The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-06-06

Dictator determines policies ant
organizes individuals into a con
solidated whole, and individuality
is lost sight of.
But in the United States the
rights and liberties of the individ.
ual citizen are protected. and those
rights belong to peoples of all
creeds, parties and races. This is
the principle of American demo,
crazy. We cannot afford to lose
this vital human blessing.
Therefore, we must preserve in
the first place the American Ideal
This is summed up in the words
every man is created equal" On
this principle American citizen
ship is founded. Every man has
the right to pursue in his own way,
as far as it is officially possible,
peace, happiness and prosperity,
and worship the God he reveres
according to the dictates Of his
own conscience.
We must maintain this equality
of rights which offers the fulness
of opportunity for growth and
development.
And in the second place we must
believe in the American Spirit.
And the American spirit incarn-
ates the ideal of protection, the
right to live, to think, to aspire, to
work in an atmosphere of the most
blessed freedom on earth.
Whatever this nation is to ach-
ieve in the future depends upon the
spirit of its citizenship and the
mighty voice of the people which
is but the combined voice Of the
individuals.
The American spirit must possess
all its citizens these days if we are
going to preserve the principle for
which our honoured dead have paid
the price of blood. The spirit of
honour, purity, high endeavour and
righteous living.
1t is in this sense and in this
spirit that plead for patriotism
today. Patriotism in it's deepest
sense. For while patriotism can
rise to heights almost divine, it
can also descend to depths of de-
graduation.
Patriotism can become militar-
ism, jingoism and crude intoler-
ance with those who do not see
eye to eye with us. This Is form
of misdirected patriotism prevalent
in certain European countries to
day.
1t seeks not only to secure but
to tyranize over all others. That
is false patriotism that we as Am
orleans must avoid. True patriot
ism is far deeper than shouting
and making a loud noise.
The average young man will
fight for his country when inspired
to heights of military patriotism,
but it takes a man of even greater
courage to protest against an I'M
just war in nation shouting itself
hoarse with jingoism. And we
need men of this calibre to day.
We need men who have the cour-
age to denounce war and to pro-
mote peace. Men who are able to
quell hysteria and guide their fell
ow patriots into thinking along
sane channels, teaching them that
the way to serve ones country is
to preserve it's good name, and to
make it an influence for righteous
ness and mercy in the world. To
serve the suffering and sorrowful
of all nations.
To the true patriot it does not
matter that we make our name
glorious in war, it is his desire that
his country shall be at the side of
all suffering humanity throughout
the world.
The true patriot realises that
the chief splendour of a nation lies
in the affectionate gratitude of all
other atoms for it's service to the
cause of civilization and humanity.
Therefore, while Memorial Day
reminds us of the heroic deeds of
bygone days, at the same time 1t
reminds us of our present duties
and responsibilities. 1t reminds us
of our patriotic duty to work for
the good of humanity as a whole.
Let us seek to climax the efforts
of those whom we honour today by
doing all that we can to promote
peace and moral prosperity.
And when the morning of the
new age dawns, the fires of devo-
ton shall still be burning on the
altar of memory, ever reminding
us of the heroism and idealism OF
a nations loyal sons and daugh-
tiers.
They shall be in everlasting re-
membrance. The deeds of love and
loyalty of those we honour to day
shall not be forgotten. Through
their sacrifice, the God whom we
all reverence, speaks to us today,
calling upon us to honour peace
and to promote it, so that in the
days to come all men shall dwell
together as one great family.
1t is in this spirit that we hon
our today those whom we would
keep in everlasting remembrance.
When the May has culled her
flowers for the summer waiting
long,
And the breath of early roses woos
the hedges into song,
Come the throb of martial music
and the banner in the street.
And the marching of the millions
A.S.;-,r rra c1ordc fair md sweet