Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-31

full. Here was found nation which
for years gave its very all of human
resource, of industrial power, OF
faith in its mission and its future,
in order that it might maintain an
ideal. It accomplished that which
experts and economists decried as
| the impossible. It defied the edict
that economic exhaustion and imam
cial disabilities must prevent at
decisive victory. 1t demonstrated
that the wealth and resources OF
nation lie not in acres and bushels in
bank balances and tonnages in tax
able wealth and going business. but
rather in the sinews and souls of its
inspired people. And there in the
example of our fraternal struggle
| taught the lesson which later moved
agonized civilization to reject an in
| decisive peace.
$50 much, and vastly more, we
owe of debt to these who won the
peace of union and liberty. 1t is
debt that has not yet been discharg-
ed in full; a debt on which every
| succeeding generation can hope only
| to pay it's installments; for 1t obli-
gates us and those after us to main
| tain for this people the high estate
which they establish. We never will
yield aught of what they won for
us. Forbidden by the law of life
and institutions, we can not stand
still. We must always move for
| ward, along the upward paths they
marked for us. No less is possible
unless we would repudiate the debt
they laid upon us, whose covenant
| they sealed in their blood.
"Thus appraising and thus ac-
knowledging our responsibility we
will do we'll to consider the par
ticular burdens it lays upon US. We
| look about us on a world troubled
/ and torn, cropping for a way back to
light and opportunity. We find our
selves as a people occupying a place
| Of vast responsibility in that world.
We stand among the leaders to
whom'it looks for guidance and d.
rection. We are blessed with wealth,
with the institutions of freedom.
! with the magnificent tradition that
comes to us from those whom today
we honor. We can not evade, if we
would; for mankind is fallen on
times when there is no hope for it if
| some communities seek isolation
while others indulge unrestrained
; ambition for empire. Civilization
must face disaster if there shall be
denial either of common responsible
it yor of essential equality among
sovereign states and persons.
I'VE have heard much about the
danger of winning the war and los
ing the peace. But is there not in
| the example of those who made the
ultimate sacrifice, a lofty inspiration
to the same singleness of purpose
! the same radiness to sink individual
| for the sake of general good, that
moved them? Though they were
not trained to military forms and
evolutions yet they learned to stand
| together in unbroken line. to move
as unities. to forget the individual
for the sake of the mass. Surely
/ there is no reason why peace may
not achieve discipline, unification,
directness of purpose as war does.
ut requires the same submer-
gence of selfish ends, the same re-
! linquishment of the merely person.
al qualifications. the same regard for
the common interest. / am not
counselling surrendered independ-
ence, our maintained freedom is the
source of our might. Only the
! American conscience may command
! this republic.
1T is indeed. a very different matt
ter TO achieve the discipline that
| peace demands. There Is not the