The copper era and Morenci leader., 1921-05-27
A M ERIC LIVING AND
 DEAD

rlcher memories every year, as the roll of honor grows longer with the names of Americans who have died for their flag at home, overseas and on islands of the.s seas. An hour can be spent pro-i fitably by every American today, 1 glancing back over the record of the 1 United States and making an estimate | of the present and the future of the 1 country. What did the dead accomp- 1 fish by giving the last full measure 1 of devotion? Are the living impressed by what they did, and do they more than ever highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain? Every one of the American dead every soldier, every sailor-gave all of himself to his country. If that is not l a reminder that every American owes 1 at least some of himself to his coun- l try. then, indeed. the dead died in vain l an the living live in vain. The dead gave honor ann glory and 1 perpetuity to the flag. What are the 1 living Americans giving to it? Is it | honor, glory and perpetuity? Is each l citizen sitting out the pure from the | dross in his heart, and giving to his i country only the choicest portions of 1 his spirit, as the dead gave before 1 they were taken away. Or is the liv- ing American carefully selecting and hoarding the best of himself for his own use, and palming off upon his cOIlntry a sham natrintjcT1 ,,io orl- ly preteXt of devotion, shoddy adher- ence to ideals and counterfeit of ] honor? It is not for others to pass ! judgment; they cannot do so justly It 1 is for each citizen to search his own heart and pass judgment upon him.
 self.
 What is the duty of the living? Have
 not the dead saved the nation? Isinot the country strong, safe and rich?
 Why should the living worry. when Arlington and Suresnes. and a thlJu-
 sand other cemeteries hold the bodies i of Americans who Lave done the work
 required to make a nation strong?
 Why not dispose C. the matter by giv- ing g passing thought of gratitude t.
 the heroic dead. and turn to the para
 mount busness or looking after No. |?
 Let sombQdy else struggle for the bet terment of the government.
 If these be the t-loughts of any citf- zen, it is high time that, he should ask himself if he is really an American Is he not merely posing as an American and obtaining the benefits, when he is, in fact, a stacker and a fugitive from honor?
 Even in the must of the grossest selfish materialism there is a quality which might be called the instinct of preparedness. The citizen who con fines ali his idcalism to promoting his own interest is still exercising a virtue in spite 1f himself-the virtue o[ thrifty provision f'Jr the future. Place him upcn the meanest and most despi- cable plane, and yet he will exercise some degree of this instinctive virtue. Thus it is q certainty that he can ex- ercise it in behalf Of hs country no matter what his mtrals or character may be.
 Is II not the primary duty of a man
 tc assist his country to survive? He is merely saving himself when he helps to save his country. Despite recen. inventions, there is no satisfactory substitute for nation The stronger and safer the nation, the more for tunate the citizen. No foreigner will make citizens nation strong or keep it SO He must do it himself, with or without the foreigners consent The United States is stronger than ever it's marvellous history, thanks
 to the glorious dead, and little thanks to the living. If it is u remain strong
 in proportion to other nations and in | accordance with the aspirations # tine Americans who gave their lives for it the living must do their share of the | work in their day and generation Nc
 slackers! The dead Americans, i'm
 mortals though they be, cannot attend
 to the present and the future. They
 can give their example, but it will noI
 save America unless the living take
 the example
 T. Next to the never-failing fire tha | every American should keep burninl
 in his secret heart, s1gnifying to hin II alone that he is dedicated when neces
 sary to give himself to his country, i
 seems that his most important dut,
 is to take pains to see that the coun
 try is made secure against possibl
 destruction. His first duty in shJrl
 is to make sure of hmself; his nex
 to make sure of his country.
 The heroes of America did not nKh
 to the death to preserve the Stars an,
 Stripes for few hours. days, weeks
 months or years. These fighting pa II triots went to eternity believing tha