Newspaper Page Text
March 13.
Why We Are Going Across
BY CORPORAL ROBERT L. HARDER,
Co. B, 107th M. G. Battalion.
“Do you think we will get out of here?”
‘We will never get across.’’ and similar
ixpressions are heard by all of us so often
hat it shews the men of the battalion are
hinking of those things. WHY we are
;oing across, and why we ARE going
.cross.
We are going across because United
States, the lover of peace, the home of
freedom has been forced in self-defense
nto the most gigantic, most cruel and
tloody war in the world’s history. She
nust fight or fizzle, and she will not fiz
le. A nation crazed with lust of con
iuest, with the most brutal army since
he days of the savage aims to gain wqrld
lower, wealth and mastery of the world
>y crushing out with blood and iron the
ife of those nations that obstruct the
>ath of her hellish purpose. Freedom of
tations. our nation; the very progress of
dvilization is to remain or go. . Civiliza
ion means simply being civil, to be kind,
ust, right, persuasive, trustful in dealings
f Individuals and nations as against brut
ility and force. Might was the law of the
lavage. Right became recognized as civ
lization advanced and there came hap
•iness. the blessings of humanity helping
lach other. Today might is trying to
lown right, the right of free self-govern
nent, the right of living unbossed by an
ther government, unoppressed, unfearful
•f another’s treachery and power.
As Americans we had difficulty in un
lerstanding Germany; in fact we did not
mderstand hey. tl was hard to believe
hat in this day the Germans crucified
Canadian soldiers, that they ran out blaz
ng oil onto the wounded on No-Man's
..and; that they made hospitals and
mrses a target for shells; that they raped
.nd mutiliated Belgian women; that Ger
nan soldiers bayonetted babies and bore
hem aloft as they marched; that they
ore families apart and bore a people into
ilavery. We doubted because it was re
'olting to our sense of humanity.
We were like the farmer who visited
he zoo and beheld a giraffe and as he
•eheld it exclaimed, "Auch there ain’t no
uch animal.” The animals of his farrrt
mowledge were so unlike the long necked,
•dd, ridiculous looking giraffe, it was so
ipart from what he thought could exist,
hat seeing he doubted. But had the gi
affe suddenly kicked out and killed the
armer’s wife or bitten and killed children
le would have awakened. It was when
xernfany turned upon us, killed our fellow
Lmericans, blew up our ships at sea, our
ndustries at home, plotted to destroy our
•eace by embroiling us in war with Mex
co and Japan and finally practically or
lered us to keep off the free seas or die,
hat we awoke to the fact that a, dif
erent kind of beast was ravaging nations
mil aimed at us.
Our failure to understand Germany was
lot a matter of accident. The ideals of
he two nations are as far apart as heaV
n and hell. We have followed different
nodels.
In Germany, Frederick the Great stands
ire-eminent. He reigned at the time of
iur revolutionary war, a great, crafty,
onniving, powerful, great king. He is the
•attern. so admitted, of the present kai
er. Frederick the Great wrote his ad
dee to future kings in which he said,
‘Kings should not keep their pledges if a
ireach gains advantage.” “Bother not
vith religion except as it serves your
•urpose.” In short “do anything that
vill accomplish your ends.”
At this same time the American pa
riots were founding this nation on the
ock of freedom, equality, the rights of
ill. The Declaration of Independence
md the spirit of the day breathes the op
>osite of Frederick the Great and Ger
nans of his day.
Bismark, the great German statesman,
nspirer of German thought and leader of
Jerman aims and purposes about ,/orty
r ears ago, summed up this purpose in
ds words. “Not with sort words but with
ilood and iron has German achieved her
rreatness.” A few years'before Lincoln,
it a time when we were engaged in the
litterest of brotherly wars wrote to Con-
Tess “with malice toward none, with
harity for all, with firmness in the right
8 God gives us to see the right.”
Today the same clash of aim is as pro
munced. European students of America
narvel at us as a people without hate,
n Germany hate is cultivated as a noble
>assion and we have a German chief of
taff declaring that there is nothing finer
han to awake in the morning after
ng spent the night in dreams of hate,
latred of other nations. We have Kai
er William’s own words brazenly written.
‘From childhood I have been influenced
>y five men—Alexander the Great, Julius
laesar, Theodoric 11, Frederick th* Great
ind Napoleon. Each of these men dream
id a dream of world empire. They failed.
have dreamed a dream of German world
rnpire and my ma‘J*rl fist shall succeed.”
In his message to Congress when at the
utbreak of the war we declared neutral
ly President Wilson said: “We are at
•eace with all the world and want to re
nain so. We want nothing of another
lation's and ask only that we be let alone
hat we may be the friend and helper of
ll."
Our great men have been big in prin
iple. The American has been taught,
•raised and naturally followed his mod
-Is. The -German has followed his
nodels, his teaching of the virtue and
;lorv of war and we have a nation that
or years joyous, waited “the day” when
t should fight out the golden dream of
rorid dominion.
What we have heard of Germany is
rue. We are going across because we
rant to keep hell for the next world and
•revent the German devil a»d his murder,
ruelty, savagry and destruction from
eigning in this.
Bernhardi, in his book on "Germany
nd the next war,” told of Germany's plan
a reduce France, crush Russia, bring
Ingland to her knees and invade America,
•lacing upon this ricn nation an in
emnitly that would pay her war debts.
Jenhardi told the truth as to German aim
•ut was a bad prophet. Belgium’s resist
nce and Englands rushing of troops to
Yance prevented the collapse of France
nd with France’s heroic persistence
urned Germany back on the Marne.
We knew of Germany’s threat against
s but laughed it away. We judged it
oily to thin kof sending an army across
he Atlantic and are we not this day en
aged in doing this very thing that we in
ur supposed but wrongfully supposed se
urity thought impossible? Germany’s
im included the United States.
We from Pennsylvania in particular are
ghting a war of self-defense. Through
TRENCH AND CAMP
our great state runs every railway artery
connecting the country. It is the coal
supply house without which industry and
war must fail. It is the center of the iron
and steel industry vital to the nation at
war. Its Bethlehem’s Frankfort's, powder
plants, munition works, ship yards, and
varied industries could be most complete
ly crippled. No place could an enemy
deliver a more crushing blow.
We do not care to transplant the revolt
ing pictures of Belgium and Northern
France to our own Pennsylvania, nor to
contemplate the ruin of our homes, the
murder of our loved ones, the raping of
our mothers, wives and sisters, the en
slaving of the aged and young, who in
times of war are left to the mercy of the
invader. The blood boils at the thought.
Though the map may say Pennsylvania
find Northern France are 3.000 miles apart
they are side by side in German intent, in
trigue and diabolical purpose. The river
of blood in Europe and not German lack
of desire or our own preparedness until
now has kept these scenes from us. It is
not as vivid to fight in France for the
defense of Pennsylvania, but it is just as
real.
And now the emphasis on the “are.”
Why we ARE going over. A sum
mary of the war situation gives the an
swers. We are going over—perhaps soon
er than we think. Today Germany is
practically victorious and in a more pow
erful position in comparison with our al
lies than at any time since turned back
on the Marne. German armies are vic
torious everywhere except on the west
front. It is not pessimism! to review facts
coldly, overlooking the seas, as the issue
for victory for us must be on land. Bel
giub and Northern France devastated
and overrun, in the enemy’s hands, Serbia
obliterated, Roumania crushed, Russia de
feated, and collapsed. The last great war
development was the attack on Italy
where in three weeks German-Austrian
armies disastrously defeated Italy, wiping
out Italy’s two years of gains and over
running a vast territory until winter stop
ped teh campaign; a blow to the allied
cause that shook the west front by pull
ing armies and masses of guns to Italy.
In two years on the west front 2,000,000
nave been killed and wounded and the
" n ®s “ ave nowhere changed in actual
fighting more than a few miles.
At the present time, Germanv with Rus
sia out, has concentrated for a great
spring drive before America's aid can be
rigntly felt. This battle will soon be on.
Gerard, our ambassador who returned
at the outbreak of the war, says it is an
error to believe the German people will
revolt; he declares they will not. Ger
many, he says, has a year’s food and will
not be starved out, and this was before
the peace, with Ukraine which opens
Southern Russia to help feed Germany.
1 resident Wilson in December told the
Senate ’German armies are as yet un
beaten. Military critics expect Germany
to make some progress this year. In neu
trol countries German money rate is ris
ing, an indication that they believe the
Germans will be successful.
. United States, exerting great effort now,
!nJ?" n k ng ,J or J 919 ’ We are just start
to build ships- Browning machine
guns are comtracted for first delivery in
July. Mar industries are just getting
started. A few battle planes, our first”
•are only now on their way to France. Ou?
field armies will not ba ready this vear.
T ar and navy departments are plan
ning lor several years of war
he A r ° f l>eac ® sal$ alk ’ “ can be of ho
t r r Y er ff> any heheves herself victori-
Germhn h rn A heS bel , leve they can defeat
Can be no agreement and
..V ™ Obt necessary thing in the world
mmt p-n l ?® d e fe at of Germany—the war
must go to a decision.
W® a J’ e g ? iag ov ? r ’ We wi ll be in the
ern'} °. f . rea i' (, ghtmg in the world’s most
cruel bloodiest war. We will test with
our lives at stake the training we are
We ai . a y w ell be alive to
the task that is on this generation, as in
other periods of our history it came to
those who acquitted themselves well We
are now at a training camp 3,000 miles
from the battle front, but we are going
as the battle line wal
Savannah river, and it will be
might b wi>ll Ob i an ? n? OUr h ig hes t aim we
ght we 11 adopt the words of Paine at
"Th tl i°% tbe Revolutionary War
lhank God for this crisis, it gives us the
opportunity to show that we are men.”
A BRmsfTIMPERIAL
COMMONWEALTH
There is a significant passage in a
recently published book entitled “The
English-Speaking Peoples,” which
suggests something of the destines of
an empire not inaptly called the “new
Venice whose streets are the ocean.”
The author says: “If one thinks of a
little insland in the North Sea as the
owner of one-fifth of the habitable
globe, some doubts as to the equity
of the distribution must arise. But
if such a gross and palpable distortion
of actuality is dispelled, and one re
gards Great Britain merely as one
member of a world-wide Common
wealth of Nations, then the aspect is
radically different.” Perhaps this
popular concept of ownership is strict
ly applicable only to those outlying
outposts which, like Malta and Aden,
guard the safety of communications.
England has no possessive claim to
either the Dominions or to India, but
that is not to say that she is not the
heart itself of a dependent empire.
Such a far-flung territory requires a
common center, or it would inevitably
undergo political disintegration; and it
is jost for that reason that the highest
function of the “hereditary republic of
STRAYED—
Black and white Fox Ter
rier, named Pepper. Right
hind leg injured. Tax Tag
No. 1 on collar. Would appre
ciate information as to loca
tion.
H. C. BROWN, Phone 6546.
Kings Way and Dearing Street.
Britain,” as General Smuts has de
scribed it, must be the solution of the
tremendous problem of unification. But
though the lesson of history is that
empires have a tendency to unify in a
kind of imperial melting-pot, British
melting pot
different thing from that set up within
the United Staets. There is no pos
sible holding into a common pattern,
a common language, and a common
standard of education or customs. On
the contrary, the languages, religions,
and cultural interests of the component
parts must be safeguarded, and the
centripetal work be limited to guaran
teeing the traditional freedom, the
right of self-government, and the full
est economic and social development.
As General Smuts has pointed out:
“We are not going to force common
governments, federal or otherwise, but
we are going to extend liberty free
dom, and nationhood more and more in
every part of the empire.”
Now it is well to bear these ack
nowledged imperial ideals in mind
when it comes to judging the recent
negative attitude of British Labor to
ward all forms of imperialism. Im
perialism has a bad name. It smacks
of ruthless overlordship, militarism,
and hereditary right of racial domi
nance and the exploitation of semi
civilized or half-developed units. Cecil
Rhodes’ imperialism stood for Anglo-
Saxonism as consciously supreme in
a kind of South African struggle for
the racially fittest. Between the two
extremes, Rhodeism and Labor's nega
tion of imperialism in any form, a
great gulf yowns. The one sees im
perialism as a unifying, civilizing ten
dency, the other sees it as a unright
eous and despotic cause, tending to
iireconciliation and wars. But there
is imperialism and imperialism. The
rally of the dominions to the cause of
the Mother in the great war definitely
Our Boys at the Front
, Our boys are distinguishing
themselves by their cleanliness
and jovial spirits while at the
Front. They believe that ” Clean
liness is next to Godliness.”
It is an indisputable fact that
people can keep healthy and well
in no better way than by keeping
their bodies clean, inside and out.
Many thousands of people are
killed every year by allowing
toxic poisons to accumulate
within the body, and then they
fall victims to fevers and all sorts
of maladies with special names.
The only way to keep thoroughly
well is to drink plenty of water
daily, bathe frequently, and take
some good laxative like Doctor
Pierce’s Pleasant Pellets. Cleanse
the system inside as well as out
side. These ” Pellets ”of Doctor
Pierce’s are made of
CAMP HANCOCK SOLDIERS,
HERE’S A MESSAGE OF INTEREST!
(n these days and times you will all want to economize.
Here’s Your Opportunity—Grasp It!
Do not buy new Razor Blades. Have them sharpened
here on our new
ELECTRIC RAZOR SHARPENER. IT IS FINE
Single Edge Blades 18c Dozen
Double Edge Blades . . 35c Dozen
Bring down all you have next time you are in town.
We will put the right edge on them.
NEW HOME ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING
COMPANY
A. KROLL, Manager.
857Vz Broad Street Phone 1000.
shows that the abandonment of im
perialism, in its unifying sence, is
impossible. It is unthinkable that the
empire should not be brought into
some kind of organic unity, now that
the men from overseas have fought
side by side with the sons and brothers
of the very class which fain would
repudiate imperial!. n and hand over
sections to international control. The
voice of British Labor would appear
to be that of a Britain which has lost
faith in her high mission. In vivid
contrast, there stand out the recently
uttered words of Lord Grey, who be
queathed one of the noblest messages
the empire has ever heard, when he
said, “The Empire is my country: Eng
land is my home.” He stoutly insisted
upon the need of giving the working
classes an intelligent conception of
what the empire meant, and of res
cuing it from the party system. To
him, the British Empire was to stand
forth to the world as a mental atti
tude, a great moral force, that would
be invincible, rather than millions of
acres and inhabitants with their cor
responding wealth and power.
The more one considers the disjoint
ed state of the integral parts of the
Empire, the more one is impressed with
the vast potentialities which run to
waste. Its pooled wealth would meet
all economic .problems and render
each component part independent of
the rest of the world. Organized, uni
fied, it could feed mankind, at a pinch.
No wonder Lord Grey exclaimed:
“Why isn’t everybody working for the
Empire?” But organically, it is little
removed from the days when Froude
revealed its potentialities in “Oceana.”
Given, however, a common command,
a common purpose, and a common de
sire to discharge its duty to itself as a*
whole, the British Imperial Common
wealth would quickly become a politi
cal reality.
leaves of aloe and jalap. They
are sugar - coated, tiny pills, and
easy to take. No one should be
without them, and it is most
beneficial if n Pellets ” are .taken
at least once a week to clear out
the intestines. By reason of the
toxins, or poisons, bred in the in
testines these poisonous bacteria
are sent all through the blood
channels and the victim feels
tired, sleepy and headachy, or
the brain doesn’t work as usual.
Sometimes the breath is offensive.
Pimples or boils break out on
the £ace or neck. This is a dan
ger signal which should warn you
that it is time to go to the nearest
drug store and obtain a twenty
five-cent vial of Doctor Pierce’s
Pleasant Pellets, the best known
liver pill for half a century past.
'Pi.p....
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