Show ti TEST OF NAT NATIONS NATION'S S 'S SPIRIT NOW NON ON I Issue Depends on Moral Qualities and Attitude of the People By David F. F Houston Secretary of Agriculture culture This war is a test of the spirit of or nations even more than of ot their material ma ma- terla resources and strength The Tho Issue of ot it depends on tho relative in intelligence In- In moral qualities and attitude of ot the people engaged Public must be bo anchored and the motive for tor terribly sacrifices bo be firmly fixed No o matter what tho the difficulties dif dif dif- no rio matter what the seriousness seriousness seriousness serious serious- ness of ot th the strain there thero ron dan bo be no fal faT Civilization cannot afford to entertain the tho thought of ot defeat The challenge of or Germany German went to the roots of ot freedom and of ot national existence There Is no halfway house Proposals to parley with an un unbeaten eaten enem enemy who proclaims himself victor indicate te nothing less than a a. willingness to admit defeat They mean assent to Prussia's old century policy of or extendIng extending extending extend extend- I ing her medieval patrimony b by force of ot Imposing her will on the thc world It is time for each individual to search his heart and to purge his mind and purpose of ot selfish motives and for each class In society to think In terms of the nation rather than In terms of ot Its own owa Interest It is no time for any class to hug to its bosom the delusion that it possesses a 3 monopoly of oC pa pa- I can conceive that each ea-ch individual no matter what class in society he be belongs belongs be- be longs to or what service he lie renders whether ho be a manufacturer a farmer Carmer farm farm- er a laborer ft n. lawyer a 3 scientist or ora ora a n. soldier will take pains to see sec that he attains for tor himself and his operations the tho highest degree of ot efficiency and give the maximum service or products to tho nation at tho lowest cost consistent consistent consistent con con- with efficient operation and ef effective effective er- er standards of ot living but it is Inconceivable Inconceivable in inconceivable In- In conceivable to mo me that any citizen who dares to call himself a patriot should aim to do less or to seek more selfish advantage It is the dut duty of or each civilian to re reveal reveal reveal re- re veal by his conduct tho the same sarno standards of patriotism devotion and sacrifice if necessary either of ot life lIro or property that we wo expect from the men whom we C send to tho the front directly to bear tho the brunt of ot battle I r am am confident that it Is In this spirit that most of ot the thc people of ot tho the nation are viewing their obligations and that tho the great eat body of or public sentiment will permit no other attitude to manifest itself in those who are aro less right mind ed Thero There can be no slacking no turnIng turnIng turn- turn Ing ng back The Tho rights of or the nation must be bo vindicated and Its institutions reserved preserved Guarantees that there shall be bc no re recurrence recurrence re- re currence of t such a a. world calamity as aa tho the present must be he enforced A finish must be made once for all to all aU things feudal humanity bo be safeguarded de democracy democracy do- do impregnably and tho the lesson be forced home that the worthy and tolerable national aspiration aspiration aspiration tion is to have a clean national hous household house housu- hold from cellar to attic and a durable and righteous peace must be secured In accordance with the recent making declaration of ot the president in Itself a great step toward victory a victory a peace on the tho basis of ot reparation jus jus justice us- us tice ce and security I I I j i i i I I i |