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THE ATLANTIAN
September, 1917
The Opportunities of the War
Every right minded person deplores war, but now that
it is upon us, each should do his or her utmost to take
advantage of the opportunities that the war affords us.
Not in the last fifty years or more have we faced a
condition when all will be drawn so.closely together into
a common bond of self sacrifice and manly team work.
Where formerly we have gone our different ways, now
we will be drawn together by a common purpose. We
think alike and work alike. We do all things that we
never thought of doing before. We will give where we
never thought of giving. We will make new circles of
friendship where we never thought of mingling.
And all will be good for us provided we build something
constructive out of the opportunities thus given. Un
consciously this will be true, but we should do more. We
must make it consciously true so that after the war per
manent institutions for good shall emerge from what is
created now in emergency work of closer friendship and
human organizations.
The war will be worth much that it will cost us if we
seek to perpetuate the marvelous lessons that it will teach
us, especially on the battle field. If we do whatever we
do with a sense of looking ahead to see how we can now
build so that our efforts will remain a monument when
the war is over.
Patriotic League of America
Driven to action by the disloyal sentiment in the coun
try, which is not confined to Georgia, some of our citi
zens have organized the Patriotic League of America for
the purpose of lining up those who are loyal and convinc
ing the disloyal that this country is pro-American when
it comes down to hard pan.
The only requisite to membership is signing or author
izing one’s signature to the pledge which is as follows:
“I pledge my honor as a loyal American to give to our
Government unswerving support in such measures as it
may adopt as necessary to the proper prosecution of the
war with Germany and its Allies. Furthermore: I prom
ise to discharge with fidelity any specific duty or duties
which our Government may call upon me to perform dur
ing the continuance of said war, and I further promise
that in the event I see any opportunity to advance the
interests of our Country by word or deed I will say the
word or do the deed without waiting for an official call.”
No financial obligation is created, though those who are
able and disposed to do so can make a contribution to help
the movement along. The League has issued a little four
page sheet entitled “Why We Are at War, and Why We
Must Win.” This is one of the clearest and strongest
statements yet presented to the American people.
The movement is endorsed by leading men in all walks
of life, both here and elsewhere, and if you have not yet
lined yourself up with the movement which means so
much in the strengthening of the patriotic forces of the
country, step into the elevator of the McClure Building,
11 Whitehall Street, go to. the fifth floor and put your
name on the roster. In this movement women have equal
rights with men.
A mass meeting will be held at the Auditorium on Sun
day, Sept. 9, at 2:30 P. M., to which all loyal men and
women are invited.
Dr. W. L. Gilbert
A successor to Dr. W. L. Gilbert as a member of the
County Commission will have to be chosen at the com
ing election. Dr. Gilbert has not signified his intention,
so far as we are informed, of becoming a candidate for
another term. It is the earnest hope of his army of
friends that he will see his way clear to serve another
term.
Without any intention of indulging in any fulsome
eulogy it is the simple truth that no man could have
served the county with more fidelity, industry and capac
ity than Dr. Gilbert has given during the present term.
When we get hold of such men it is the part of wisdom
not to let them go until they insist upon going, and this
may be accepted as notice to Dr. Gilbert that we do not
propose to let him go unless he refuses positively to be
come a candidate.
We recognize fully that an honorable man cannot break
even on holding the position, but on the other hand is it
too much to ask that a competent man shall give part of
his time for four years in a position where he can serve
his fellow citizens to their great advantage?
All of us, according to our several capacities, should
be willing to render our measure of public service, and
we do not believe Dr. Gilbert will retire when he under
stands that his constituents want him to retain his pres
ent position.
HERE IS WHERE WE MUST NOT
ERR.
'We must not err, in these days, by
allowing any tampering with out la
bor laws, especially those which
would seek to lengthen the hours of
child labor or lower the age limit.
France made this mistake, bitterly
regretted it, and has restored its pro-
lrbition to night work for girls un
der eighteen. England has also seen
its error after a bitter experience
with accumulating fatigue and les
sened output and has been glad to go
back and restore its restrictions. We
want and need a maximum of out
put from each individual worker, but
fh ! s also means a corresponding
maximum of time for rest and up
building. We can not get the one
without the other. If we must
speed up we must also slow down.
We can not afford the extravagance
of paying for the work done during
increasing lass : tude and impaired vi
tality, And this applies with partic
ular force to our young people and
the children. We must not drive
them, even if we are driven our
selves. Now is the time of all times
to conserve our youth: to safeguard
its health let in our intense desire
to produce we do harm to body and
mind that will hamper the next gen
eration. With the inevitable loss of
man-power that will come to us,
there is alt the more reason for
safeguarding the young. Under no
circumstances must we allow or
sanction our labor hours for the
young to be lengthened or the age
limit to be lowered. We can not be
too watchful of this. What was
found necessary and wise in normal
times becomes imperative in these
abnormal times.
A man’s output is never as propor-
t onate to the hours .that he works
as it is to the physical condition in
which he works. If this> is true of
men—and every, man knows this
truth—how much more true is it of
women and girls and espec : ally of
children? We must not weaken the
backs that in a few years will have
to carry your burdens, We should
strengthen them since the burdens
will be more and heavier.
NOT PRINTABLE.
B'll, the foreman, went to the rail
way office to report an accident on
the. line. He was handed a form to
fill up, and.got oh first rate until he
came to the space for "Remarks.”
‘What’s the matter, Bill?’’ asked
the clerk.
“Well, you see,” said Bill, “it was
Pat Murphy’s big toe as was hit wid
the hammer, and it wouldn’t luk well
fer me to write down the remarks
Pat Murphy made.”