The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-11-03
Pine
box SPELLS
SACRIFICE
ri -
Il =.
nirits Of "Silent Voters
! Can Us to Take Stand
for World Peace.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
tcoocial To The Argus.

Eisht years ago in the little town
n Princeton. n. j.. group Of cor
yspondents stood beside the then
isover,or OF New Jersey and watch
\ The returns come in which reg
ktered the triumph Of Woodrow
wilson. He was surrounded by
liz wife and daughters. Happiness
and joy were theirs. The victor
,ieus candidate breathed the en-
Ausiasm Of the great occasion.
foIlege boys came to serenade
hin. He stepped to the veranda,
and, addressing them, said it SEEM
d to him not moment OF triumph
Int Of Solemn responsibility
Il has been responsibility ever
sInce. And now. as a new man Is
slected, as another takes up the
I. task Of serving the American peo-
Nsle frcsn the White house, 1t is
mrdonable for the correspondents
Who are accustomed to the joyful
ness Of election victories to think
II something else-to think more
q the immense responsibilities
tls. nowadays weigh down the
chief magistrate of the nation.
Perhaps It is pardonable, too. to
tell Of an incident in railroad
natiop last night. where our train
stopped for a few minutes; an in
tAent that in its telling can have
NJ touch OF campaign argument,
sr when these lines are published
he American people will have ex-
Hnsed their preference for pres
Esnt
White Pine Box.
The railroad station Is deserted
~ might have been any station
N that matter. because a thou
sad such scenes must be enacted
h different parts OF the United
States nowadays. There's a troop
Il In full uniform half asleep on
I behch near the baggage room.
Ne wears an ammunition belt and
revolver. He Is on duty. A few
iy away on a baggage truck is a
yRite pine box and draping 1t is
u American flag.
- Hundreds OF American boys are
coming home from France in that
way. Their votes were cast on the
baltlenelds of France. It's two
years this month since the guns
stopped roaring in the Argonne.
Bo.h sides in the political CAM
Wgn have talked either OF the
league Of Nations as a provocative
prevention of war. The election
result Is mixed verdict on dOmes-
he and International affairs. Yet
ne writer cannot help thinking
Today Of the scene at the railroad
eatlon at n,ght-the lonely re-
mains Of boy who had given up
as lie for the nation. 1t seemed
out . feeble aftermath OF the cry
mat went up during the war to
Hop war forever
Silent Voters.
BOYS are coming back from the
'aef side with beautiful flags
ynped about them. soldiers escort
'nem to the hundreds Of villages.
Nnefe the heart-broken parents
seleQme even at this late date
Me faint reminder OF their sons
nerolsm, These silent voters are
.scelved into the soil OF the land
"ey sought to defend.
ann yet. in the great presiden-
10y election where party bitterness
ta the friction of the contest has
Ms'alled. the thought has unques-
oaSoly been Of issues and sub
~ ~ lar aheld from the sacrifice
se troopers have made. The ef-
w. 10 stop war has gotten little
n"aragement from America in
ss. last Two years. Had the IA
.aues been as great in the Amer
IN army as they were in the
s"nen' the people Of the United
saes might have felt more .deep-
Me wounds OF war. There might
~ oeen more demand for con-
ssse'l'e s'l'e ideas on the prevention
,,,M M The campaign has untor-
,.i.y seiy centered on domestic
n n'anees. Such scan. attention
s.s, given 10 the greatest Of all
.r.s.Olems-~orid peace-was con-
'a'ed on violent criticism OF
I one plan offered. and thus
people have been led to for
tsl.. .ae original objects and prin-
'Ses OF the whole thing.
deserves Sympathy.
.ae new presiden. of the United
H. mill have great responsible.
II ia ne deserves sympathy as
as as coneratulation. For the
Isnas OF boys who are return.
81 ome IN the white pine boxes
as mute reminders OF Ameri.
SUI undone II may be
MI .eaene or "a" league, but II
snose = some kind Of league ol
8 A something that will fulfill
Fl ~ ,suses made when America
~ = tne war--and II will be
)s,soonsihi'itv which the new
E y ~ ,s s the underlying psychol.
r .a,s election day-and when
rs saes OF triumph and ,ae
|k ~ ,Ss.aadits OF victory have died
ae.e !. will come stronger and
~. the spirit Of these silenI