"Slackers."
One of the new words invented by the Great War is "slackers." It is an eloquent word, full of biting sarcasm and burning indignation. It points the finger of scorn at a man who is slack in his duty to his country. Fundamentally, a slacker stays at home when he ought to go to the war.
The sarcasm is deserved, the condemnation cannot be too severe.
But there are slackers in other causes than patriotism, and these, too, should be condemned both now and when we reach the days of peace.
Slackers in the office and shop, who let others do the hard work while they take the soft snap.
Slackers in the home, who evade their fair share of the family work, care, and responsibility.
Slackers in the school or college, who grub along selfishly by themselves, leaving others to keep up unaided the school spirit and the school enterprises.
Slackers in the church, who lightly shift to the shoulders of others the committee work, the prayer-meeting work, the Sunday-school work, the church finances.
Slackers in society, who will not go out of their way a step to make life pleasanter or easier for the awkward, the lonely, the sick and poor and blundering.
Slackers in civic life, who escape all jury duty, all party duty, all care for the strength and purity of community, State and nation.
The slacker in the present dire situation of the world is a despicable object. Let our abomination for him extend with vigor to the slackers in all spheres of human activity.