service of that flag.
Have these boys in 1920 already for
gotten the war Of 1917-1S?
How is it with ourselves here In
Skowhegan2 All OF MS. il NAV be
granted. suffered through the evil of
war. but in every community there
are those whose losses can not be
replaced and among those to whom
we need to continue to pay our re-
spect are the boys whose bodies bear
the marks Of suffering the insignia
of sacrifice Are we as quick to
detect in the stiffened leg or the emp
ty sleeve the story of service, as
When the boys first came home? Are
we inspired with the same patriotic
ferver to give these citizens the very
best of opportunity. At best it's a
handicap race for these men. but
most of them show the Independent
American spirit Of asking no favors.
They deserve, however. the best
thoupht Of their fellow citizens in
helping thea to find themselves again
in the world of work.
Ard then We owe it TO ourselves -
to keep alive the exalted spirit of
service to those who served their
country and ollre. IN the end, the
business man Who took pride in the
service flag hung over his door and
then failed to re-employ the returned
soldier whose star counted on his nag,
will lose as much himself in character
as his former clerks did in opportuni-
ty. None OF us can afford to forget.
Perhaps truer to the general spirit
of the day han that car full of self
centered school boys was another
sleeping car just after the holidays.
At Providence, boyish young man
was helped aboard the car, we'll set
up soldier, on whose breast was a
decoration which he can never see.
whether his lower berth was his by
purchase or exchange does not matter,
for the whole car did him honor. In
the smoking room, men old enough to
he his father listened to his interest
ing account of campaigns and his
private views on strategy and even
his youth mi views on the political
issues of the day with the utmost de-
ference General Pershing could
have received a no more respectful
hearing. No reference was made to
his blindness the sympathy that
every man felt was expressed by maxi
ing him the honored guest and next
morning the young soldier returned
to his hospital in Baltimore we'll as
sured of where he stood among his
fellow men, and his follow travellers
were better citizens FOR the respect
they had shown the blind soldier.
Salute the colors yes but also re
member the men who served and lost
much that we possess.
GEORGE OTIS SMITH