Its

To you we owe the Dussestion of writing this book. purpose, as you know better than any one else, is to tell in simknew how to live and how to die; who proved their truth by ple fashion the story of some Americans who showed that they ities which are essential to the well-being of a masterful race their endeavor; and who joined to the stern and manly qualthe virtues of gentleness, of patriotism, and of lofty adherence

to an ideal.

It is a go

cially good to who have g their fellops

tory.

Od thing for all Americans, and it is an espeding for young Americans, to remember the men

ven their lives in war and peace to the service of ing and personal prowess done in time past by some of the

-countrymen, and to keep in mind the feats of dar

Lampions of the nation in the various crises of her histivation are essential qualities in the make-up of any successful

Thrift, industry, obedience to law, and intellectual culbut

People can be really great unless they possess

virtues which are as needful in time of peace as Asa cimed People we desire peace, but the only peace

unwillingness or inability to fight at all.
in preparation and known capacity to stand well in

the surest safeguards against war.

no

evoic

having

war, and as important in civil as in military life.

worth obtained by instant readiness to fight when wronged

Intelligent

Cotesi battle

are

America will

ix

a

cease to be a great nation whenever her young men cease to possess energy, daring, and endurance, as well as the wish and the power to fight the nation's foes. No citizen of a free state should wrong any man; but it is not enough merely to refrain from infringing on the rights of others; he must also be able and willing to stand up for his own rights and those of his country against all comers, and he must be ready at any time to do his full share in resisting either malice domestic or foreign levy.