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The following editorial was written by Ben Hur Lampman prior toSeptember of 1942 when it was included in AT TH !" #$ TH %A& L'! ( a collection of his editorials which had appeared in the)ortland #regonian during the thirties and forties*

"# + L', $#& A- &'%A !#+.

'f one of ours might come bac/ on this day of memory from the fieldwhere he fell( the gra0e that is nameless( or arise from the greenfathoms of ocean( he would find the Americans to be offeringgarlands as his memorial( while rededicating themsel0es to the

precious traditions and liberties for which he yielded his life* Hewould be young( we thin/( this hero for whom April ne0er shall comeagain( nor the plow in the corn land nor the tryst at thecrossroads* And this is ust about what he would say to those whocame afterward( when the pain was at an end and the gun smo/e haddrifted away3

' died for America* Say( if you will( that the confusion of lesser

issues( the babel of 0oices in contro0ersy( the charges and countercharges( were chaos to me* Say( if you will( that ' went lightlyand with laughter to my sacrifice( unaware of the disputes andstratagems of the statesmen( as youth ad0ances to an ad0enture( tothe greatest ad0enture of all still is this true of the score that' paid ' died for America* $or the 0alleys you lo0e( for the homein the 0alley( for the cities that are and shall be* $or thetraditions that were and are far dearer to us than the spring of theyear or the wheat field of autumn* ' died for America*

The planning( the statecraft( the scheming( ' left to the others(far wiser than '* And this ' /new only( that there was a need* Allthey might say( though they said it with tongues of flame( or the

cool reason of logic( meant less to me than a single idea( constant(unchanging( and ideal and the ideal was the land that ' lo0ed* Theword was a hymn in my thought* The word was America* And what elsehad significance. The girl at the gate( the plow in the corn land(the immediacy and urgency of April( though these were all in all tome there was something else that was more* 'n the thunder of battleor the stillness of pain( by land or by sea( ' died because '

belie0ed*

There is a gladness e0en in fear( when the flesh shrin/s from thetesting( and this ' ha0e /nown* "o not grie0e for me now* Thesewreaths that you bring me shall wither( and soon( as all wreathsmust wither* "o not grie0e for me now* 'f you ha0e a ser0ice to dome( a tribute to pay( thin/ instead of the part that ' played( andthe price that ' paid( for the home that you ha0e in the 0alley( andthe city that rests by the ri0er*

+ell ' /now( well we /now says the 0oice from the past( the 0oiceout of history that you( too( are willing to die for America( todie as ' died* But the 0oice that ' raise is one of a chorus of 0oices( of lips long since stilled( and the 5uestion we as/ of younow is of few words and simple* Ha0e you li0ed for America( you whocame after. $or we testify now( we who ha0e warrant and

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authenticity( that it is simpler far to die for America than to li0efor her* #ne dies in a moment( one li0es through the years andthere are no temptations in death( no lingering wea/ness( no lastindecision* Are you li0ing for America now.

And he might say( this one of ours( on the day we /eep with fidelityand that which we consider de0otion3 As/ of your hearts( youAmericans( /insmen of mine and comrades still( if you li0e for America now* $or it is e0ident to the dead( who were guided todeath by a constant ideal( that the cynicism and insincerity of

politics ha0e misled you( that self interest has counseled anddemagogues ha0e swayed* 't is e0ident to the dead that often youha0e as/ed yoursel0es( in the e6ercise of your franchise( not 7's it

best for America.7 but 7's it best for me.7

't is e0ident to the contemplati0e dead that you ha0e misused( atyour comfort and con0enience( those liberties for which theshattered frigate san/ and the last trench was ta/en* 't is e0identto the patriotic dead that you ha0e gi0en hearing to the sophists

because their words were pleasing( and ha0e closed your ears to theearnest and sincere* 't is e0ident to the dead that you ha0e made a

moc/ery of your common traditions and political sport of your heritage of liberty* As did we say the dead yet we died* And indeath there is purification and understanding*

As/ yourself( 7's it best for America.7 As/ yourself( 7Ha0e ' selfinterest beyond or beneath my Americanism.7 As/ yourself( 7+hatha0e ' gi0en to America.7 And again( 7+hat can ' gi0e.7 )ut it

plainly( 7They died for an ideal( and the ideal is America how ha0e' /ept it.7 As/ yourself as they as/ you( 7They died for America(in the laughter and terror of youth cannot ' li0e for her now.7$or they say to us now( on this day of their memory( this hour of the crisis( when gusts assault the flame( they( the torchbearers(7+e are those who died for our country( for the home in the 0alley(

the city beside the untroubled ri0er* Are you li0ing for Americanow.7

'f one of ours might come bac/ from the field that is only a date ina history boo/( from the secret( green depths of the sea( in theuniform of his ser0ice( with the glow of his heart in his face( andit so 0ery young( this is what he might say to us now* This is whathe must say*