Straight America, a call to national service

STRAIGHT AMERICA
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO · DALLAS ATLANTA· SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO. , Limited LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. TORONTO
BY FRANCES A. KELLOR
New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1916
All rights reserved
Copyright, 1916, By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up and electrotyped. Published June, 1916.
Norwood Press J. S. Cushing Co. —Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass. , U.S.A.
TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF 1916
STRAIGHT AMERICA
For the first time in its history, America, broadly speaking, is consciously ashamed. However divided we may be upon preparedness, neutrality in thought has not brought peace of mind. We find ourselves making explanations and apologies. In the midst of unprecedented prosperity, we are restless and dissatisfied. Smoldering in the hearts of men is desire for change, fermenting in their minds is a demand for national leadership. The situation defies accurate analysis. It is not that we want war or that we favor militarism. Rather it is that our powers are dormant, our aspirations unexpressed, our beliefs unformulated, our attitude misrepresented, our motives misunderstood, and our presence in the world’s conflict unnoted.
We sit supinely under insult, injury, and violation of rights and laws, expressing such resentment and reaction as we have by sending relief funds and relief ships abroad, by making loans and munitions, by newspaper editorials, and by public speeches. We give vent to our feelings in a campaign for preparedness that urges Congress to pass a few feeble, disconnected defense bills, that organizes numerous defense organizations that are frantically busy collecting members and fees and holding meetings. We urge taking what we can get rather than insisting upon what we need. The result is, a large part of our energy goes into talk, which is not helping us greatly to really focus as a nation in this great crisis in the world’s history.