"
"That is all true enough," agreed Captain Charlie, "but what is going
to wake us up? What is going to send us as a nation against the Kaiser
Bills of capital and the Kaiser Bills of labor, or, if you like it
better, the imperialistic employers and the equally imperialistic
employees?"
John Ward fairly shouted his answer, "The Big Idea, my boy--the same
Big Idea that sent us to war against imperialism over there will wake
us up to drive the spirit of imperialism out of our American industries
here at home."
Charlie shook his head doubtfully. "It was different during the World
War, John. Then the Big Idea was held up before the people to the
exclusion of everything else. When we think of the speeches and parades
and rallies and sermons and books and newspapers and pictures and songs
that were used in the appeal to our patriotism and our common humanity,
it was no wonder that we all felt the pull of it all. But no one now is
saying anything about the Big Idea, except for an occasional paragraph
here and there. And certainly no one is making much noise about
applying it in our industries."
"Yes, I know we can't expect any such hurrah as we had when men were
needed to die for the cause in a foreign land. You go to France and get
shot for humanity and you are a hero.
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