Right Poem by Della Hodgson James

What is the most vital problem
Before America? Tell me pray!  
I believe it is temperance
Now it's vital anyway.
If I were called to face this nation
To speak in a lecture to-day
That would be my chosen subject
But what would I say?

Well, I'd sing first, "America" 
Sweet land of liberty!  
While I turned me about 
So each face I could see. 
I'd say, "America! America!  
Where are we to stand?  
The descendants of our forefathers
Who fought for this land."

The land of the free!  
The home of the brave!  
The pride of our ancestors
Who sleep in their grave.

Are we to turn away?  
From their traditions so dear,  
And look for a whiskey keg
Or a big jug of beer.

Where are the lads of those heroes?  
Who established our government. 
Are they with the willing ones?  
Who repealed the 18th Amendment.

Where are those blue-blooded youth?  
Of our history-making kin,  
Are they in this noisy throng?  
That's yelling for more gin.

No! No! That can not be!  
Let us not believe it so!  
They are loyal to those heroes
Who fought so long ago.

But what does loyalty mean?  
It means to our land be true!  
And not just our soldier boys
It means both me and you.

Are women and little children
To cry to us in vain?  
To take away this liquor
That causes crime, sin and pain.

Are we to turn our backs on them?  
And go whistling down the lane,  
While satan ruins our land and homes
It's a terrible awful shame.

Oh! America! America!  
Don't take a backward step,  
But face about, and show the world
We know the right will help.