THE SPIRIT OF THE YEAR

All nations as such are fond of dilating on their past, that from contemplation of the greatness which has been theirs, they may summon up greater boldness for the present. That serves well our rhetoricians and 4th of July orators. But it has small value save as a pastime for the historically well grounded.

Since the beginning of this, our war which has yet to see its first battle, and in which we have yet to suffer our first desolation, there has been a great deal of summons given to the spirit of '76, of '61, and of '98. That is very fine, and may arouse some latent patriotism in the hearts of men who are stirred by the brave deeds of the last as they are not stirred by the brave present.

Yet when we reflect, the spirit of '76 was not the spirit of '61 nor of '98. Nor is it the spirit of today. The men of '76 were not the men of '61 nor '98. Nor are they the men of today. We may believe that we are as courageous, as honorable, as lofty of purpose and as self-oblivious in striving for our purpose till it is fully attained. But action is not builded on tradition, nor do historic times sustain the living age.

Those who gave liberty to our nation might in all probability never have fought for the cause which inspired the men of the Civil War. Those men might never have fought for the cause which we undertake. Generation gives way to generation, and ideal replaces ideal.

We now, while honoring that strength of heart and mind which has inspired the nation through its course, must not rely easily on '76 or '61 to carry us through this new year of war in this new century. Our enemy is not scared by the specter of Napoleon nor of Cromwell. She will not be scared by the specter of our great leaders, vallent though they were.

This generation is to vindicate our national history, not our national history to vindicate this generation. The bright memory of victory has never up-born one people in the hour of its martial weakness.

We go before the cold and searching judgment of the future with only our accomplishment to justify us. If the national courage which animates our people in this year, 1917, be slight or lacking, not all the honor of past years, not all their striving, not all their victory, will avail to condone our own failure.