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Caption: War Publications - WWI Compilation 1923 - Article 17
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France and annex them to the GererU Empire Not content with this, she ^"proposed to drive out the entire Belan and French population from these territories and let what is left of Belgium d France pay these poor devils for the j'" u l and houses Germany has taken. H a s there ever been a more cruel or coldblooded proposition than this in the history of Christian nations? 7, The doctrine has been enunciated by her philosophers that Germany has I moral right to take any territory which in Germany's opinion is necessary for her welfare or convenience. Can you make any answer to such monstrous propositions except "Back to your own boundaries." If we had failed to help France and England in their extremity against this menace to all they hold dear, it would be a righteous judgment of God upon us, that Germany should finally do to us what she is trying to do to France and England. I know nothing personally about the atrocities attributed to the Germans in Belgium, and France and Roumania—eye witnesses have however reported dreadful nngs--but I know something of atrocities which occur in this country at times in W e of our laws and our police, and I can may happen in other counties when because of war, laws and police are set asi(le ; and the soldiers are ordered * make an example of a man, a woman, a 1 jj "*!, a town, a province or a whole nalon - God forgive us if we: permit any "ation with this military and moral code ^> overrun the civilized w o r l d - o r rather a y he not forgive us, but punish us as We deserve! .One other thing, young friends, not only the winning of this war necessary to J otect civilization in Europe, and to pro^ our own homes, our altars, and our es from devastation and destruction; the definite winning of this war at this c *>" put forward civilization a great y * This is a critical time in hu0 man history. If the Central Powers win, the ball of human civilization will roll down the hill of time, and we must again take up the Sisyphaean task of pushing it up again toward the top. If we win, we shall secure the blessings of civilization thus far attained and add enormously to the certainty of steady and rapid upward progress. Surely, it is worth all you have in time and strength and nerve to help win this great war. If you are of the proper age and strength and freedom, seek the trench unless the Government wishes you elsewhere, and calls you for other work. If you can't do this, do something else, but everywhere and all the time, work at this one supreme problem of winning the war. I never wished to be older for but the one reason that I might have carried a -musket in our Great Civil W a r ; and I have never wished to be younger for but one reason, that I might now be serving, a machine gun in the blood-stained fields of France. My elder son has gone into the navy; my younger son is about to enter the army service; my son-in-law is already in, and with him, the entire physical strength of my family is in the service, and I am doing what I can to recruit it. Oh, my young brothers, I envy you your chance to get personally into this great world conflict on the side of right and justice and mercy. If I had been a little older, I might have fought at Vicksburg or Gettysburg; or a little younger at Vimy Ridge or the Marne. And if I had fallen in the Civil War, I should have joined that great and glorious throng who have made it such a privilege for us to be American citizens; and if I had fallen at the Marne or Vimy Ridge, I should have entered that noble army who died that their brothers across the sea might live. I wish you all the greatest good luck! the highest earthly good fortune and prosperity, consistent with the highest moral and spiritual development of yourselves. I can wiih you no greater good 4 \ *
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