The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-06-06
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Too Powerful To Fight.


"Well, believe me, II sure made the
cold shivers run up and. down my
back" 1t was Jack still talking about
his trip to New York with Uncle Ted
when the President was there
"And didn't we have good time
thought" was Ruths comment. All
that day it had been all Uncle Ted
could do to get her away from the
store windows where hundreds of
dolls seemed fairly to talk to her at
every corner.
eyes, but you care more about the
dolls than you did hearing President
Harding talk and seeing the BIG
things retorted Jack, who was very
proud of the fact that he had listened
to every word the President said and
had shown a real interest in what was
going on. He had heard that wonder
full speech of the President early in
the morning at the pier in Hoboken,
when, with tears streaming down his
face, as he stood among the more than
five thousand collins containing the
bodies Of the soldiers who fought on
the battlefields of Europe, he had call
ed out for hope that, 1T must no be
afain."
Nov that we are home and can sit
quietly and think" said Uncle, Ted,
suppose you Riddles come over here,
while we talk over our trip and more
particularly the things said.by Presi-
dent Harding. You know theer is such
difference between the ways In
various men look upon war and all
the horrible things going with 1t. You
know was through part Of it. |
didn't do much, but I saw things that
will never allow me to think or act as
I did before. l was glad for the priv
ilege of helping my country as was
every man who donned uniform. For
long time, in this country, we sort
of took our government and the things
that went with 1t as matter of course
We knew that at certain time each |
year we had taxes to pay and every so |
often we went to the polls and voted to |
elect men to run the government and
then we, as quickly as possible, went
back to our work and proceeded to
forget 1t while the other fellows ran
the government and solved the great
questions of the day.
But the war changed that With all
its horrors it did accomplish one thing.
1t made men and women realize that
they owe duty to their country,
real duty. The fact that the govern
ment Is something real and moving
like every other big business organi-'
cation suddenly dawned upon people.
But there we're those, even then, who
said that we were too proud to fight,
by way of an excuse because they had
failed to prepare us to meet an newt
able war.
81 could 60 on and on about this,
but 1t is getting late so must get to
what President Harding said and show
you, what a wonderful meaning his |
words convey His speeches cannot be |
heard or read without making you
love your country more, and without
giving you greater courage to go |
ahead and take part in the nations
work, a work that is even greater now |
than during the war. | don't care
what anyone says, believe the ad-
dress of President Harding at the pier |
in Hoboken was the most inspiring |
ever delivered by President, unless |
it be the Gettysburg speech Of Lin
coin. Riddles, there is such a differ
ence between nation unprepared to
meet trouble, a nation armed to the
teeth and hunting trouble, and a ma
ton powerful enough to make the rest
of the world understand that 1t must
be left alone. To me the last kind Is
the best and that is what Mr.. Hard
ing urged. Try to think back and see
that scene, with the flas-draped cot-
fins and I will read a part Of what the
President said.
az could not wish nation for
which men are not willing to fight,
and, IL fieed be, to die, but / do wish
for a nation where It Is not necessary
to ask that sacrifice. I do not pre-
tend that millennial days have come,
but I can believe in the possibility OF
a nation so righteous as never to make
a war of conquest and a nation so
pow. powerful in righteousness that
none will dare to invoke her wrath.
WISH FOR US SUCH AN AMERICA.
what could be palmer than that"
remarked Uncle Ted "Mr. Harding
knows that the time has not come
when representatives Of countries,
jealous Of each others every move,
and with unfair distribution Of power,
can sit around table and settle the
affairs Of the world He knows tibet