Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1918 — OUT OF MANY RACES RED CROSS MAKES ONE [ARTICLE]

OUT OF MANY RACES RED CROSS MAKES ONE

ONE of the greatest services which the Red Cross is performing in this war is the unification of the many races of which America is composed through the Home Service, which, through its 10,000 committees, is looking after the welfare of the soldiers’ families in every corner of the country. America lias always been called the Melting Pot, and truly, but the process has been slow. The war has accelerated it.' The Indians of the West, the negroes of the south, the Italians and Eastern Europeans of our industrial centers, the Mexicans of the Southwest, Armenians and Swedesand Norwegians and Japanese and Icelanders—all are now enlisted under one flag, and were whole heartedly in the War because it was America’s war and they are Americans. That they feel this is patent to those Who have seen and talked with these men. Witness the Italian, who in the assembly hall of one of our mobilization camps was waiting with a group of his fellows to take the oath of allegiance. He stepped forward suddenly with tears in his eyes and with a vivid gesture pressed a corner of the ’American flag that hung ‘over the desk !ln front of him to his lips. A group of born soldiers who had been looking on with amused indifference (broke into applause and cheers. From ithen on these Italians were their Americans. Such work as this is valuable not ‘only for the morale of the men; it is binding the nation into one organic whole as it has never been bound before. To give 'concrete expression ro this unity the Red Cross plans through 'its Christmas Roll Call, to be held the Week beginning December 10, to increase its membership from 22,000,000 to the limit of available membership. It wishes to give in this way nojtlce to the world that every American, Irrespective of creed or birth, stands 'squarely and uncompromisingly for the principles for which we have been fighting—that America is one and Indivisible pledged solidly for hjuor and gnercy and good faith.