Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-03-04
N57a4

WHEN l. wrote this / could hear
w the sound of a chisel and q
hammer and an air riveting machine
welded b.. the worknlen constrnetlne
an apartment building nearby
Doesn't that noise nearly XIII your
asked visitor as the sounds piercsd
the air. admitted It was not as sooth.
Ing as some things could mention,
but added that 1t did not irritate me
nearly as much as the RoIse made by
the wrecking crew while tearing down
the building that formerly occupied
the same site.
According to all traditions and leg
ends the noise should upset me.
presume It would II it were not for
the fact that I know they are build
ing, and that the hammer. which plays
a quick. light march. and the chlsei,
which makes a little pizzicatO. are
constructing. not destroying. Then
recalled how thrilled I always had
been at the sight of n Labor day pa
rade, where every muscular son Of
toll represented construction. Whether
he was a master workman or an en-
tered apprentice. he was builder OF
homes. churches, schools, bridges or
something that would promote civil
llzation.
In contrast recalled another pa
rade which had been invited to wit
ness from a grandstand seat. There
came back to me the cheers and APP
plause Of the throng as the youngest
and strongest OF our country swept
proudly down the gayly decorated
avenue. The finest specimens Of man.
hood in our land all physically per
feet, and every mothers son of them
trained to be a killer of his fellow
man. And somehow the noise Of the
derricks which told me of rebuilding
did not seem as nerve racking as the
crash of falling bricks and mortar
which had come to me when the old
building was being torn down.
It is the noise Of destruction that
annOys me. The noise Of tumbling
bricks and mortar, of boards being
ripped from their mornings. While !
listened to the noises which accom-
panied the pulling down Of the old
building / found myself thinking Of
those soldiers / had seen in that pa
rade. They were going forth to face
the noise of destruction. Of guns and
howitzers. of exploding shrapnel shells
and bombs. All destructive.
Now since they have started re-
building. the clear. ringing noise Of
the hammer and saw seemed to soothe /
rather than annoy me- A new build |
ing was being constructed. The world |
was moving ahead The noise has
sort Of harmony. There Is a musical |
"clink. clink" Of the trowels. shaping
bricks into regular form. / am not
able to see the wo.kmen. but the
quick, deft strokes Of fine steel in
skillfuI hands seems TO inspire me.
They are building homes IN which
families will live. home ties be forged.
children wiz be born and love will
Perhaps its wall viii
shelter the architect of a great cathe-
dral or some other great man. But
anyhow they are building.
And tried to picture some Of those
boys who had listened to roar of guns
and the bursting Of shrapnel shells
and had come back uninjured-work
ng on. that new building ike to
think Of them as captains OF indus
.ry-those boys who had been trained
=. s-tff 7 M - thf..i, 4haf fha hord
which had been taught the use Of
destructive weapons had been relieved
II that responsibility and could now be
urned toward the constructive work
# welding hammers and saws.
The man who builds Is the only man
vho pays his fare In llfe's highway,
he man who can roll together two
little balls OF dirt. making stronger
ne; the man who can lay one plank
IpOn another. SO that It Will hold
Mothers weight: the man who can
ush stone beneath the corner Of
house to hold the structure the
IAN who can put two words together
nd send an idea winging on Its way
a builder. Everyone can be a
uilder Whether we build by word.
poken or written, or a deed. we can
e builders.
Every man knows. whether he is
uflder or waster. Every man
nows whether he Is an asset a
ability to humanity. believe It was h
gorge Meredith who said. Men who
link in terms OF Iifetimes are OF no
se to civilization. If a mans build
* is measured by his own span Of
fe he does not build well"
Jack or Tommy or whatever his
anne Is. as he carries his bod OF NOR
II up the ladder is a builder. and his
ork viii stand long after bis earthly
ibuIations end. and his mundane
ms are forgiven. The first grave
gger was delightful bunoon. a
leat and a charlatan. but he had
sion. He boosted that he built
ronger than the mason. the ship
right and the carpenter, and he
.gued his case with some FEASIBILITY.