The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1922-03-03
THE MAN THEY
CANNOT FORGET

tongues-"democracy," union" He
made them realities, personal, deep
showed them as the reason Of all that
is good in our present, all that is hope
full in our future, the working basis on
which men may strive to liberty of
soul and peaceful achievement. He
made them literally things to die for,
lifting all of our plain, humble thou
sands who never knew applause or
wealth or the honor of office into the
ranks of those who are willing to die
for an ideal-the highest plane that
humans reach.
People are thinking, also. of his work
in that after war period when the
hate, revenge, and bitterness that war
has loosed have none Of the restraints
that war compels, and we must, by
reason and good will and patience, re-
store our coptrols-that terrible per-
iod we speak OF as reconstruction.
There too he kindled enthusiasm.
'.Now," he said, let us do what men
have long dreamed-give to each peo-
pie its chance, cut down the foolish
barriers of trade, limit our armaments
enter into a union of all nations pledg-
ed to cooperation and peace"
The peoples OF the earth rallied to
his plan, pledged themselves. And then
the loosed passions began their war
on him. Those who wanted peace and
believed II easy; those who hated
peace and believed it impossible; those
who envied his place. differed with his
judgments, failed of his favor-these
and many more Joined in an attack
such as few. men have ever faced in
the history of this earth. He fought to
finish, that he might secure the
pledge of the nations to the ideal of
world cooperation.
He won-won with the peoples Of
the world, If not with all of their gov
ernments. They look to him as the
man who drove that ideal so deep into
the soul of the nations that no man or
men can ever destroy it. 1t has be-
come an asset of tormented humanity,
possible way out of slaughter and
hate. Through all the future, men
will be building upon it, adapting, ex-
panding, as men have built ON Wash
ilington's work, on Lincon's work.
knowing that their efforts rest on
something essentially sound and Sc
[ cure.
They are simple people. remember,
/ those thousands whose hearts he had
I enkindled. They are the people who
| do the work of the world, and their
minds are easily bewildered. "He has
/ deceived you," they were told. He
4 has given you dreams. Dreams are
not for men. You live by realities, not
/ ideals. out with him! Down with
\ him AS a great nation, you have
strength, you have gold. Keep them.
stand alone. Do not forget that you
do not live by ideals"
And the people withdrew--bewilder
ed. But the shouting over, they re-
membered their long days of exalta-
ton, of sacrifice, of freedom and bold
ness. of worthwhileness. Was 1t only
| a deception? Was all they had felt a
mere magic of words on their untrain-
ed minds, the stir of fieeting passion
in their lives? Was there no sense no
reality, in it all?
That is what thousands upon thous-
ands have been asking in these past
days. And slowly they are turning to
| him who led them. His suffering face
and palsied side are symbol of their
crippled hopes. How is 1t with him, =
they ask, "a living sacrifice to that
faith and that vision? Does he still
believe? Has he lost faith as well as
strength?
/ And so they seek him. He means
| something to them; they don't quite
know what. He is q living link with
their noblest phase. Those who de-
stroyed that phase are giving then
nothing in It's place. What does 1t al
mean? And SO they follow his car.
riage. gather before his house, stant
/ in rain and snow and cold before tn,
theater to get even the most fleetinl
glimpse something that will bid then
live again as they did in those grea
moments.