THE 1917 SPIRIT

The first flush of patriotic ardor which swept through our colleges last April has passed away and perhaps we should rejoice to be rid of its less reasonable manifestations. But in this cooler, grimmer April of 1918 we must not forget its essential spirit. Indeed, the fact that every patriotic individual has a part to play in the war is far more apparent in the thirteenth month after our entry than it was in the first. Then the French were wresting the Chemin des Dames heights from the Germans, the British were driving the enemy at Arras, while revolutionized Russia was hopefully expected to recover from her bribed lethargy of 1916. Our impetuous publicist, Mr. J. M. Beck, was bewailing the fact that our late entrance into the war forbade our participation in anything more glorious than a triumphal march of occupation. For 1918 the outlook is changed. We see Russia reduced to impotence and the allied armies on the west front evacuating the positions won at so much cost in 1916 and 1917. We, know now that every combatant regiment overseas or training at home will suffer casualties in battle before triumphal marches signalize German defeat.

These facts dismay no one, but they challenge every man to reconsecrate himself to personal service as he did in April, 1917. Let no one give the first place in his thoughts to an after the-war future or after-the-war reconstruction until he is absolutely assured that he is doing his part in during the war service to insure the existence of an after-the-war civilization to exploit or rebuild. Our immediate and all-obscuring national aim is victory, and no man with talents to assist in its consummation can be absolved from the duty of direct service unless the remainder of his college course will directly increase his powers of assistance.