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| author | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-08-05 20:22:01 -0700 |
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| committer | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-08-05 20:22:01 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/76636-0.txt b/76636-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0a2dfe --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2664 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76636 *** + + + + + +MY COUNTRY’S PART + + + [Illustration: General Pershing’s veterans direct from the trenches in + France marching to the City Hall, New York City] + + + + + MY COUNTRY’S PART + + BY + MARY SYNON + + ILLUSTRATED + + CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS + CHICAGO NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY + CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS + + [Illustration] + + + + + TO + + THOMAS S. ENRIGHT + JAMES B. GRESHAM + MARLE B. HAY + + PRIVATES IN THE RANKS OF + THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES + WHO WERE THE FIRST TO DIE IN FRANCE + IN OUR WAR AGAINST GERMANY + + THIS BOOK + IS DEDICATED + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. “MY GRANDMOTHER AND MYSELF” 1 + + II. THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD WAR 40 + + III. WHAT THE GREAT WAR REALLY MEANS 53 + + IV. HOW THE WAR CAME TO THE UNITED STATES 65 + + V. HOW THE UNITED STATES WENT INTO WAR 77 + + VI. WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS DOING IN THE WAR 85 + + VII. REAR-LINE TRENCHES 93 + + VIII. THE AMERICAN’S PART 110 + + IX. THE UNITED STATES AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM 121 + + X. THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONAL PEACE 131 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + General Pershing’s veterans direct from the trenches + in France marching to the City Hall, New York City _Frontispiece_ + + FACING PAGE + + Belgium refugees between Malines and Brussels 66 + + President Wilson delivering his war message 80 + + Recruits of the National Army waiting at the booths + of a National Army cantonment 90 + + Children selling thrift stamps 104 + + Boys at work in their war garden 110 + + The launching of the U. S. S. _Accoma_ 118 + + An immigrant family qualified to enter the United States 128 + + + + +CHAPTER I + +“MY GRANDMOTHER AND MYSELF” + + +What can an American boy or an American girl do for our country? + +The ways are many. Every man, woman, and child in the United States has +the duty of defending the nation. In time of war every American must be +in spirit, if he cannot be in actual duty, a soldier. A soldier’s part +is to guard his nation. An American’s part is to guard America. The +guarding may be done by saving the food that the government asks its +citizens to save, by buying War Thrift Stamps, by buying Liberty Bonds, +by working for the Red Cross, or for other patriotic organizations; but +it must be done with the idea that our country is our first concern, +our first care. + +Every American must be watchful for his country’s welfare. How may +he do this duty? By remembering always that he is, first of all, an +American. No matter what country his father or mother, or grandfather +or grandmother came from, he is American, with the rights and +privileges and obligations of his citizenship. And he must have no +divided allegiance. + +The story of what one American boy could do for his country is told in +the story that follows. Some people call this a fiction story. But the +root of it is truth. For every boy and every girl in the United States +can hold to the love of country that John Sutton’s grandmother put into +his soul through the incidents that make up the tale of + + +“MY GRANDMOTHER AND MYSELF” + +My grandmother was at the basement window, peering into the street +as if she were watching for some one, when I came home from school. +“Is that you, John?” she asked me as I stood in the hall stamping the +snow from my boots. “Sure!” I called to her. “Who’d you think I was? A +spirit?” + +She laughed a little as I went into the room and flung down my books. +My grandmother hasn’t seen any one in ten years, though she sits day +after day looking out on the street as if a parade were passing; but +she knows the thump of my books on the table as well as she knows the +turning of my father’s key in the lock of the door. “’Tis a lively +spirit you’d make, Shauneen,” she said, with that chuckle she saves for +me. “No, ’twas your father I thought was coming.” + +“What’d he be doing home at this time?” + +“These are queer days,” she said, “and there are queer doings in them.” + +“There’s nothing queer that I can see,” I told her. + +“I’m an old, blind woman,” she said, “but sometimes I see more than do +they who have the sight of their two eyes.” She said it so solemnly, +folding her hands one over the other as she drew herself up in her +chair, that I felt a little thrill creeping up my spine. “What do you +mean?” I asked her. “Time’ll tell you,” she said. + +My mother came in from the kitchen then. “Norah forgot to order bacon +for the morning,” she said. “Will you go to the market, John, before +you do anything else?” + +“Oh, I’m going skating,” I protested. + +“It won’t take you five minutes,” said my mother. She seemed tired +and worried. The look in her eyes made me feel that there was trouble +hanging over the house. My mother isn’t like my grandmother. When +things go wrong, my grandmother stands up straight, and throws back her +shoulders, and fronts ahead as if she were a general giving orders for +attack; but my mother wilts like a hurt flower. She was drooping then +while she stood in the room, so I said, “All right, I’ll go,” though +I’d promised the fellows to come to the park before four o’clock. + +“And look in at the shop as you go by,” my grandmother said, “and see +if your father’s there now.” + +“Why shouldn’t he be?” my mother asked. + +There was a queer sound in her voice that urged me around past my +father’s shop. My father was there in the little office, going over +blue-prints with Joe Krebs’s uncle and Mattie Kleiner’s father and a +big man I’d never seen before. I told my grandmother when I went home. +“I knew it,” she said. “I knew it. And I dreamed last night of my +cousin Michael who died trying to escape from Van Diemen’s Land.” + +“You knew what?” I asked her, for again that strange way of hers sent +shivery cold over me. + +“Go to your skating,” she bade me. + + * * * * * + +There wasn’t much skating at Tompkins Square, though, when I found +the crowd. The sun had come out strong in the afternoon and the ice +was melting. “Ground-hog must have seen his shadow last week,” Bennie +Curtis said. All the fellows--Joe Carey and Jim Dean and Frank Belden +and Joe Krebs and Mattie Kleiner and Fred Wendell and the rest of +them--had taken off their skates and were starting a tug of war in the +slush. Mattie Kleiner was the captain on one side and Frank Belden the +captain on the other. Mattie had chosen Joe Krebs and Jim Dean and Joe +Carey on his side. Just as I came along he shouted that he chose me. +Frank Belden yelled that it was his choice and that he’d take me. “He +don’t want to be on your side!” Mattie cried. “He’s with the Germans!” + +“Well, I guess not,” I said, “any more than I’m with the English. I’m +an American.” + +“You can’t be just an American in this battle,” Frank Belden said. + +“Then I’ll stay out of it,” I told him. + +They all started to yell “Neutral!” and “Fraid cat!” and “Oh, you dove +of peace!” at me. I got tired of it after a while, and I went after +Mattie hard. When I’d finished with him he bawled at me: “Wait till +your father knows, he’ll fix you!” + +“What for?” I jeered. + +“For going against his principles, that’s what,” Mattie Kleiner roared. + +“I’d like to know what you know about my father’s principles.” I +laughed at him. + +“Well, I ought to know,” he cried. “I heard him take the oath.” + +“What oath?” we all demanded, but Mattie went off in surly silence. Joe +Krebs and Joe Carey trailed after him. I stayed with the other fellows +until it was dark. Then I started for home. + +Joe Carey was waiting for me at the corner. “Do you believe him, John?” +he asked me. “Do you believe Mattie about the oath?” + +“How’s that?” I parried. I seemed to remember having heard a man who’d +been at the house a fortnight before whispering something about an +oath, and I knew that I’d heard my mother say to my grandmother: “I +pray to God he’ll get in no trouble with any oaths or promises.” I kept +wondering if Mattie Kleiner’s father and Joe Krebs’s uncle and the big +man with the blue-prints who’d been in my father’s shop had anything to +do with it. “Oh, Mattie’s talking in his sleep,” I said. + +“Well, maybe,” said Joe Carey; “but he wasn’t sleeping the night they +had the meeting in his house. He was on the stairs going up to the top +floor, and he kept the door open a little way and he heard everything +they said, and nobody at all knew he was there.” + +Joe Carey’s eyes were almost popping out of his head, and so I knew +that Mattie had been telling him a long story. “I guess he didn’t hear +very much,” I said. + +“You bet he did,” Joe declared. “He heard them reading the letters +telling people not to go on the ships because they were going to be +sunk, and he heard them talking about bombs and munition factories. He +says that he heard your father say that he’d gladly lay down his life +for the sake of Ireland.” + +“But Ireland’s not in this war!” + +“Sure it is! Mattie says the Germans are going to free Ireland if they +beat England. That’s why the Irish ought to be with the Germans. Mattie +says your father’ll be awful ashamed that you wouldn’t go on his side. +Mattie says your father----” + +“I don’t give a whoop what Mattie says about my father,” I told him. “I +guess I can take my own part.” + +“I guess you’ll have to,” said Joe. + +As I went up the street toward our house I had that queer feeling that +comes sometimes after I’ve been away for a while, a fear that something +terrible has happened while I’ve been gone and that I’ll be blamed for +it. It was dark on the street, for people hadn’t lighted the lamps in +the basement dining-rooms, and I was hurrying along when suddenly a +man’s voice came over my shoulder. I hadn’t heard his step behind me at +all, and I jumped when he spoke. “Where does Mr. John Sutton live?” he +asked me. + +“Right there.” I pointed to our house. + +“Do you know him?” he asked. Through the dark I could see that he was +a tall man with sharp eyes. I knew that I had never seen him before, +and that he didn’t look like any of the men who came to my father’s +machine-shop. “Don’t you know Mr. Sutton?” he repeated. + +“Yes, sir.” + +“Know him well, sonny?” + +“Yes, sir.” + +“How well?” + +“He’s my father.” + +He whistled softly, then laughed, turned on his heel, and strode down +the street. I watched him to see if he’d take the turn toward the shop, +but he turned the other way at the corner. I thought that I’d tell my +grandmother about him but my mother was with her in the dark when I +went in. They were talking very low, as if some one were dead in the +house, but I heard my mother say, “If I only knew how far he’s gone in +this!” and my grandmother mutter: “Sure, the farther he goes in, the +farther back he’ll have to come.” I stumbled over a chair as I went +into the room with them, and they both stopped talking. + +I could hear the little hissing whisper my grandmother always makes +while she says the rosary, but I could hear no sound from my mother at +all until she rose with a sigh and lighted the gas-lamp. She looked at +me as if she hadn’t known I’d been there. “Have you any home work to do +to-night, John?” she asked me. + +“No, ma’am,” I said. “It’s Friday.” + +“Then I want you to come to church with me after your dinner,” she said. + +“Oh, I don’t want to go to church,” I’d said before my grandmother +spoke. + +“’Twill be a queer thing to me as long as I live,” she said, “that +those who have don’t want what they have, and that those who haven’t +keep wanting.” + +The telephone-bell rang just then up in the room that my father used +for an office, and I raced up to answer it. A man’s voice, younger than +that of the man who’d spoken to me, came over the wire. “Say, is this +John Sutton’s residence?” it asked. “And is he home? And, if he isn’t, +who are you?” + +“What do you want?” I called. + +“Information. This is _The World_. We hear that there’s to be a meeting +of the clans to-night, and we want to know where it’s to be held.” + +“I don’t know,” I said. + +“Can you find out?” + +“No,” I lied. “There’s nobody home.” + +“Won’t your father be home for dinner?” + +Even then I could hear his key turning in the lock, could hear him +passing on his way up to his bedroom, but a queer kind of caution was +being born in me. “No, sir,” I said. + +“Who was that?” my grandmother asked me when I went down. + +I told her of the call, told her, too, of the man who had stopped me on +the street. Her rosary slipped through her fingers. “I feared it,” she +said. Then the whisper of her praying began again. + +At dinner my father was strangely silent. Usually he talks a great +deal, all about politics, and the newspapers, and the trouble with the +schools, and woman suffrage, and war. But he said nothing at all except +to ask me if the skating were good. My mother was just as quiet as he, +and I would have been afraid to open my mouth if my grandmother hadn’t +started in to tell about New York in the days she’d come here, more +than sixty-five years ago. She talked and talked about how different +everything had been then, with no tall buildings and no big bridges and +no subways and no elevateds. “Faith, you can be proud of your native +town, John,” she said to my father. + +“I wish I’d been born in Ireland,” he said. + +She laughed. “And if I’d stayed in Ireland I’d have starved,” she said, +“and little chance you’d have had of being born anywhere.” + +“It might have been just as well,” he said bitterly. + +“Oh, no,” she said; “there’s Shauneen.” + +He rose from the table, flinging down his napkin. “I won’t be home till +very late,” he said to my mother. + +She stood up beside him. “Do you have to go, John?” she asked him. + +“Yes,” he said. + +“Oh, John,” she said, “I’m afraid.” + +“Of what?” + +“Of what may happen you.” + +“Nothing’ll happen me,” he said. + +I wanted to tell him of the strange man who had halted me on the +street, and of the telephone call, but my father’s anger was rising and +I feared to fan it to flame. My grandmother said nothing until after my +father had gone. Then she spoke to my mother. + +“Don’t you know better,” she asked her, “and you eighteen years married +to him, than to ask John not to do something you don’t want him to do?” + +My mother began to cry as we heard the banging of the door after my +father. “Well, if you can do nothing else,” my grandmother said, “you’d +better be off to church. Keep your eyes open, Shauneen,” she warned me +while my mother was getting her hat and coat. + + * * * * * + +It was a grand night, with the evening star low in the sky, like a +lamp, and the big yellow moon just rising in the east. The wind blew +sharp and salt off the water, but there was a promise of spring in the +air, saying that it must be almost baseball time. We went over to the +Jesuit church, walking slowly all the way. There we knelt in the dark +until I was stiff. As we came out my mother stopped at the holy-water +font. “John,” she said, “will you promise me that if you ever marry +you’ll never set any cause but God’s above your wife?” + +“No, ma’am, I won’t,” I said, vaguely understanding that my father had +hurt my mother by his refusal to stay at home, and wondering what cause +he had set above her. As we walked toward the car-line I remembered +what Joe Carey had told me of Mattie Kleiner’s speech about my father. +“Do you have to go to Ireland to die for Ireland?” I asked her. She +clutched my hand. “My grandfather died for Ireland,” she said, “and he +wasn’t the first of his line to die for her. But I pray God that he may +have been the last.” She said no more till we came into our own house. + +My grandmother was still at the window of the dining-room. There was +no light, and my mother did not make one. “There was another telephone +call,” my grandmother said. “Norah answered it. ’Twas the newspaper +calling again for John to ask about the meeting. She said she knew +nothing about it and that no one was here to answer.” + +“Do you suppose,” I said, “it was detectives?” + +They said nothing, and I could feel a big lump coming up my throat. I +thought they might not have heard me until my grandmother said: “Do you +know, Kate, where the meeting is.” + +“I don’t know, and I don’t want to know,” my mother cried. She turned +to me sharply. “Go to bed, John,” she said. + +“I know where the meetings are,” I blurted out, eager enough for any +excuse to put off the hateful order. “They’re at Mattie Kleiner’s +house, because he hides on the stairs when they come, and he heard them +take the oath.” + +“Is that Matthew Kleiner’s boy?” my grandmother asked, so quietly that +I thought she had not realized the importance of my news. + +“Yes, ma’am.” + +“Go to bed, Shauneen.” She repeated my mother’s order. + +I went up-stairs, leaving the two of them silent in the dark. I +whistled while I undressed, but I shivered after I had turned out the +light and jumped between the sheets. I was going to lie awake waiting +for my father’s return, but I must have dozed, for I thought that it +was in the middle of the night that something woke me. I knew, as soon +as I woke, that some one was in my room. I could feel him groping. I +tried to speak, but my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. Then I +heard a faint whisper. “Shauneen,” it said. + +So far away it seemed that I thought it might be a ghost until my +grandmother spoke again. “Your mother’s in bed now,” she said. “Put on +your clothes as quick as you can.” + +“What is it?” I whispered. + +“We’re going to Matthew Kleiner’s, you and I,” she said. “I’d go alone +if I could see.” + +“What time is it?” + +“Between ten and eleven.” + +I pulled my clothes on as fast as I could. Then stealthily as thieves +we crept out from my room and down the stairs. I held my grandmother’s +hand and wondered at its steadiness. When we had come outside the +basement door she halted me. “Look down the street for the tall man,” +she bade me. There was no one in sight, however, and we walked along +sturdily, turning corners until we came to Kleiner’s. + +It was a red-brick house in a row, not a basement house like ours, but +with a cellar below and an attic above its two main floors. There was +no light on the first floor, but I thought that I saw a stream behind +the drawn curtains up-stairs. I found the bell and pushed on it hard. +No one came for a long time. I rang again. I could see shadows back +of the shades before Mattie Kleiner’s mother came. “What is it?” she +demanded before she opened the door. + +“Tell her that your mother’s sick and that you’ve come for your +father,” my grandmother ordered me. I repeated what she’d said. Mrs. +Kleiner opened the door. “Oh,” she cried, “it is Mrs. Sutton and little +John. Oh, you did frighten me. Is the mother very sick? I shall call +the father.” + +“Let me go to him,” my grandmother said. We were inside the hall then, +and I put her hand on the railing of the stairway. She had started up +before Mrs. Kleiner tried to stop her. “I’ve a message for him,” said +my grandmother. Mrs. Kleiner and I followed her. At the top of the +stairs I turned her toward the front room, for I could hear the murmur +of voices. I passed a door and wondered if Mattie Kleiner were hiding +behind it. “Oh, we must not go in,” Mrs. Kleiner pleaded. “The men will +not want us to go in.” She tried to stop us, but my grandmother turned, +looking at her as if she could see her. “I’ve always followed my own +conscience, ma’am,” she said, “not my husband’s, nor my son’s, nor any +other man’s.” + +From within the front room came the sound of the voices, growing louder +and louder as we stood there, my grandmother alert, Mrs. Kleiner +appalled, I myself athrill. I could hear my father’s voice, short, +sharp. “It’s our great opportunity,” he was saying. “We have only to +strike the blow at England’s empire, and the empire itself will arise +to aid us. Twenty thousand men flung into Canada will turn the trick. +French Quebec is disaffected. What if soldiers are there? We can fight +them! We may die, but what if we do? We will have started the avalanche +that will destroy Carthage!” + +There were cries of “Right!” to him. Then a man began to talk in +German. His voice rang out harshly. From the murmurs that came out to +us we knew that the men were applauding his words, but we had no idea +of what the words were. Mrs. Kleiner stood wringing her hands. “Who’s +in there?” my grandmother asked her. + +“I do not know,” she insisted. + +“Joe Krebs’s uncle is there,” I said. “I know his cough. And Mr. +Winngart who keeps the delicatessen-shop. And Frank Belden’s father; +and that’s Mr. Carey’s voice.” + +“They just meet for fun,” groaned Mrs. Kleiner. + +“Sure, I saw that kind of fun before,” said my grandmother, “when the +Fenians went after the Queen’s Own.” + +My father’s voice rose again. “We are ready to fire the torch? We +are ready to send out the word to-night for the mobilization of our +sympathizers? We are ready to stand together to the bitter end?” + +“We are ready!” came the shout. + +Then my grandmother opened the door. + +Through the haze of their tobacco smoke they looked up, the dozen +men crowded into the Kleiners’ front bedroom, to see my grandmother +standing before them, a bent old woman in her black dress and shawl, +her little jet bonnet nodding valiantly from its perch on her thin +white hair. She looked around as if she could see every one of them. My +father had sprung forward at her coming, and, as if to hold him off, +she put up one hand. + +“_Is it yourself, John Sutton, who’s talking here of plots, and plans, +and war?_” she said. Her voice went up to a sharp edge. She flung back +her head as if she defied them to answer her. All of them, my father +and Joe Krebs’s uncle and Mattie Kleiner’s father and Mr. Carey and Mr. +Winngart and the big man who’d had the blue-prints in the shop, and the +others, stared at her as if she were a ghost. No one of them moved as +she spoke. “’Tis a fine lot you are to be sitting here thinking ways +to bring trouble on yourselves, and your wives, and your children, +and your country. Who are there here of you? Is it yourself, Benedict +Krebs, who’s going out to fight for Germany when your own father came +to this very street to get away from Prussia? Is it you, Matthew +Kleiner, who gives roof to them who plot against America, you, who +came here to earn a living that you couldn’t earn at home? Is it you, +Michael Carey, who’s helping them hurt the land that’s making you a +rich man? Shame on you; shame on you all!” + +“Why shouldn’t we fight England?” Joe Carey’s father said with a growl. +“You’d be the last one, Mrs. Sutton, that I’d think’d set yourself +against that.” + +“’Tis not England,” said my grandmother, “that you fight with your +plots. ’Tis America you strike when you strike here. And, as long as +you stay here, be Americans and not traitors!” + +They began to murmur at that, and my father said: “You don’t know what +you’re talking about, mother. You’d better take John home. This is no +place for either of you.” + +“No more than it’s a place for you,” she said. “Will you be coming home +with me now?” + +“I will not,” my father said. + +“Faith, and you’ll all be wishing you had,” she told them, “when the +jails’ll be holding you in the morning.” + +“The jails!” The big man who had held the blue-prints came closer to +us. “What is it you say of jails? You have told the police, then?” + +“I didn’t need to,” my grandmother said. “The government men have +been watching this long time. ’Twill be at midnight that they’ll come +here. But ’tis not myself they’ll be finding.” I saw the men’s glances +flash around the room through the smoky haze before she called: “Come, +Shauneen.” I took her hand again and led her out of the room. Just +before the door closed after us I saw that my father’s face had grown +very white, and that Mattie Kleiner’s father had dropped his pipe on +the floor. + +Outside the house I spoke to my grandmother tremblingly. “Do the police +really know?” I asked her. She gave her dry little chuckle. “If they +don’t, they should,” she answered; “but I was born an O’Brien, and +I’ve never known one of them yet that ever told the police anything. +No, Shauneen,” she laughed, “’twas the high hill I shot at, but I’m +thinking that the shot struck. We’ll watch.” + +We crossed the street and waited in the shadow of the house at the +corner. For a little while all was quiet at Kleiner’s. Then I saw the +tall man come out with Joe Krebs’s uncle. After a time my father came +out with Mr. Winngart and Mr. Carey. They walked to the other corner +and stood there a moment before they separated, “Shall we go home now?” +I asked my grandmother after I had told her what I had seen. + +“Not yet,” she said. “I’ve one more errand to do this night.” I thought +it might have something to do with the tall man who’d spoken to me or +with the telephone call, and I wondered when she sighed. “I’m a very +old woman,” she seemed to be saying to herself. “I’ll be ninety-one +years come Michaelmas Day. Some of the world I’ve seen, and much of +life. Out of it all I’ve brought but a few things. I’d thought to give +these to my son. But--” She paused. “How old are you, Shauneen?” she +asked me. + +“Fourteen,” I said. + +“Old enough,” she nodded. She turned her head as if she were looking +for something or some one. Then: “Do you know your way to the Battery?” +she asked me. + +“Sure,” I told her. “Are you going there?” + +“We are.” + + * * * * * + +It had been quiet enough in our part of town. It was quieter yet when +we came to Bowling Green and walked across to the Battery. Down there, +past the high buildings and the warehouses, we seemed to have come into +the heart of a hush. To the north of us the sky was afire with the +golden glow from the up-town lights. In front of us ran the East River +and the North River. Out on Bedloe’s Island I could see the shining of +the Goddess of Liberty’s torch. Every little while a ferry-boat, all +yellow with lights, would shoot out on the water. A sailing-vessel +moved slowly after its puffing tug. The little oyster-boats were coming +in from the bay. A steamer glided along past it as I walked with my +grandmother out toward the old Castle Garden. + +On the Saturday before Joe Carey and I had come down to the piers, +prowling all afternoon on the docks, watching the men bringing in the +queer crates and boxes and bags while we told each other of the places +from where the fruits and spices and coffee and wines had come. There +were thousands and thousands of ships out there in the dark, I knew, +and I began to tell my grandmother what some of the sailors had told +us of how the trade of the world was crowding into New York, with the +ships all pressing the docks for room. “If you could only see it!” I +said to her. “I can see more than that,” she said. Then: “Take me to +the edge of the waters,” she bade me. + +Wondering and a little frightened, I obeyed her, trying to solve the +while the mystery of her whim to bring me to the deserted park in the +middle of the night. “Is Castle Garden over there?” she pointed. “Then +I’ve my bearings now.” + +She stood alone, a little way off from me, staring seaward as if she +counted the shadowy ships. The wind blew her thin white hair from under +her bonnet and raised the folds of her shawl. There in the lateness of +the night, alone at the edge of the Battery, she didn’t seem to be my +grandmother at all, but some stranger. I remembered the story I’d read +somewhere of an old woman who’d brought a pile of books to a King of +Rome, books that she threw away, one by one, as he refused them, until +there was but one book left. When he’d bought that one from her he’d +found that it was the book of the future of the empire, and that he’d +lost all the rest through his folly. As I looked at my grandmother I +thought she must be like the old woman of the story. Even her voice +sounded strange and deep when she turned to me. + +“It was sixty-five years ago the 7th of November that I first stood on +this soil,” she said. “’Tis a long lifetime, and, thank God, a useful +one I’ve had. Burdens I’ve had, but never did I lack the strength to +bear them. Looking back, I’m sorry for many a word and many a deed, but +I’ve never sorrowed that I came here.” + +I would have thought that she had forgotten me if she hadn’t touched +my arm. “You’ve heard tell of the famine, Shauneen,” she went on, “the +great famine that fell on Ireland, blighting even the potatoes in +the ground? We’d a little place in Connaught then, a bit of land my +father was tilling. We hadn’t much, even for the place, but we were +happy enough, God knows, with our singing and dancing, and the fairs +and the patterns. Then little by little, we grew poorer and poorer. I +was the oldest of the seven of us. My mother and myself’d be planning +and scraping to find food for the rest of them. Every day we’d see +them growing thinner and thinner. Oh, _mavrone_, the pity of it! And +they looking at us betimes as if we were cheating them of their bit +of a sup! Sometimes now in the dark I see them come to my bed, with +their soft eyes begging for bread, and we having naught to give them. +Brigid--she was the youngest of them all--died. Then my father went. + +“I used to go down to the sea and hunt the wrack for bits of food. +There by the shore I would look over here to America and pray, day +after day, that the Lord would send to us some help before my mother +should go. You don’t know what it is to pray, Shauneen. Your father +cannot teach you and your mother hopes you’ll never learn. For prayer +is born in agony, _avick_, and grief and loss and sorrow. But because +you are the son of my soul I pray for you that life may teach you +prayer. For when you come to the end of the road, Shauneen, you’ll know +that ’tis not the smoothness of the way, but the height of it and the +depth of it, that measures your travelling. Far, far down in the depths +I went when I prayed over there on the bleak coast of Connaught. + +“God answered my prayer. There came from America food to us. There +came, too, the chance for me to come here with the promise of work +to do. ’Twas a drear day when I left home. How I cursed England as I +looked back on the hills of Cork harbor, all green and smiling as if +never a blight had cast its shadow behind them! + +“’Twas a long, dreary sailing. Nine weeks we were in the crossing. A +lifetime I thought it was between the day I looked on the western sea +from the Connaught mountains and the day when I stood here looking back +toward home. Sure life is full of lifetimes like those.” + +She paused a moment, but I felt as if I were under a spell that I must +not break by word of mine. A cloud came over the moon and all around us +grew shadowy. The big throb that the city always beats at night kept +sounding like the thrumming of an orchestra waiting for the violin solo +to start. + +“I’d plenty of them before many years.” My grandmother’s voice came +like the sound for which the thrumming had waited. “Did you ever think +what it means to the poor souls who come here alone for their living? +When you’ve a house of your own, Shauneen, with men servants and maid +servants, don’t forget that your father’s mother worked out for some +one. They were kind people, too, who took me to their homes. Don’t +forget that either. For ’tis my first memory of America. Kind they +were, and just. They helped me save what I earned and they showed me +ways of helping my folks at home. I’d brought out Danny and James and +Ellen and Mary before the war. I met each one of them right here at +Castle Garden. That’s why I always think of this place as the gateway +through which the Irish have come to America. Sure Ellis Island’s been +for the Italians and the Jews and the Greeks. We didn’t wait outside +the door. We came straight in,” she chuckled. + +“My mother wouldn’t come from the old place. Long I grieved over her +there in the little house where my father and Brigid had died, but +after a while I knew she was happier so. Sometimes, Shauneen, I think +of Ireland as an old woman, like my mother, sitting home alone in the +old places, grieving, mourning, with her children out over the world, +living the dreams of her nights by the fire. ’Twas here we found +the freedom the Irish had been fighting for. ’Twas here, away from +landlords and landholding, away from famine and persecution, that we +found that life need not be a thing of sorrow. ’Twas here I met your +grandfather. + +“I’d nothing of my own, and your grandfather had but a trifle more when +we married. I suppose ’tis brave that people would call us now. We +didn’t think that we were. We were young and strong and we loved each +other. And we were getting along fairly well--we’d started the payments +on a bit of a house of our own after your father was born--when the war +came down on us. + +“Your grandfather went with the brigade. Not twice did we think whether +or not he should go. We knew that he owed his first duty to the +country that had called him, and sheltered him, and given him work and +hope and freedom. For he was a boy from home as I was a girl from home. +I stood on the curbstone the day he marched by, with your father in my +arms, and I cheered for the flag. ‘Sure he’ll be walking to meet you +when you come back!’ I called, lifting up the child. Your grandfather +never came back. He fell at Marye’s Heights.” + +When she spoke again her voice had changed more to her every-day tone. +“Well, I raised your father,” she said, “and I thought I was raising +him well. My arms were strong. I worked at the wash-tub morning, noon, +and night. It wasn’t long till I had a laundry of my own. I thought to +give my son all that I’d ever wanted for myself. Perhaps that was where +I made my mistake. I thought too much of the things that money can buy +in those years when money was so hard to earn. Perhaps ’twas myself and +no other who taught your father the cold, hard things of life, though, +God knows, I’d no thought to do it. He’s a good man in many ways, but +he’s not the man I want you to be. He’s a good hater but he’s not a +good lover. And, faith, what’s there in life but love?” + +I moved a little then, and my grandmother swung me around, with her two +hands on my shoulders, and, blind as she is, stared at me as if she +were looking right down into my heart. “Shauneen,” she said, “I have +prayed, day and night, that your father might be to America the good +citizen his father was. I have prayed that if America should ever need +him he would stand ready for her call. I have prayed that he’d love +America as I have loved America. I love Ireland, _mavrone_. Always in +my heart do I see her hills as they looked on the morning I looked back +on them from the sea. But I love America, too, and I wanted my son to +love her even more than I do. I’ve wanted him to love this land as my +fathers and their fathers loved Ireland. ’Twas not that I wanted him +to forget my land; when he was a lad like you I’d tell him tales of +Ireland’s glory and of Ireland’s woe. How was I to know that all it +would do for him was to rouse the black hate for England? I taught him +love for Ireland, but never did I teach him to set my land above his +own. + +“For ’twas America gave us our chance, Shauneen, when we’d no other +place on earth to seek. Hard days we’ve known here, too, days when +even the children jeered at us, but we’ve never felt the hand of the +oppressor upon us since we touched our feet on these shores. We’ve been +free and we’ve prospered. Fine houses we have and fine clothes; and +’tis a long day since I knew the pinch of hunger. This is our debt. +Tell me again, Shauneen, what you see out there?” + +I told her of the shining lights, of the funnels of the steamers, +of the piled piers, of the little oyster-boats, of the great liners +waiting the word for their sailing. + +“’Twould be a fine sight,” she sighed. “Do you think me a madwoman to +bring you here?” she went on, as if she had read my thought. “Perhaps +I am that. Perhaps I’m not. For you’ll remember this night when you’ve +forgotten many another time, just as I remember the day when my mother +took me to the shrine at Knock. For this is the shrine of your country, +Shauneen, this old Castle Garden, where your people set foot in the +land that’s given them liberty. Here it was that I told my brothers and +my sisters of the future before them. Here it is that I’m telling you +that your country will be the greatest nation of all the world if only +you lads stay true to her. That’s why I’ve brought you here to-night, +Shauneen. I’m an old, old woman. I’ve not long for this earth. But I’ve +this message for you; it’s yours; this duty that your father shirks +when he plots with black traitors who’d drag us into wars that are not +of our choosing. Raise your hand, Shauneen. Say after me: ‘_As long as +I live, God helping me, I shall keep my country first in my heart and, +after God, first in my soul!_’” + +Through the misty moonlight there came to me the memory of my mother’s +plea at the door of the church, my mother’s cry: “Promise me that +you’ll set no cause but God’s before your wife!” Some battle of spirit +struggled within me. For an instant I was silent. Then, suddenly, as if +the moon had ridden above the cloud, I saw the right. “Since all true +causes come from God,” I said to myself, “it is right to set my own +country above anything else that may ever come.” And I said the words +after my grandmother. + +She took my face between her hands and kissed me. “God keep you, +Shauneen,” she said, “for the woman who’ll love you, and the children +you’ll teach, and the land you’ll serve!” + +Then through a sleeping city my grandmother and I went home. + + * * * * * + +Our country’s part is to keep the flame of freedom burning above the +darkness of the world. Our part is to feed that flame with the oil of +our love of our country. No matter what our duty may be, whether it be +great or small, let us do it as our country asks; that we may keep our +land the place where men may live in freedom, in justice, in peace. + +We have come upon troubled times. We have enemies at home as well as +abroad. We have those who would cry “Peace at any price,” when our +country knows that the only enduring peace is one which is won with +honor. We have those who would barter American ideals for immediate +comfort, those who would sell the future for the present. It is our +part, the part of each and every American, to stand firm for those +principles which America has cherished and for which she fights to-day. +It is our part to be American, to think American, to pray American. It +is our duty to remember what America does for us. It is our privilege +to do what we can for America. Every man, woman, and child in the +United States, not in active war service in army or navy, is nothing +less than a licensed pilot, steering the ship of his patriotism +among rough waters. It is his part to steer it straight, and, as the +President said of the nation, “God helping him, he can do no other.” + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD WAR + + +In the last days of April, 1918, fifty men in the khaki of the army +of the United States of America landed at an Atlantic port. Their +coming, unheralded and almost unwelcomed, marked one of the most +important events in the history of our country. For they were the first +homecoming veterans of the American Expeditionary Forces, men who had +fought under Pershing on the soil of France for the principles that +inspired our nation’s entrance into the world war. + +There was the man who had fired the first American gun in the battles. +There was the man who had stood beside the first man killed in action. +There was the man who had brought five German prisoners back into camp +after the rush on the trenches. Wounded, disabled, made unfit for +further immediate service, they had been sent home; and they came back +to their country, the advance-guard of the greatest army the United +States has ever assembled and one of the greatest armies the world has +ever seen, to bear witness to the fact that America has actually taken +her place in the world struggle. + +They had fought under German fire. They had stood beside French +soldiers and British soldiers in the attack. They had received their +baptism of blood. They had set the flag of the United States of +America on the battle-fronts in the standard that bears the flags of +those nations which are defending the rights of democracy against the +invasion of autocracy. They are of the first division of an American +army to fight a battle for America in the fields of Europe; and they +had come home to give testimony of what America’s part in the great war +really is. For they are the first of the millions of fighters whom the +nation has gathered for the winning of the war. + +Even when the United States entered the great war on the 6th of April, +1917, the part that we would take in the conflict was not clearly +defined. Would we send an army abroad? Would our navy fight? Or would +we merely defend our own shores against possible attack, and supply +the other nations at war with Germany with food, munitions, and other +supplies? The question was soon answered by American honesty which +thundered that the only way to wage war was to send soldiers to the +scene of battle. Preparations never equalled in the history of the +world went into effect for the purpose of conveying our soldiers over +the ocean, of supplying them and equipping them, and of standing back +of the troops and peoples of the Allies who were already at war with +Germany. + +Not, however, until more than a year after the beginning of our part in +the war was the issue of exactly what the United States would do on the +battle-fronts settled. Then the President of the United States, Woodrow +Wilson, gave the order that General John Pershing, in command of the +American Expeditionary Forces, should place the American force at +the disposition of General Foch of France, commander-in-chief for the +armies of the Allies. The American Expeditionary Forces slipped into +place, and American soldiers began the actual fighting of America’s war. + +For the war into which our nation has entered is, in spite of the fact +that it is being fought on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, as +much America’s war and a war of defense as if it were being fought +along our own Atlantic seaboard against an invading army. It is being +fought for the same principles which are the only ones great enough to +force our country to war, principles of freedom for the individual, +freedom for the free-governed nations, and of ultimate, lasting peace +for the world. It is being fought against the forces of aggression, +of greed, of injustice. It is being fought against the intention of +Germany to dominate the world. + +In every war there are two great issues battling against each other. +Men fight for one or the other. Nations fight for one or the other. +There have been wars of conquest waged by strong nations against +weaker ones, wars of religion, wars of territorial aggression, wars of +defense, wars of trade, wars of high moral ideals. This is a war where +the issue is sharply set. It is a war where democracy fights against +autocracy, where liberty fights against bondage, where freemen fight to +keep their freedom against men who strive to take it away from them. + +There are two kinds of nations in the world, those nations which +believe that governments derive their just powers from the consent of +the governed and those other nations which believe that power comes +from God to Kings to be used over people who have nothing to say about +its use. The first is a democracy, even though it have a monarch +nominally as its head. The other is an autocracy. And, since this is +a war of democracy against autocracy, it is really a war of the free +people of the world against the bondsmen and their masters. + +There was a time when all the great nations of the world had Kings. It +was part of the evolution of the social system. Nations need leaders, +and there were men so strong that they were able to seize and hold +leadership, keeping it for their sons so that the people came to accept +one family as its rulers. But in time some nations began to emerge from +the yoke that these rulers set upon them. The people, who had been +serfs and slaves, began to demand a voice in the government. Kings +and nobles began to lose power in these nations with the awakening of +the people. The signing of the Magna Charta in England by King John +marked the transfer of power from the King. Bit by bit in those nations +tending toward liberal government the shift of power took place. + +It was not until the last quarter of the eighteenth century, however, +that the theory of free government flowered and bore fruit. Then the +Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain, situated along the western Atlantic +seaboard, revolted against the imposition of a tax that the colonists +considered unjust, went to war, and won the war. They established the +United States of America, a nation which has been from that day to this +a genuine democracy, a free republic based absolutely on the doctrine +that power came from the people, and that government exists merely as +the steward of that power. + +It was through the aid given to the Colonies by France, brought by +Lafayette and Rochambeau, that the War of the Revolution was won. +The French soldiers, returning home at its close, took with them +reinforcement of the spirit of desire for freedom that was already +animating France and which in time brought about the beginnings of the +French Revolution, a war which changed France from a monarchy where the +King said with truth “I am the state” to a real democracy. + +The example of the United States of America inspired other nations of +Europe toward the ideal of a government in which the people should +have a voice. Our republican institutions have had a reflex upon +English institutions so that to-day Great Britain, in spite of having a +nominal King, is one of the most democratic governments in the world. +The King of Italy holds his power as a result of a war in which the +people of Italy wrested freedom from Austrian domination. And Russia, +at the time when it went into war, was moving toward a more elastic +form of government. That it failed in the experiment was due to +German intrigue, and not to lack of desire of the Russian people for +self-government. + +On the other hand, the people of the Central Powers, Germany and +Austria-Hungary, have accepted--sometimes with mutterings of revolt, +but eventually with resignation--the idea that their rulers derived +authority from some divine source. Few nations in modern times have +had less voice in the government of their country than the people of +Germany. For, under the German constitution, Germany is governed by its +Emperor, with its legislative power in two bodies, the _Bundesrat_ +and the _Reichstag_. Now, the United States puts its legislative +power into two bodies, the Senate and the House of Representatives. +France puts power into the Chamber of Deputies, England into the +House of Commons and the House of Lords. But England is shearing the +power of the House of Lords, and in our country the Senate and the +House of Representatives are elected by and are directly responsible +to the voters of the country. Here, as in France and in England, the +vote is not restricted by wealth or by class. In Germany the vote is +so arranged that 370 rich men have the same voting power as 22,324 +poor men in one district, Cologne; while the _Bundesrat_ is merely a +diplomatic assembly, representing the kingdoms of the German Empire, an +assembly which the King of Prussia absolutely dominates, and through +which he becomes, as Emperor of Germany, absolute ruler of the empire. +For the _Reichstag_ has no power to make or unmake ministries, or to +control the Emperor in any way. The Emperor appoints the chancellor, +and the chancellor is answerable only to him. So that in the long run, +although it has a constitutional form, the government of Germany is the +Emperor of Germany and the military group known as Junkers with whom he +has surrounded himself. + +The Emperor of Germany and the Junkers of his Prussia forced the +present war. They prepared for it during years while the rest of the +world was keeping peace. They justified it to their people on the +ground that Germany needed new territory, new trade, new markets. +Although she was gaining the trade and markets without war, Germany’s +leader made this their excuse to their people, and when they were ready +they went to war for the purpose of imposing their form of government +upon peoples who did not want it, of forcing their rule upon nations +opposed to their ideas. Serbia lay in their path of conquest into +Asia, and so they caused Austria, their tool, to make an excuse of the +assassination by a Serbian of an Austrian archduke, and declare war on +the small nation. Then Germany invaded Belgium, with which it was not +at war, to get to France, against which war had been declared. Belgium +resisted. England entered the conflict. The struggle was on. + +Month after month the aggressions of Germany caused new nations to +break off relations with her. Italy and Japan entered the war. China, +most peaceful of nations in her relations with the outside world, +broke off relations. One after another of the South American republics +were forced to do the same. The United States, after a long period of +patient endurance of German insults, attacks on our commerce, intrigues +and plots in our own country, restriction of our maritime activities in +defiance of international law, was finally driven to announcement of +the existence of a state of war. The lines were drawn. Democracy was +making a stand for its life against autocracy, the freemen of the world +against the bondsmen. + +It is right and fitting that the United States of America should take +her place in a war which is being fought for those principles for +which she has stood since her coming into nationhood. For more than a +century and a quarter she has been, like the Statue of Liberty in the +harbor of New York, a symbolic figure to the world beaconing men to +freedom. It is in line with her history that she should go to Europe +for the same cause for which she has fought all her wars--defense of +the weaker against the stronger, the right of people to determine their +own governments, the right of all to be free. + +There is a story told of General Pershing’s entrance into Paris. He was +taken to the tomb of Lafayette. His hosts crowded about him, waiting +for his speech. But, like all American soldiers, Pershing is no orator. +“Well, Lafayette,” he said, “we’re here!” That was all. But France, +hearing, understood. America was there, to fight side by side with +them, to suffer with them, to die with them, that the cause of liberty +for which Lafayette had fought on two continents might live. The world +war had menaced the United States in its sacred institution of freedom, +and the United States had met the challenge, and had come to fight for +that which is dearer than life--honor, and right, and justice. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +WHAT THE GREAT WAR REALLY MEANS + + +The history of the human race has been the history of man’s struggle +toward freedom. Because certain nations have seen the light sooner +than others, they have been the object of attack by these others, +primarily because the rulers of the latter have been shrewd enough +to see that revolution is contagious. A free neighbor threatens the +existence of a monarch who derives his power from the force with which +he has surrounded himself and from the blindness of his own people. A +free neighbor is therefore a menace to autocracy, and something to be +crushed. + +When the people of France, inspired by the example of the United +States, arose in revolution against their monarch, the revolution +shook the thrones of Europe. The King of France was closer in blood +to other royal families of Europe than he was to the people whom he +had governed. The Queen of France was a Hapsburg, of the royal family +of Austria, whose representatives were in almost every royal house of +the Continent of Europe. The success of the French Revolution was the +handwriting on the wall; and every Belshazzar on a throne had a Daniel +of statesmanship to tell him what it meant. + +Almost at once the Kings of Europe rallied against France, because free +France threatened the existence of the Kings. France fought valiantly. +The military establishment which she had to assume to protect her +rights, however, swung her out of the republican form of government +she had set up, and Napoleon Bonaparte, who won her wars, became her +Emperor. The change, however, did not swing back the French people into +any slavish acceptance of royalty. They held, in spite of Bonaparte’s +court, their fundamental democracy; and it was a democratic army which +France sent across Europe. Napoleon himself said that every private +carried a field-marshal’s bâton in his knapsack. Every man had a +chance for promotion. Every man had a chance to better his life. And, +because France remained fundamentally democratic, the Kings battled +against Bonaparte. They defeated him, finally; but they did not defeat +France, for its spirit remained free. + +Germany, nearest neighbor to France, had never known democracy. +Once part of the vast kingdom known as the Holy Roman Empire, +she had disintegrated into little states, kingdoms, duchies, and +archbishoprics, each ruled by one-man power. Sometimes a King, stronger +than the others, drew the kingdoms together for purposes of warfare +against other countries. Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, fought +against Austria. With him the power of Prussia rose. After his death +it declined so that Napoleon found the conquest of Prussia easy, and +went about it so thoroughly that he made the French conquest a profound +humiliation to the Prussians. Even his defeat at Waterloo failed to +pay the debt Prussia cherished against the French. + +It was in the time of Napoleon that the German people came nearer to +freedom of spirit than they had been before or have been since. For +in fighting a foreign enemy who sought power even as the Hohenzollern +ruler of Germany seeks it to-day, the youth of Germany glimpsed the +truth of democracy. With Napoleon’s defeat they stood ready to move +forward toward it. But again the Kings intervened. + +There was formed in Europe at that time the Holy Alliance, that same +group of Kings and Kingmakers who sought to restore to Spain its +revolting colonies in South America, and who held firmly to the idea of +the divine right of Kings. This Holy Alliance throttled free thought +in Germany. By 1848 revolutions for the right of freedom surged up +throughout the German states and kingdoms and principalities. They were +beaten down by the ruling powers, one helping the other. It was at this +time that the German emigration toward the United States began, for +the leaders of the revolution sought a land where they could be free. +Those who stayed came in time to accept the system which the rulers +imposed upon them. + +The putting down of the revolution of 1848 gave Prussia increased +power. She had a disciplined standing army, and a military +establishment. In 1862 William I became King. He made Bismarck his +prime minister, and the march of Prussia toward world conquest began. + +Bismarck made the whole Prussian nation into an army. Then he made +alliance with Austria to secure the duchy of Schleswig-Holstein from +Denmark. Then he provoked a quarrel with Austria so that Prussia might +deprive her of all influence over the other German states. He won his +object in a six-weeks’ war in 1866. But he was not satisfied with +the power he had won, for democratic France--democratic for all her +acceptance of another Napoleon for her throne--still threatened the +power of Kings who claimed that their power came from God, and not from +their people. + +Prussia waited its chance. When France was unprepared, a quarrel was +brought on, and the blow struck. Prussia took Alsace and Lorraine from +her. Then the King of Prussia was made Emperor of Germany. + +The territory which Prussia had acquired for the German Empire, for +Alsace and Lorraine are the richest mineral districts of France, +gave Germany opportunity for that industrial development which has +marked her history since the Franco-Prussian War. Germany’s population +overcrowded her territorial space. Germany grew rich and prosperous. +Germany became highly efficient in mechanical arts. German trade +reached out over the world, but found the barriers of the establishment +of other nations. The German army remained a great machine, officered +by Prussian nobles. Germany grew so mighty that she grew to believe +that might makes right. She had the might, and she made ready to +exercise it. + +First of all, she needed trade routes. She needed a way to the sea more +open than the Hamburg harbors. She wanted a road to Asia. She wanted +to control the gateway to the rich Orient. She wanted an empire that +would contain Austria-Hungary as well as Germany proper. And she set +out to win it all. + +In 1914 the situation was this: Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria, +was an old man, a sick man. His empire, composed of scores of +nationalities, held together by a thin thread. If he died, it might +disintegrate into groups of free peoples. Serbia, its near neighbor, +had won independence. The Balkan wars had shifted power to small states +that stood between Germany and the Orient. Russia was disaffected. A +revolution might come at any time that would dethrone the Czar. Unless +a war, and a great war, was started, many and great free nations would +soon surround Germany, cutting her off from the way to the Orient. +France, her hated neighbor, flaunted her free institutions in her +face and remembered Alsace and Lorraine. England cut her off from +unrestricted rule of the sea. To be sure, she was not eager to force +war with England, since the German navy had not arrived at the point +of preparedness of the German army. England could wait until Germany +had conquered the rest of Europe. Then, when England was conquered, +too, Germany would punish the United States for our “international +impertinence” as Bismarck called our policy of the Monroe Doctrine. It +was the time to strike. Germany, as usual in the Bismarckian policy, +made the occasion. + +Down in Bosnia, a Balkan state which Austria had seized and held +against the will of its people, an anarchist threw a bomb which killed +an Austrian archduke in June, 1914. For a time no action came of the +happening. Then Austria announced that she had discovered that the +assassination was the result of a Serbian plot, known to the Serbian +Government, Bosnia’s neighbor and the friend of her freedom. Therefore +she declared war on Serbia. Germany gave her consent to the ultimatum. +She was taking her opportunity. + +Knowing that a war of Austria against Serbia would open a way for her +own progress toward the East, Germany, being prepared to the last +gun and last man, forced the issue. She knew that Russia would rise +against her, but she knew, better than the Russian Government did, how +unprepared Russia was. On the first day of August, 1914, she declared +war against Russia. On the fourth day of August the _Reichstag_, the +people’s legislative body of Germany, met and for the first time +learned officially of what had been done. By that time the German +Government had put itself in a position of war against Russia, France, +Great Britain, and Belgium, a fact which proves how little the German +people had to say about the making of actual warfare. + +In utter contempt of a treaty which had been signed Germany invaded +Belgium on the way to France. Belgium resisted the invasion. A Chinese +schoolboy, writing of the event in a school in western Canada months +afterward, phrased the story better than any historian has done. +“Germany,” he wrote, “said to Belgium: ‘Let me through.’ Belgium said: +‘I am not a road. I am a nation.’” And Belgium proved to the world how +strong a small nation may be in courage. For she resisted Germany so +well that France had time to gather her forces for defense. The drive +to Paris was stopped. Prussia had announced that its armies would be in +Paris in an almost incredibly short time. + +In the meantime Germany made alliance with the Sultan of Turkey. The +war on the eastern front began. Hordes of Austrians and Germans swarmed +over Poland into Russia, and back again as Russia beat them back, +then forward again as Russia collapsed. In Egypt, in Palestine, in +Mesopotamia war has raged. Japan joined. China broke off relations with +Germany. Japan holds troops at the eastern end of the Russian-Siberian +railway, waiting for the word of the Allies to strike westward. + +In the west the war has remained almost stationary since the initial +sweep of the German hordes; but eastward Germany has driven her +armies toward her goal. Russia has disintegrated, pulled apart by the +insidious forces of German intrigue. Germany has the open way to the +East. She has the resources of Austria-Hungary, of Russia, of Asia +Minor at her command. + +Had it not been for Germany’s idea that she could conquer the world +in one war, an idea supported by her eastward conquests, she might be +nearer to ultimate success than she is to-day. For the entrance of the +United States into the war, provoked by German measures of attack on +American commerce, has materially changed the issue. It has put heart +into the Allies, as well as opening up the field of supplies of men and +munitions for them. Our country has barely begun to fight, for it has +taken a year to bear to France the necessary troops and equipment. + +However long the war may be, it is one that must be fought to the end. +For, as a river purifies itself as it flows, so has the issue of the +war defined itself as it has progressed. In its beginning Germany +strove to make the world believe that it was a trade war between +Austria and Serbia which Russia had entered for the injury of Austria +and which had been forced on Germany in Austria’s defense. Then she +claimed that she fought England “for the freedom of the seas.” The +war against Belgium was “a military necessity,” the submarine warfare +against neutral nations “a retaliatory measure against blockade.” But +in the long run Germany’s war is the war of the military caste of the +world against the free peoples, the war of government holding power +by force against government holding power by popular vote, the war of +military establishment against peaceful ideals; and until it is won by +those who fight Germany there can be no lasting peace in the world. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +HOW THE WAR CAME TO THE UNITED STATES + + +The great war, beginning in 1914, brought to most Americans no idea +that our country would ever be more than a watcher of it. That we +ourselves would one day become part of it--and one of the greatest +parts of it--was something beyond the imagination of most men. America +had lived apart from other nations. For, although our government had +made treaties with foreign nations, and become part of The Hague +Conference, and been drawn to some extent into international politics, +we had none of the ambitions which draw nations into ordinary wars. We +had no desire for colonies, we had no jealousy of other nations, we had +no fear of neighboring governments. In fact, Americans believed that +wars were going out of fashion, and that western Europe, any more than +ourselves, was not likely to go to war. The coming of the conflict was +therefore a shock to us, but not one that brought us to realize that we +were likely to take part in it. + +When Germany invaded Belgium with no excuse other than that progress +through that nation afforded the quickest way to France the people of +the United States awoke to their first knowledge of what militarism +may mean. Although people of German birth or parentage in America +were inclined to accept Germany’s attempted justification of military +necessity, the sympathies of most Americans went to Belgium and became +one of the important factors in determining the country’s attitude +toward the war. For the United States had always stood for principles +of justice and humanitarianism. The stories of how Germany treated the +civilian population of Belgium, stories which were verified by the +later reports of such non-partisan investigators as Brand Whitlock, +American minister to Belgium, aroused American sentiment against German +military methods. + + [Illustration: _Copyright Newspaper Illustrations, Ltd._ + + Belgium refugees between Malines and Brussels + + When Germany invaded Belgium ... the people of the United States awoke + to their first knowledge of what militarism may mean] + +There were people in the United States who believed that our country +should go to war in defense of Belgium, just as we had gone to war to +free Cuba from the dominion of Spain when the rule of Spain on that +island became cruelly oppressive. But our government, believing that +the war was not a parallel instance, since it had not yet violated +those fundamental principles of our national life that had been struck +at by Spain, refused to consider such action, and the people fell back +into consideration of the causes and progress of the war abroad. + +It began to be clear, as German forces crossed Belgium and plunged +into France, while at the same time German forces swept eastward, that +Germany had evolved the definite scheme of world conquest which her +later demands and movements have proven. The American people, however, +were slow to believe this intention of Germany. Bit by bit only our +country began to see that Germany was pushing forward a gigantic plan +of territorial aggression, and with all that we heard and some that +we believed, we were slow to see how this plan could affect the United +States. + +Because we had lived apart from the rest of the world we would probably +have continued to feel that, terrible as the war which Germany had +begun was, it was not our war, and that all we were expected to do +was to remain genuinely neutral and to give such assistance as the +international law permitted neutral nations to give the wounded and +stricken. But Germany would not allow us to remain apart. The ruling +class of Prussia, headed by the Kaiser, grown mad with power and the +desire for more power, put into operation methods that forced us toward +war. + +Germany’s progress into this war had, as we have seen, struck blows at +those principles for which America had struggled, the principles of +individual freedom, of international peace, of the freedom of the seas. +For any one of these ideals the republic might have rushed into war; +but it was only when the American people came to know that Germany was +plotting not only to overthrow the Monroe Doctrine but actually against +the American Government here in the United States that we were roused +to desire for conflict to uphold our national honor. + +“It is plain enough how we were forced into war,” President Wilson +declared in his Flag Day Address of June 14, 1917. “The extraordinary +insults and aggressions of the Imperial German Government left us no +self-respecting choice but to take up arms in defense of our rights as +a free people and of our honor as a sovereign government. The military +masters of Germany denied us the right to be neutral. They filled +our unsuspecting communities with vicious spies and conspirators and +sought to corrupt the opinions of our people in their own behalf. +When they found that they could not do that, their agents diligently +spread sedition amongst us and sought to draw our own citizens from +their allegiance; and some of those agents were men connected with the +official embassy of the German Government in our own capital. + +“They sought by violence to destroy our industries and arrest our +commerce. They tried to incite Mexico to take up arms against us +and to draw Japan into a hostile alliance with her; and that, not +by indirection, but by direct suggestion from the Foreign Office +in Berlin. They impudently denied us the use of the high seas and +repeatedly executed their threat that they would send to their death +any of our people who ventured to approach the coasts of Europe. + +“Many of our own people were corrupted. Men began to look upon their +own neighbors with suspicion and to wonder in their hot resentment +whether there was any community in which hostile intrigue did not +lurk. What great nation in such circumstances would not have taken up +arms? Much as we desired peace, it was denied us, and not of our own +choice. The flag under which we serve would have been dishonored had we +withheld our hand.” + +The President of the United States stated America’s case against +Germany mildly. Evidence of the bad faith of the government of Germany +to the government of the United States is piled in the archives of the +State Department in Washington. The honest efforts of our government +to establish honest relations with them were met by German officials +with quibbles, misrepresentations, counter-accusations, and continuing, +deliberate delays. German high officials kept us in humiliating waiting +while German official agents in this country, protected by the rules +of diplomatic immunity from criminal prosecution, used their trust +to conspire against our internal peace. Agents of the German Embassy +placed spies through the length and breadth of our country. They put +their agents at work in Japan and in Latin America while they were +professing to be our friends. They bought newspapers and employed +speakers for the purpose of rousing distrust of us in those countries. +They incited insurrection in Cuba, in Haiti, and in Santo Domingo. +They did their best to arouse against us the Danish West Indies. They +spread suspicion of us and our motives in South America. They conducted +an attack upon the Monroe Doctrine such as no other nation had ever +attempted. + +For a time the government of the United States tried to take the view +that this intrigue, plotting, spying, and insidious warfare was the +work of irresponsible agents, not countenanced by the Imperial German +Government; but the proof was too strong. The government finally had +to request the recall of the Austro-Hungarian ambassador and of the +German military and naval attachés, presenting proof of their criminal +violations of our hospitality. Their governments offered no reply to +us, issued no reprimands to them. + +In spite of all this the temper of the American people was that we +should keep out of war as long as it was possible to maintain our +national honor without war. The President even began the preparation of +a communication to the warring nations, asking them to define their +war aims, as this would be a step toward peace. Before this note was +completed, the German Government sent out a communication, asking the +same definition. But the German Government issued this document on the +idea that the German armies had triumphed, and incorporated in it a +threat to neutral governments. From a thousand sources, official and +unofficial, word came to our government that unless the United States +used her influence to end the war on the terms dictated by Germany, +Germany and her allies would consider themselves free from obligation +to respect the rights of neutrals. The Kaiser was frankly ordering the +neutral nations of the world to force those Powers which fought him to +accept the peace he offered. If they failed to do this, Germany would +resume her submarine warfare on neutral commerce with new ruthlessness. + +The President, continuing his own purpose, finished his note to both +sides, sending it on the 18th of December, 1916. Both sides replied, +the Powers who resisted Germany declaring that their principal +end in the war was the lasting restoration of peace. Germany and +her associates refused to state their terms, and merely proposed a +conference--another method of delay. The President, in an address to +the Senate on the 22d of January, 1917, outlined the terms of the peace +which the United States could honorably join in guaranteeing. + +“No peace can last,” he stated, “or ought to last, which does not +recognize and accept the principle that governments derive all their +just powers from the consent of the governed, and that no right +anywhere exists to hand people about from sovereignty to sovereignty as +if they were property.... + +“I am proposing government by the consent of the governed; that +freedom of the seas which in international conference after conference +representatives of the United States have urged with the eloquence of +those who are the convinced disciples of liberty; and that moderation +of armaments which makes of armies and navies a power for order merely, +not an instrument of aggression or of selfish violence.” + +Six days earlier, on the 16th of January, the German secretary of +foreign affairs had secretly despatched a communication to the German +minister in Mexico, informing him that Germany intended to repudiate +its pledge made to the United States to discontinue submarine warfare +on neutral ships, and instructing him to offer to the Mexican +Government New Mexico and Arizona if Mexico would join with Japan in +attacking the United States. + +On the last day of January, 1917, the German ambassador to the United +States, Count Bernstorff, brought to the secretary of state a note +in which Germany announced her purpose of intensifying her submarine +warfare. The German chancellor stated in Germany that the reason that +this policy had not been put into force earlier was simply because his +government had not been ready to act. + +On the 3d of February, 1917, the President announced to both houses of +Congress the complete severance of our relations with Germany. Count +Bernstorff went to Berlin, and James W. Gerard, American ambassador to +Germany, was recalled to this country. Count Bernstorff had begged that +no irrevocable decision of war be made until he had the chance to make +one final plea for peace to the Kaiser. If he made the plea, he failed. +The submarine warfare began again in greater violence. And on the +twelfth day of March our government ordered the placing of armed guards +on our merchant ships. + +With the Sixty-fourth Congress dissolved on the 4th of March, we had +come to the door of the greatest war in the history of the world. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +HOW THE UNITED STATES WENT INTO WAR + + +One hundred and thirty years before the great war of Europe came +to the threshold of the United States a group of wise, far-sighted +statesmen met in the city of Philadelphia to make a constitution for +the governing of the Colonies whose independence had just been won. +They desired, above all things, to establish a government which would +stand the test of time and remain a government of the people, by the +people, and for the people. For months they deliberated, bringing to +the meetings all the wisdom, all the ideals, all the visioning they +had acquired from long study, and from victorious, righteous warfare. +Finally they--the fathers of our republic--completed a document that +has governed the United States of America and become to the world a +model of democratic government. + +In this document, which was ratified by the States then existing and +which became the law of those States which were admitted to the nation, +its makers set down certain rules governing the making of war. + +The Constitution divided the government into three branches: the +executive, the legislative, and the judicial. In order that no one of +them might have too much power, the duties of each were determined +and divided. The executive, of which the President is chief, could do +certain deeds and duties. The judicial had the final determination of +the right of enacting certain laws, saying whether or not later laws, +made by Congress, conformed to the original Constitution. But to the +legislative, represented by two houses of Congress, the Senate and the +House of Representatives, the Constitution granted certain very clear +powers. + +Among these powers was the power to declare war. In autocracies +monarchs declare war; but in a democracy such as ours it is right and +just that the power of declaring war should rest with that body most +directly responsive to the people of the nation. The Congress is such +a body. The Constitution therefore gave to Congress the right of war +declaration; and nothing better illustrates the difference between +autocracy and democracy than the fact that the Emperor of Germany had +thrust his country into war three days before the German _Reichstag_, +which is the limited popular assembly of the empire, knew officially of +its existence, while the President of the United States had to summon +Congress into special session for consideration of the war problem. + +On the second day of April, 1917, the President went before the +Congress which he had summoned. Beneath the dome of the white Capitol +in the city of Washington, while a world waited breathlessly for +the verdict of the great nation, he read his message to the men who +represent the people of the United States. In that message he set down +the case of the United States against Germany. Only twice before in +the history of America--at the beginning of the War of the Revolution +and at the beginning of the war between the States--had there been so +momentous an occasion. Upon the men assembled in the Senate and the +House of Representatives depended the honor, the future of the nation, +and the honor and the future of democracy. + +“It is a war,” the President read to them, “against all nations.... The +challenge is to all mankind. Each nation must decide for itself how +it will meet it. The choice we make for ourselves must be made with a +moderation of counsel and a temperateness of judgment befitting our +character and our motives as a nation. We must put excited feelings +away. Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the +physical might of the nation, but only the vindication of right, of +human right, of which we are only a single champion.” + +In that spirit the Congress listened. In that spirit they heard the +voice of the man who was speaking not for himself but for our United +States, not for our generation alone but for the generations who +have passed and the generations who will come, when he said: + + [Illustration: _From a photograph by G. V. Buck, Underwood & Underwood._ + + President Wilson delivering his war message + + On the second day of April, 1917 ... while a world waited breathlessly + for the verdict of the great nation, President Wilson read his message + to the men who represent the people of the United States] + +“The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted +upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish +ends to serve. We desire no conquests, no dominion. We seek no +indemnities for ourselves, no material compensations for the sacrifices +we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights +of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as +secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them.” + +With the weight of the gravest responsibility an American Congress has +ever raised falling upon their shoulders, they gave heed as the chief +executive brought to them the issue: + +“It is a distressing and oppressive duty, gentlemen of the Congress, +which I have performed in thus addressing you. There are, it may be, +many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful +thing to lead this great, peaceful people into war, into the most +terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to +be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we +shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our +hearts--for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority +to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties +of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert +of free people as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make +the world itself at last free. + +“To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything +that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those +who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend +her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and +happiness, and the peace which she has treasured. + +“God helping her, she can do no other.” + +The Congress of the United States deliberated, through three days and +three nights, while the world waited, upon the question of war. On +the 2d of April, the very day of the President’s message, the war +declaration passed the Senate with a vote of 82 yeas and 6 nays. On +the 5th of April, it passed the House of Representatives with a vote +of 373 yeas and 70 nays. America had spoken, and the voice of America +thundered this message to Germany: + +“Whereas the Imperial German Government has committed repeated acts +of war against the Government and the people of the United States of +America: Therefore be it + +“_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United +States of America in Congress assembled_, That the state of war between +the United States and the Imperial German Government which has thus +been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and +that the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to +employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States +and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the +Imperial German Government; and to bring the conflict to a successful +termination all the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the +Congress of the United States.” + +The United States of America had gone into its greatest war. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS DOING IN THE WAR + + +When a military nation of the type of Germany goes into war the +entrance is but a step forward out of the preparations which it has +been making for years; but when a peace-loving, peace-observing nation +of the type of the United States goes into war the entrance is a +revolution in the thoughts, habits, and intentions of the people. + +The declaration by Congress of the existence of a state of war with +Germany found the United States with the greatest resources of any +nation in the world but without the sort of military machinery +necessary for prosecution of the conflict. The readjustment of the +nation from ordinary occupations into war-making occupations has been +a gigantic task, and one that has been accomplished only through the +intelligent patriotism of the citizens of the nation, co-operating +with the government. + +The first concern of the nation was the increase of our army and +navy to a size commensurate to the part we were about to take in the +conflict. Neither the army nor the navy came near to the strength +which the nation knew to be imperative for the winning of the war. +For, although the exact part which the United States would take in +the struggle was to be determined later by conferences with the war +councils of the other nations fighting Germany, it was certain that we +would require a vast army and an adequate navy. + +Congress having voted that the United States should undertake extensive +military preparation, the duty of providing that preparation fell upon +the executive branch of our government. It was provided that the army +of the United States should consist of the Regular Army, the National +Guard, and the National Army. The law provides that, when these armies +are assembled, there shall be no difference between the Regular Army, +the National Guard, and the National Army. Every man in the army, no +matter in what service, is equal in dignity, in responsibility, and in +opportunity to every other man of the same rank in the army. + +The first year of the conflict has been largely occupied with the +assembling of these armies, and in the despatch of those trained for +battle duty to France. To insure this despatch in safety the navy has +been greatly increased in size and efficiency, although it stands to +the honor of America that her navy proved itself instantly worthy of +her trust. + +With the beginning of the war there was a rush of men to enlist in the +Regular Army and in the National Guard, which was to be part of the +army of the United States. The government, however, decided upon a +method of service, known as selective service and sometimes called “the +draft,” which would be more democratic and fair than the enlistment +method, and which would supplement the other methods. + +The selective-service law, passed by Congress on the 18th of May, +1917, established a class of men between the ages of twenty-one +and thirty-one from which the President may draft soldiers. All +men between those ages were enrolled on the 5th of June, 1917. The +administration of the draft is in the hands of the War Department under +the supervision of the President. Every voting district has a local +draft board, and every congressional district a board of appeal, which +decides contested cases. All men between the ages given are subject +to service, unless they are exempted for reasons allowed by law. No +exemptions can be bought. No substitutions can be made. The richest man +in the country of draft age is as subject to service as the poorest +man. Exemptions are permitted those men who are supporting dependants +who cannot support themselves, those men who are working in occupations +necessary for the winning of the war, such as ship-building and the +making of munitions of war, and those men who are physically unfit for +war service. + +In the registration 9,659,382 men enrolled. By a drawing system +conducted publicly in the Capitol of the United States at Washington +the order by which these men were to go in the army was determined by +lot. The President issued instructions to the exemption boards on the +2d of July, and the first National Army of 687,000 men was called to +service on the 5th of September, 1917. + +Following this call every man in the rest of the nearly 10,000,000 men +received a document, known as a questionnaire, which gave a number of +questions to be answered, and which he filled out. According to his +answers the local board determined to what class he belongs. There +are five groups of selective service, ranged according to a man’s +obligations and his occupation. Single men without dependent relatives +head the first class. Licensed pilots, who are so necessary to +navigation as to be almost indispensable, end the last class. No fairer +system of military service was ever devised. + +For the training of this army arrangements had to be made. The +government set about the building of camps, called cantonments, for the +use of the National Guard and the National Army while their various +units were being prepared for service abroad. Most of these camps +are in the South so that the men may have less hardship during the +winter season. Some of the camps were completed in September, 1917. +The construction of every camp was a great engineering achievement. +Camp Meade is the second largest city of Maryland, and every camp is +in itself a great community. There are thirty-three of these camps, +or cantonments, extending from Atlantic to Pacific and from the Gulf +of Mexico to the Canadian border in their locations. Here the men are +trained into service, and cared for in various ways while they are +being trained. + +Training-camps for officers were also established where men were taught +the science of warfare and the leading of other men. In addition to +the army, training-camps for the United States marines, who are in the +naval service, were established. Special branches of service, such +as aviation, had special camps. + + [Illustration: Recruits of the National Army waiting at the booths of + a National Army cantonment] + +On the fourth day of July, 1917, the news came to the United States +that the first division of the American Expeditionary Forces, under +the command of General John Pershing, had landed in France. American +troops began intensive training with French and British soldiers, and +when they were judged ready, took their places on the battle-lines. Day +after day the casualty lists have recorded the deaths and injuries of +American soldiers in the war. Our country is paying the price for the +liberty we have enjoyed, and which we struggle to hold. + +Every day sees new divisions sailing eastward on their way to Europe. +The shipyards of the country are busy night and day in the building of +ships to convoy troops and supplies to the battle-fronts, and to the +countries of the peoples who fight with us against Germany. + +For upon the United States has fallen the task, not only of supplying +men for fighting with the men of France and Great Britain on the +western front, but of supplying food, clothing, and ammunition. +Depleted by the years of devastating warfare, our fellow fighters look +to us for sustenance. And we are not failing them. + +One of the sinews of war is money. Nations must raise vast sums to keep +up armies. Soldiers must be fed and clothed, and given guns and bullets +with which to defend themselves. If they have families at home, their +families must be supported. The government of the United States does +all this for the men in its army and navy. And the people of the United +States stand back of the government to pay for these needs. Besides +the government, certain private enterprises are aiding the soldiers, +sailors, and all the victims of war abroad, as well as those needing +aid at home for various reasons connected with the change that war +brings. Only a certain percentage of our population may go overseas to +fight, but to every American is given the opportunity of standing back +of the lines and doing the part asked of him. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +REAR-LINE TRENCHES + + +Back of the firing-lines of battle are other lines which must be held +by the fighting nations, if a war is to be won. These lines, which +may be called the rear-line trenches of conflict, are the means of +supply by which the armies at the front are fed and clothed, and given +ammunition, and cared for in every way that will make them better +soldiers. It is on these lines that the civilian population of a nation +gives help to the fighting men. It is in these trenches that the men, +and women, and children of a country may do their part for the soldiers +and sailors who have to go into the actual battles. + +Because the United States is a democracy, fighting in a great struggle +for the principles of democracy, it follows that our country has +enlisted the service of every American to win the war. There is no +one in the nation who may not help, since every one may do something +to give actual, immediate, necessary aid to the men at the front, and +those who are on their way to the front. + +This aid has been given, and is being given, in many ways. Through +food conservation, Liberty Loans, War Thrift and Savings Stamps and +Certificates, the Red Cross, the Young Men’s Christian Association, +the Young Men’s Hebrew Association, the Knights of Columbus, the Young +Women’s Christian Association, and various other organizations which +are working for the welfare of the soldiers, sailors, and marines, +almost every person in the United States old enough to understand that +the country is at war has helped toward the winning of the war. + +Some of these methods, such as food conservation, and the raising of +money through Liberty Loans and the sale of War Thrift Stamps, have +been used directly by the government. Others have been semi-private +enterprises with governmental sanction. All of them have been for the +purpose of helping the men who have been doing the actual fighting, +so that every one in the nation who has done what he could for these +causes has been fighting his country’s battles in the trenches back of +the front. + + +FOOD CONSERVATION + +Napoleon, the one-time Emperor of the French and the greatest general +of modern warfare, said that “an army travelled on its stomach.” He +meant that no army could go faster than its food-supply. Although the +method of warfare has changed since the century ago when he fought, the +truth of his statement remains. No army can win battles unless it is +properly fed. + +When the United States went into the great war the government of our +country knew that a vast amount of certain kinds of food must be +shipped abroad to feed those soldiers whom we would send across and +those soldiers of the nations on whose side we were to fight against +Germany. France and Belgium, devastated by the invading armies of the +Germans, could not raise food enough for their own populations, to +say nothing of the defending armies. England, with her men fighting +abroad, and with only a comparatively small area of farming land, could +not do much more. Canada was sending millions of bushels of wheat and +thousands of tons of other food-supplies monthly to the Allies, but the +need was infinitely greater than the supply. It therefore became the +first duty of our country to send to those nations which were fighting +in the same cause all the food which we could possibly spare, in order +that their soldiers, and our soldiers when they came, would be properly +fed. + +Although the United States produces great quantities of food products +every year, only certain kinds of food could be sent abroad. It was +necessary to send the kind of food that would take up the least space +in shipment and have the greatest nourishment. The greatest demand was +for wheat, and even our country could not--without saving at home--send +to Europe as much as was required. In order that the people of the +United States might be taught how to save wheat and other foods needed +for our troops and the Allies, the government established a food +administration for the double purpose of taking over this instruction +and of devising other methods of food saving. The success of both +branches of service has been due to the intelligent co-operation of the +American people with the officers of the food administration; but it +has been in the actual savings by individual Americans that the sum of +sacrifice has been attained. + +It may not seem a soldier’s duty to refrain from eating white bread +on certain days designated by the government. It may not seem a +patriot’s duty to keep from eating sugar or pork on other days; but it +is none the less a duty as certain as that one which his commanding +officer assigns to the soldier in the ranks, and one which should be +as carefully followed. The following of it has enabled the United +States to ship abroad wheat, pork, sugar, and other foodstuff in +quantities sufficient to keep fed the people who are actually fighting +the enemy. The man, woman, or child who has saved at home the kind of +food that the government has needed to send abroad, and who has used +the substitutes, has done a patriotic duty and his share of keeping the +rear-line trench where he is placed. + + +FUEL CONSERVATION + +Coal is one of the essential means of making war. Without coal ships +cannot cross the seas, bearing soldiers. Without coal the great +factories where guns and bullets, powder and cannon, uniforms and +equipment are made for our army and navy could not run. Because of many +reasons there was during 1917 a shortage of 50,000,000 tons of coal. +The government therefore appointed a fuel administrator for the purpose +of finding ways to make up this shortage so that ships would not be +delayed nor factories stopped where munitions for our soldiers and +sailors were being made. + +The fuel administrator ordered the shutting down of the use of +electric lights where these were not absolutely needed, and also, when +the shortage was most acute, the shutting down of all factories not +employed in munitions-making for a certain period of time. This was why +there were so-called “lightless” nights and “coalless” days. The people +were also asked to save fuel in their homes as much as possible. The +result was a saving of fuel that was used for war purpose directly. + + +WAR FINANCE + +In the old days, when Kings hired men of other nations to help their +own armies fight their wars, it used to be said that the victory went +to that side which had the most money. Some wars where countries with +practically no money fought against rich nations and defeated them, +because of superior valor and courage of their men, proved that it +was not money, but men, which won wars. The fact remains, however, +that money is absolutely necessary for any country to carry a war to +success. Soldiers must be fed and clothed, and given guns and bullets +and cannon, as well as proper care. All this takes money. + +A government has two ways of raising money. One of these ways, the +older way, is by taxation. The government says to the citizen: “You +have property worth so much money. We shall require you to give us +a certain percentage of that money. You have an income of so many +dollars. We shall take from you part of it, according to your wealth.” +Or the government may put a tax on tea, or coffee, or clothes, or any +other article which people use. All this is perfectly right and legal +as a means of raising money for the prosecution of a war in which the +government must direct the people, to win. + +The other method of raising money by the government is the sale of +bonds. Bonds are really promises made by a corporation to pay at a +certain stated time, with interest, the amount which the purchaser +gives for them. For instance, when a railroad company wants to get +money enough to make some necessary improvements, it issues bonds +at a certain rate of interest, payable at a certain time. If the +improvements help the railroad, and the company makes money by having +done this, the person who buys the bond usually finds that his purchase +has increased in value because of the certainty of the interest +payments. It is this certainty of payment, both principal and interest, +which has always made United States bonds such good investments. It is +not hard for a man who has good property to secure a mortgage upon it. + +The United States is the richest country in the world. The government +of the United States has at its command the greatest resources of any +nation. Therefore, the government could raise more money than any other +agency. + +When the war came to our country, the government had the choice of +raising money by taxation or by the sale of bonds. In order to make +the task as easy on the people as possible the government, through its +officers, decided to combine the systems. Through the Internal Revenue +Bureau of the Treasury of the United States the government set about +the collection of taxes imposed by Congress, and designed to raise +money for the winning of the war. And the secretary of the treasury +announced the opening of the first Liberty Loan. + +The Liberty Loans are really bond sales. Through them the government +sells to the people bonds, which are promises to pay the money which +the government borrows. These bonds are promises to pay the purchasers +at the end of a certain number of years the amount which they pay for +them. In the meantime they pay semi-annual interest. These bonds are +investments. Buying them is not making a gift to the government. It is, +rather, letting the government make a gift to you. + +In order to have money enough to purchase bonds, however, hundreds of +thousands of people have had to make sacrifices during the course of +the Liberty Loans; and it is only when they have made sacrifice, when +they have given up clothes they wanted, or vacations they thought they +needed, or pleasure they would have sought, that they are really doing +something for the country. But so many millions of men and women and +children have bought Liberty Bonds and are continuing to buy Liberty +Bonds that their purchase has become one of the great patriotic +movements of our country in this war. + +In the War of the Revolution, Robert Morris, of Philadelphia, loaned +money to General Washington’s army. History has made famous his name +because he had faith enough in his country and love enough for his +country to loan money to her in the hour of her need. In this great war +every man, every woman, every boy, every girl in the United States has +the opportunity of becoming a Robert Morris. + +For, although the lowest denomination of a Liberty Bond is fifty +dollars, the government has devised a method by which every one who +has any money at all can help in the war. The treasury has issued War +Thrift Stamps and War Savings Certificates so that any one who has +money at all--no matter how little--may do his share. The stamps may +be bought almost everywhere for twenty-five cents. In January, 1918, a +certificate cost $4.12. In every month which followed it cost one cent +more. But it will bring back to the holder of it in 1923 five dollars. +The stamps may be exchanged for certificates, as soon as the saver has +enough of them, with the odd amount added, to make the purchase. + +Since every one in the nation who has twenty-five cents may buy a +Thrift Stamp, it is almost certain that every one in the United States +can help the government win the war by making the purchase. And it is +by the individual efforts that the money will be raised, and the war +won. + + [Illustration: Children selling Thrift Stamps + + The Treasury has issued War Thrift Stamps and War Savings Certificates + so that any one who has money at all--no matter how little--may do his + share] + + +THE RED CROSS + +From an auxiliary branch of a great organization the American Red +Cross has become one of the great agencies of the war. Before the +United States entered the conflict, the American Red Cross had been +the great relief agency among the peoples of the stricken districts of +western Europe. Food, clothing, a new chance at life had been given +the stricken. Back of the battle-fields the soldiers, wounded in the +struggles, were cared for. Even in Germany the American Red Cross had +made easier the lot of the prisoners of war. With our entrance into the +war the organization became one of the great factors in our country’s +means of caring for the welfare of our fighters. + +The American Red Cross, of which the President of the United States is +honorary chairman, is the means through which volunteer aid is given to +the sick and wounded men of the army and navy, to sufferers in the war +zones, and to the families of men in the service. + +There are two classes of Red Cross service, civilian and military. The +civilian relief includes the care and education of destitute children +in the war zone, the care of mutilated soldiers, the care of sick and +wounded soldiers, the relief of the devastated districts of France and +Belgium, aid for prisoners of war and civilians sent back from bondage +in Germany to France and Belgium, and the prevention of tuberculosis. +It also includes care for the families of soldiers and sailors beyond +the aid given by the government. Military relief establishes and +maintains hospitals for sick and wounded soldiers in the American army +in France, and canteens, rest-houses, recreation-huts for American +soldiers and also for the soldiers of the other nations at war with +Germany. + +In the equipment of the hospitals and in the other relief work done +by the Red Cross a very great number of special articles, such as +bandages, garments, and other articles requiring skill in the making +were needed. Almost every woman and child in the United States has been +at work since the beginning of the war in making something for the Red +Cross, so that this semi-governmental activity has become one of the +most wide-spread forces in providing comforts and necessaries for our +army and navy, as well as for the relief of conditions in the war zone. + + +WELFARE WORK + +Both in the camps at home and in the trenches abroad the soldier needs +something besides the routine life provided for him by the government. +In order to give him recreation and pleasures, so that his life may be +normal even when he is away from home, several organizations have been +at work since the beginning of the war. The Commission on Training-Camp +Activities, the Young Men’s Christian Association, with its attendant +Young Men’s Hebrew Association, the Knights of Columbus, and the Jewish +Welfare Board have been among the many who have been working to make +the fighting men happier. These organizations have built rest-houses +and recreation-huts for the men. They have given entertainments for +them. They have supplied them with comforts, and have kept up a high +morality among them. The United Service Clubs have also been busy in +providing good lodgings for soldiers and sailors when they have been +out of the camps on leave. The Young Women’s Christian Association has +also done splendid work both for the men in the camps and for their +visiting relatives. + +In addition to the large organizations smaller ones are busy all over +the country in aiding the soldiers. Almost every town has some group of +people who are giving service to the men in the camps. In every city +and town through which the troop-trains have passed on their way from +the camps to the harbors where the soldiers would be placed on board +the transports, women have fixed food for the men, and children have +aided them in carrying this food to the stations. Large sums have been +raised to carry on the recreation service in the camps, both here and +in France, and the response of the American people to any request for +the soldiers and sailors has been speedy and inspiring. + +The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts of the United States have been +noteworthy in their work for our country. Three hundred and twenty +thousand Boy Scouts aided in the work of selling the bonds of the Third +Liberty Loan and of the sale of War Thrift Stamps. The Girl Scouts have +done all sorts of clerical and special work for the same cause, as well +as for various others. The children of every public school and almost +every private school in the United States have worked in some cause +or another for the winning of the war. With the men and women of the +country they have earned their place on the patriots’ roll. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE AMERICAN’S PART + + +Entering the great war after it had already waged for nearly three +years, the United States learned many of the lessons that experience +had taught to the Allies, and outlined a programme that was designed +to promote speed and efficiency. Every programme that is dependent +upon human action is, of course, imperfect; but the programme of our +country in this war has, at least, given to the citizens of our land +opportunity for service in the prosecution of the war. No man, woman, +or child in the nation need be idle or useless. He has the chance now +of helping his country as he has had in no other time in her history. + + [Illustration: Boys at work in their war garden + + No ... child in the nation need be idle or useless. He has the chance + now of helping his country as he has had in no other time in her + history] + +Why should the American help America? + +There is, to begin with, in the soul of every human being a love of +country that should come next to a love of God. Love of country +is not only next to love of God, but is part of genuine love of God. +No man who loves his God sincerely fails to love his country. Even +those countries which have not been kind or just, or fair to their +peoples, countries where men are not given the chance for freedom or +opportunity, have their patriots. But the United States of America, +more than any other country in the world, has given to her people +liberty, justice, opportunity, freedom. It is, therefore, the grateful +duty of every American to do what he can to keep his country what she +has been. + +For those men who are in the army or navy the duty is clear. They are +making the supreme sacrifice in standing ready to give their lives in +the defense of our nation. For those who stay at home the path may not +be as plain, but it is there, and no one should fail to find it and +travel upon it, for it is the road of patriotism, and patriotism is a +divine duty. + +The United States, as we have seen, entered the war to uphold those +principles of right which all great Americans, from Washington and +Patrick Henry to Abraham Lincoln, have cherished. For freedom of the +seas, for the safekeeping of the Monroe Doctrine, for the right of +arbitration in international disputes, for the right of small nations +to govern themselves, for the preservation of those free institutions +of democracy which the autocracy of Germany strives to conquer, our +nation took up the burden of conflict. While it is the first war in +which we have sent our troops to foreign soil, it is a war in keeping +with the basic principles of our nationality. It is being fought for +the same freedom for which the thirteen Colonies fought in the War of +the Revolution. It is being fought for the same maritime right for +which the War of 1812 was fought. Both these struggles were, it is +true, against England, who is now our cobelligerent in the war against +Germany. By our winning of those wars the United States helped the +people of England to see that light for which they are now sacrificing +everything. There were men in England, even in the times of the War of +the Revolution and in the War of 1812, who believed America right, and +who proclaimed their belief in the halls of Westminster. Their courage +and our success set beacons on the hills of history for the lighting +of those who followed. The same spirit that inspired our nation in its +beginnings is the spirit that inspires not only ourselves but those +against whom we fought until they, too, are fighting for it now on the +fields of Flanders and France. + +It is a war which is being fought for the same basic principles on +which the War of the States was fought in the sixties of the last +century. For while the North fought for the freedom of the slave, +the South fought, not for his continuation in bondage, but for the +rights of the separate States. Both issues were fundamentally right. +The greater--for the freedom of the individual is greater than the +constitutional right of a State--triumphed. But the spirit of both is +American, and part of our reason for entering this war. + +Since it is a war in keeping with American traditions, it is the part +of the American, in service or out of it, to keep up the standard of +our country in it. + +How shall he do it? + +Every man sees his own duty clearest. But there are certain lines of +life in which this duty is so clear that it is easy to mark. One of +these lines is that of the American of foreign birth or parentage, now +a citizen of the United States. Another is that of the families of +officers and soldiers. A third is that of the industrial workers of the +country. The men, women, and children in any one of these zones have +definite standards to uphold. If they fail to do so, they are not less +traitorous than the sentry who falls asleep at his post and lets the +enemy in. + +The American of foreign birth or parentage is a citizen of this country +because he or his parents saw that America offered an opportunity which +could not be secured in the old country. He is the recipient of favors +of freedom, liberty, and such wealth as he did not before enjoy. His +allegiance is doubly owed. It is therefore his part to do everything +in his power to prove his gratitude. It is his part to combat all +disloyalty, to uproot all treason, to stand firm for American +principles at home and abroad, to proclaim by word and deed his loyalty +to our country. + +Because this is a war for democracy it is the part of every American to +maintain that democracy at home and in deed as well as abroad and in +word. Military organizations have a tendency to create distinctions, +unless the people of the country keep close watch on themselves. +Military discipline must be maintained, but any line drawn between +officer and private must end with discipline and not be carried into +private life. The private in the ranks is as great an American, if he +does his duty, as the general in command; and no one knows it better +than the general. It is not in the army or navy, but in the civilian +families of soldiers and sailors, that the danger lies. Therefore, +it is the part of every member of these to bear in mind constantly +and continuously that every man in the service is equal; that the +commissioned officer is giving no more than the man in the ranks; and +that both are giving up everything else in life for the one thing of +paramount importance, the winning of the war. “No snobbery” is as good +and as great an American watchword as “Give me liberty, or give me +death.” For snobbery is the death of liberty as surely as the will of +a tyrant. The “Junker” class of Prussia is the officer class who look +down upon all others, and who have come to believe the world to have +been made for their rule. We are fighting “Junkerism” in Europe. It is +the American’s part to fight the slightest trace of it at home. + +Every war has its home heroes as well as its field heroes. Since this +war is, more than any other, a war of resources, it follows that the +part of labor is more important than it has been in any previous war. +If the working men and women of any one of the great warring nations +should refuse to continue at work, that nation would be defeated +as surely as if the armies had laid down their arms in the field. +American victory is as dependent upon American labor as it is upon +American manhood. And it is with pride that it may be said that +American labor has been found worthy of all American traditions. + +The United States has been pre-eminently the nation of the working +man. Its legislation has continuously tended toward the betterment of +his condition. Nowhere else in the world has he enjoyed the lot that +has been his in America. Nowhere else has he the voice, the power, the +future that our nation accords him. And upon him in this war has fallen +the duty of speeding up the war production of the country, a task so +important that those men of draft age engaged in such occupations have +been exempted from military service in order that they may continue at +their work. For the making of munitions is as necessary as the firing +of guns. + +It has become the duty of American labor to keep at the allotted tasks. +No one must shirk. No one must fail. No one must delay. No matter how +trivial the task may seem in the sum of the war work, it may be the one +whose lack of doing may be the breach in the wall through which the +enemy may enter. + + “For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost. + For the want of a shoe, the horse was lost. + For the want of a horse, the rider was lost. + For the want of the rider, the message was lost. + For the want of the message, the battle was lost. + For the loss of the battle, the kingdom was lost. + All for the want of the nail of a shoe.” + +And the maker of the horseshoe was one of the factors of his country’s +defeat! + +The civilian’s part in this war has been outlined by the President of +the United States in his proclamation of the 16th of April, 1917: + + [Illustration: The launching of the U. S. S. _Accoma_ + + Scarcely a minute after this 3,500-ton wooden cargo-ship had been + launched the keel of another ship was swung into place] + +“These, then, are the things we must do and do well besides +fighting--the things without which mere fighting would be fruitless; we +must supply abundant food for ourselves, our armies, and our seamen, +not only, but also for a large part of the nations with whom we have +common cause, in whose support and by whose side we are fighting. We +must supply ships by the hundreds out of our shipyards to carry to the +other side of the sea, submarines or no submarines, what will every day +be needed there, and abundant materials out of our fields and our mines +and our factories with which not only to cloak and equip our own forces +on land and sea, but also to clothe and support our people for whom the +gallant fellows under arms can no longer work; to help clothe and equip +the armies with which we are co-operating in Europe and to keep the +looms and manufactories there in raw materials; coal to keep the fires +going in the ships at sea and in the furnaces of hundreds of factories +across the sea; steel out of which to make arms and ammunition both +here and there; rails for worn-out railways back of the fighting +fronts; locomotives and rolling-stock to take the places of those every +day going to pieces; mules, horses, cattle, for labor and for military +service; everything with which the people in England, France, Italy, +and Russia have normally supplied themselves, but cannot now afford +the men, the materials, or the machinery to make.” + +America is the factory of the world. The American who stays at home is +the worker in the factory, and it is his part to do his work so well +that the man who fights overseas for the same cause may hold his hand +in the essential brotherhood of equal service. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE UNITED STATES AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM + + +In the soul of every human being, no matter how clogged it be by +traditions, lives the desire for freedom. It is this desire, this spark +of fire, which has peopled the continent of America. For, long before +the colonies revolted and established a republic the great territory +which has become the United States beckoned to the peoples of the Old +World a welcome to a land which would give them opportunity for the +freedom they sought. The whole history of the American colonies is +a history of the search of mankind for individual freedom in which +to work out his ideals without governmental interference. Political +refugees, religious refugees dared the dangers of the ocean to come to +the new land that they might live and worship as their souls urged them. + +The settlement of Massachusetts was made by the Puritans of England +who were seeking a refuge from the oppression they had suffered in +England on account of their religious beliefs and practices. They +braved the stormy northern Atlantic to come to the wilderness. They +braved the Indians to stay. They established their homes, their +schools, their meeting-houses, their government, and dwelt according +to the dictates of their consciences in that freedom which they had +desired. + +No less for freedom did William Penn and his colony of Quakers come to +the western hemisphere. They sought a place where they would be given a +chance to worship God according to their belief. A peaceful sect, they +sought peace, and they brought into the new country standards of living +that set their impress upon the infant nation. Liberal to others as +they desired liberality for themselves, they were destined to sow seeds +of thought that were to be harvested in the effects of the Constitution +of the republic, when it was formulated. + +The Huguenots in the Carolinas, fleeing religious persecution, found +haven. Lord Baltimore established the Maryland colony of English +Catholics who could not practise their religion in the old country. +And where the motive for the establishment of the colony was not in +itself purely a question of finding a place of religious freedom, the +interrelationship of the colonies became so close that in time the +spirit of religious freedom became warp of the fabric of the country +that was to be the American nation. + +Political freedom was promoted, in the beginning, by the distance of +the colonies from Europe. France, Spain, and England were too far +away, and ocean travel too hazardous, to make the bond between the +mother countries and the colonies tight. Men and women who had been +venturesome enough to cross the seas were not of the sort who would be +held for long by mere traditions of allegiance to old lands. Little by +little the people of the colonies gained larger measures of political +freedom until the time arrived when the unjust tax imposed by England +aroused them to revolt. The Boston Tea Party expressed the spirit of +America. The Declaration of Independence voiced America’s aspiration +and America’s intention. The War of the Revolution settled the right +of Americans to their own government. The Constitution of the United +States guaranteed to Americans their rights to the enjoyment of that +freedom which had been the mainspring of the foundation of the nation. + +Gradually the fact that this was a country where men could have a share +in the government, could speak their minds, could worship God in their +own way, could work out their ideals and ambitions without governmental +interference as long as these in no way conflicted with the interests +of law and order, went over the earth. It found its way into those +countries of Europe where men were eager for its coming. The English, +after the War of 1812, when the United States definitely established +our standing as a nation, were among the first to come as settlers. And +from other western countries of Europe came other settlers, led by the +knowledge that here could they enjoy individual freedom. + +To America, as to the Promised Land, flocked the Irish. Restless +under the English yoke, denied economic, political, religious, and +educational liberty by a government of an alien neighbor, the Irish +people turned westward. The famine and the political revolution of 1848 +sent them out from Ireland by the tens of thousands. To our land they +brought a passionate yearning for freedom and a passionate gratitude +to the country which opened it to them; and because they were, as a +people, gifted with the power of expressing their emotions, they spread +the fame of the United States broadcast over the world as a haven for +those who sought liberty. + +After them came the Germans, led by the political refugees of that +country who had incurred the enmity of Prussia in the Revolution of +1848, which had striven to bring some measure of freedom to the German +people. Denied it at home, hundreds of thousands of Germans came to +America to find liberty in their individual lives, to find opportunity. +It is these Germans and their descendants who, understanding what +the Prussian yoke means, have become among the best of our American +citizens. Knowing what they escaped, they know what America fights +against now. + +The third great movement of a people to the United States has been +the westward coming of the Jews. In this country, as in no other, +they possessed full religious freedom, and to this country they have +flocked from every land of Europe where they had huddled, unwelcome, +for centuries. Here they have found no opposition to their faith. Here +they have had full chance to worship as they would. For the first time +in thousands of years the Jew could build his temple unhindered. For +the first time since the Roman had gone into Palestine the Jew was a +citizen of the land in which he dwelt. + +Then came the peoples of eastern Europe, peoples of the vast empire +that is called Austria-Hungary for lack of a better name. Ruled by a +man not of their race, a man of one of the oldest, most corrupt, and +autocratic of the reigning families of Europe, they were struggling +upward toward freedom when the growing commercial dominion of the +United States took the word to them of our nation’s beacon. To us they +have literally surged. Among us they have found the freedom denied +their peoples at home. + +Another people sought the United States to attain freedom. The Poles, +oppressed on one side by Germany, on another by Austria, and on the +third by the autocratic government of Russia under the Czars, heard +the tale of the land of liberty, and set out for our shores in great +hordes. So many have they come that Chicago is the second largest +Polish city in the world, having almost as many Poles as Warsaw; and +Milwaukee, Buffalo, and other American cities attest the surging of the +Pole toward a land of liberty. + +In fact, there has been no country in Europe where people were +dissatisfied with their government that has not sent its people to the +United States. That France has sent the least number in proportion to +her population has been due largely to the fact that the people of +France had worked out for themselves a genuine democracy that satisfied +the souls of her sons and daughters. + +Through the hundred and forty-one years that had elapsed between the +calling of the Continental Congress and the entrance of the United +States into war against Germany this nation had been solidifying that +right of individual freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. The war +between North and South had been fought in defense of the right of a +human being to freedom as against the right of a State to separate +itself from the national government. The latter issue was lost, not +because it was wrong, but because it was not as vitally important in +the history of civilization as the former. For that men and women and +children should be held in bondage violated the spirit of America; +and the bondage had to be broken. “No government,” as Abraham +Lincoln said, “can exist half-slave and half-free.” + + [Illustration: An immigrant family qualified to enter the United + States + + There has been no country in Europe where people were dissatisfied + with their government that has not sent its people to the United + States] + +Some one has called America the melting-pot of the nations. If it is, +the fire that fuses the nationalities which have come to our land has +been the fire of freedom. + +That is why America’s entrance into the world war is so much more +vitally significant than a mere attack in defense of certain violations +of international law. It is a defense of the principle of individual +freedom. Were the United States not to oppose a force that threatened +the freedom of the world, we would not be worthy of the trust which +the peoples of other lands have reposed in us. The Irish, the Germans, +the Jews, the Slavs who came to America would eventually have come in +vain. For Germany threatens the liberty of all peoples, if she wins to +victory in Europe. Germany stands for all those ideas of government +from which these peoples fled. Germany stands for the suppression of +the individual as a political unit. Germany stands for might. Against +all that we have always fought. If we failed to fight now, we would +be but deferring the issue. And so to-day the United States sends our +soldiers to France and our sailors out on the seas in defense of that +right of mankind which is God’s gift, no matter how men have tried to +take it from him, the right of the freedom of the individual to live +his life as he sees best, according only to the dictates of order, of +moral integrity, of justice, and of righteousness. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONAL PEACE + + +International, lasting peace is the third great ideal sought by the +Republic of the United States of America, and it is for the enforcement +of that kind of peace that the United States is fighting. For, unless +such peace is assured by a decisive victory, the menace of German +imperialism will so overshadow the world that all civilization will be +flung back into one long effort to keep armed to repel the invader. + +Although other nations have struggled toward a standard of +international and permanent peace, the United States was one of the +first great nations to put the theory into practice. One of the first +instances of this practice came at the close of the war between the +States, when the question of the _Alabama_ Claims arose. + +During the war the Confederate States had caused to be built in +English ports, with the knowledge of the British Government, cruisers +to damage Federal commerce on the high seas. The cruiser _Alabama_ was +most active of these, and from its prominence gave name to the claim +which the United States brought against Great Britain for the offense +against international law, particularly since the independence of the +Confederate States had not been recognized. Great Britain had paid no +attention to American remonstrance during the war, but at its close +requested settlement of the difficulty. + +The United States was equipped for war, with a victorious army at +command, and with a record of two victorious wars over England. It +was a chance to launch another, had our nation been inclined toward +militarism. Instead, our country did its part in appointing members of +a joint high commission, of five British and five American statesmen, +who met in Washington in 1871 and adjusted the difficulty. These +commissioners made a treaty, known as the Treaty of Washington, by +which it was agreed that the claims of either nation against the +other should be submitted to a board of arbitration to be appointed +by friendly nations. In 1872 this board met at Geneva, Switzerland, +and decided the claims in favor of the United States. Great Britain +paid fifteen million five hundred thousand dollars for the damage done +by the cruisers built in her ports; but even more important was the +precedent established by two great nations. + +Through a period in which the world was singularly free from great wars +the peace ideal grew among those countries where the democratic form +of government was progressing. The other nations, striving to maintain +that elusive standard of political and trade domination known as the +balance of power, juggled with the peace idea, but from a different +point of view. And it was, strangely enough, the Czar of Russia who +proposed the establishment of an international court for the settling +of international disputes. His idea and that of the nations who +accepted the plan was to keep peace by a settlement of the causes of +war, and also to reduce the military and naval armaments of the great +Powers. He also brought forward the idea that, if war should come, the +conditions of warfare should be made less terrible for the men who were +fighting. He invited the delegates of the nations of the world to a +conference at The Hague, in the Netherlands, in May, 1899. + +The first conference promoted--to all appearances--a general good +feeling, but did not formulate actual rules. The second, called by the +Czar in 1907, at the request of the government of the United States, +and extending from June to October of that year, promulgated certain +rules that were regarded until the beginning of the war by Germany in +1914 as those which would hold all civilized nations. + +The articles of this conference, known as The Hague Conventions, +provided for: + +I.--The pacific settling of international disputes; + +II.--The recovery of debts contracted; + +III.--Rules for the opening of hostilities; + +IV.--Laws and customs of war on land; + +V.--Rights and duties of neutral states and individuals in warfare on +land; + +VI.--Treatment of enemy’s merchant ships at the opening of hostilities; + +VII.--Transformation of merchant ships into war vessels; + +VIII.--Placing of submarine mines; + +IX.--Bombardment of undefended towns by naval forces; + +X.--Adoption of humane standards authorized by the Geneva Convention to +maritime warfare; + +XI.--Restrictions on right of capture in maritime war; + +XII.--Establishment of an international prize court; + +XIII.--Rights and duties of neutral states in maritime war. + +In addition to the adoption of these thirteen articles, which were +designed to keep peace or to make war less terrible, if it came, the +conference established a permanent court of arbitration which has had +its place at The Hague, and which is known as The Hague Tribunal. This +court is really a number of judges from whom some are selected to try +cases of international dispute. It is noteworthy that the first case +laid before The Hague Tribunal for settlement was the Pius Fund matter +between the United States and Mexico. The government of the United +States took the dispute to The Hague, the first time in history when a +great nation had appealed to an international court for settlement of a +claim against a small nation. + +Since The Hague Conference the United States has concluded about thirty +peace treaties with as many nations. They are all modelled on one +general idea which is expressed in the opening article of each in this +way: + +“The high contracting parties agree that all disputes between them, of +every nature whatsoever, shall, when diplomatic methods of adjustment +have failed, be referred for investigation and report to a permanent +international commission to be constituted” (by the contracting +parties) “... and agree not to declare war nor to begin hostilities +during such investigation and before the report be submitted.” + +Thirty-five nations had accepted this plan “in principle” before +Germany flung war upon the world, and thirty treaties had been signed. +France, Russia, Great Britain, and Italy had signed the treaties. +Germany professed approval of the plan, but avoided all definite +arrangements, her attitude apparently growing out of her dislike of +arbitration. + +This opposition to arbitration on Germany’s part was due to the fact +that for many years she was actually preparing for war, and believed +that her best chance of winning it was in the unpreparedness of the +nations against which she intended to wage it. The utterances of her +statesmen, philosophers, and editors revealed the German official +attitude of mind. There can be no doubt but that Germany desired to +keep the world lulled in a false security until she had made ready to +strike the blow against world peace. Nothing else explains her refusal +to bind herself with the terms that other nations accepted in the hope +that wars were becoming things of the past. + +Just before the United States was forced into the breaking off of +diplomatic relations with Germany the President of the country went +before the Senate to set forth the principles which should govern +our nation in the making of any peace with which we would associate +ourselves. The principles which he set forth were: + +I.--An equality of rights between nations, to be based on justice and +not on the old principle of balance of power; + +II.--Recognition of the principle that governments derive their just +powers from the consent of the governed; + +III.--The right of all great peoples to have a direct outlet to the +sea, either by territorial acquisition or by neutralization; + +IV.--The freedom of the seas; + +V.--The limitations of armaments on land and sea; + +VI.--Refusal to permit any nation to extend its policy over any other +nation or people; + +VII.--A concert of nations to guarantee peace and the rights of all +nations, no entangling alliances creating a competition for power, but +a league for the enforcement of international peace. + +“These are American principles, American policies,” the President +stated. “They are also the principles of forward-looking men and women +everywhere, of every modern nation, and of every enlightened community.” + +To the very last, until the action of Germany in restricting the +freedom of the seas for which the United States had fought and won a +war in days when she was ill-prepared for any conflict, our country had +stood out for peace. Only when our vital rights were threatened, our +vital principles violated, did war come. And, when it came the United +States entered into the conflict, not in hot passion, but with the +high purpose of establishing a real peace that cannot be broken by any +one vandal nation. + +The kind of peace which is the ideal of the United States, and the one +toward which we are now fighting, is not to be the sort which may be +patched up over a council-table for a brief space. There is only one +way of curing a cancer of the human body. It must be cut out. And so it +is with the world. The only way to cure the world of war is to cut out +the cancer of militarism. The only way to cut it out is to defeat the +armies of militarism. + +The United States and the Allies are not fighting to impose on Germany +and her fellow fighters any particular form of government; but they are +fighting to defeat that form of government which has precipitated the +war, the so-called Junker policy of the German Empire. The Junker, who +is a member of the Prussian nobility and a man devoted to militarism, +has been the instrument of war, forcing it on the world that Germany, +which for him means only a certain small class of rulers in Prussia +headed by the Kaiser, shall be rich and powerful over all the earth. +It is to end his reign upon earth that hundreds of thousands of men +are dying on the fields of France and Flanders. It is to end that +policy of Germany which aims to keep men always at war that we are +warring. For, if Germany is not totally defeated, every country in the +world will have to build up a military machine of the same kind as +Germany’s in order to be ready to fight her when she makes up her mind +to invade their territories; and no one will know when she might do +that. The policy of Germany will threaten every democracy in the world; +for democracies cannot exist while military establishments continue. +Nothing but a total, annihilating defeat of Germany in this war will +make the world “safe for democracy” and sure for peace. + +When the war is won the United States will, it is sure, insist upon +a just peace that will insure these ideals, a peace that will make +impossible another such outrage as the invasion of Belgium, another +_Lusitania_ outrage, another defiance of all civilized standards, a +peace that will remove militarism, make free the seas, and give to the +individual that freedom that has made the United States the haven of +the whole world. + + + + +TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: + + + Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. + + Perceived typographical errors have been corrected. + + Archaic or variant spelling has been retained. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76636 *** diff --git a/76636-h/76636-h.htm b/76636-h/76636-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3d1a6d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/76636-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3843 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + My country’s part | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +td {padding-left: 0.5em;} +.tdl {text-align: left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 2em; } +.tdr {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;} + + +.pagenum { + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.allsmcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + +.ph1 {text-align: center; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;} + +div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; page-break-after: always;} +div.titlepage p {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 2em;} + +.xxlarge {font-size: 175%;} +.xlarge {font-size: 150%;} +.large {font-size: 125%;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} + +.x-ebookmaker .hide {display: none; visibility: hidden;} + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {display: inline-block; text-align: left;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -2.5em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .first {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} + +@media print { .poetry {display: block;} } +.x-ebookmaker .poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} + +.gap {padding-left: 2.5em;} + +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + margin-left: 17.5%; + margin-right: 17.5%; + padding: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76636 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter hide"><img src="images/coversmall.jpg" width="450" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h1>MY COUNTRY’S PART</h1> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_0"></span> +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> + <img src="images/i_frontis.jpg" width="700" height="449" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p class="caption">General Pershing’s veterans direct from the trenches in France marching to the City Hall, + New York City</p> + </figcaption> +</figure> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_title.jpg" alt="title page"></div> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="titlepage"> +<p><span class="xxlarge">MY COUNTRY’S PART</span></p> + +<p>BY<br> +<span class="xlarge">MARY SYNON</span></p> + +<p>ILLUSTRATED</p> + +<p><span class="large">CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS</span><br> +CHICAGO <span class="gap"> NEW YORK</span><span class="gap"> SAN FRANCISCO</span></p> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center"> <span class="smcap">Copyright, 1918, by</span><br> + CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/pub_logo.jpg" alt="publisher's logo"></div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center"> TO<br> + <br> + <span class="large">THOMAS S. ENRIGHT<br> + JAMES B. GRESHAM<br> + MARLE B. HAY</span><br> + <br> + PRIVATES IN THE RANKS OF<br> + THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES<br> + WHO WERE THE FIRST TO DIE IN FRANCE<br> + IN OUR WAR AGAINST GERMANY<br> + <br> + THIS BOOK<br> + IS DEDICATED</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + <h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> +</div> + + +<table> +<tr><td class="tdr"><span class="allsmcap">CHAPTER</span></td><td class="tdr" colspan="2"><span class="allsmcap">PAGE</span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">I.</td><td>“<span class="smcap">My Grandmother and Myself</span>”</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_1"> 1</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">II.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The United States and the World War</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_40"> 40</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">III.</td><td> <span class="smcap">What the Great War Really Means</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_53"> 53</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">IV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">How the War Came to the United States</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_65"> 65</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">V.</td><td> <span class="smcap">How the United States Went into War</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_77"> 77</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">What the United States Is Doing in the War</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_85"> 85</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Rear-Line Trenches</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_93"> 93</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VIII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The American’s Part</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_110"> 110</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">IX.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The United States and Individual Freedom</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_121"> 121</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">X.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The United States and International Peace</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_131"> 131</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + <h2 class="nobreak">ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +</div> + +<table> +<tr><td class="tdl">General Pershing’s veterans direct from the trenches in + France marching to the City Hall, New York City</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_0"> <i>Frontispiece</i></a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr" colspan="2"><span class="allsmcap">FACING PAGE</span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl">Belgium refugees between Malines and Brussels</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_66"> 66</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl">President Wilson delivering his war message</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_80"> 80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl">Recruits of the National Army waiting at the booths of a National Army cantonment</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_90"> 90</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl">Children selling thrift stamps</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_104"> 104</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl">Boys at work in their war garden</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_110"> 110</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl">The launching of the U. S. S. <i>Accoma</i></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_118"> 118</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl">An immigrant family qualified to enter the United States</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_128"> 128</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[1]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER I<br> +<small>“MY GRANDMOTHER AND MYSELF”</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">What</span> can an American boy or an American +girl do for our country?</p> + +<p>The ways are many. Every man, woman, +and child in the United States has the duty of +defending the nation. In time of war every +American must be in spirit, if he cannot be in +actual duty, a soldier. A soldier’s part is to +guard his nation. An American’s part is to +guard America. The guarding may be done +by saving the food that the government asks +its citizens to save, by buying War Thrift +Stamps, by buying Liberty Bonds, by working +for the Red Cross, or for other patriotic organizations; +but it must be done with the idea that +our country is our first concern, our first care.</p> + +<p>Every American must be watchful for his +country’s welfare. How may he do this duty? +By remembering always that he is, first of all, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span>an American. No matter what country his +father or mother, or grandfather or grandmother +came from, he is American, with the rights and +privileges and obligations of his citizenship. +And he must have no divided allegiance.</p> + +<p>The story of what one American boy could +do for his country is told in the story that +follows. Some people call this a fiction story. +But the root of it is truth. For every boy and +every girl in the United States can hold to the +love of country that John Sutton’s grandmother +put into his soul through the incidents that +make up the tale of</p> + +<h3>“<span class="smcap">My Grandmother and Myself</span>”</h3> + +<p>My grandmother was at the basement window, +peering into the street as if she were +watching for some one, when I came home from +school. “Is that you, John?” she asked me +as I stood in the hall stamping the snow from +my boots. “Sure!” I called to her. “Who’d +you think I was? A spirit?”</p> + +<p>She laughed a little as I went into the room +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span>and flung down my books. My grandmother +hasn’t seen any one in ten years, though she +sits day after day looking out on the street as +if a parade were passing; but she knows the +thump of my books on the table as well as she +knows the turning of my father’s key in the +lock of the door. “’Tis a lively spirit you’d +make, Shauneen,” she said, with that chuckle +she saves for me. “No, ’twas your father I +thought was coming.”</p> + +<p>“What’d he be doing home at this time?”</p> + +<p>“These are queer days,” she said, “and +there are queer doings in them.”</p> + +<p>“There’s nothing queer that I can see,” I +told her.</p> + +<p>“I’m an old, blind woman,” she said, “but +sometimes I see more than do they who have +the sight of their two eyes.” She said it so +solemnly, folding her hands one over the other +as she drew herself up in her chair, that I felt +a little thrill creeping up my spine. “What do +you mean?” I asked her. “Time’ll tell you,” +she said.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span>My mother came in from the kitchen then. +“Norah forgot to order bacon for the morning,” +she said. “Will you go to the market, John, +before you do anything else?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’m going skating,” I protested.</p> + +<p>“It won’t take you five minutes,” said my +mother. She seemed tired and worried. The +look in her eyes made me feel that there was +trouble hanging over the house. My mother +isn’t like my grandmother. When things go +wrong, my grandmother stands up straight, +and throws back her shoulders, and fronts ahead +as if she were a general giving orders for attack; +but my mother wilts like a hurt flower. +She was drooping then while she stood in the +room, so I said, “All right, I’ll go,” though +I’d promised the fellows to come to the park +before four o’clock.</p> + +<p>“And look in at the shop as you go by,” +my grandmother said, “and see if your father’s +there now.”</p> + +<p>“Why shouldn’t he be?” my mother asked.</p> + +<p>There was a queer sound in her voice that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span>urged me around past my father’s shop. My +father was there in the little office, going over +blue-prints with Joe Krebs’s uncle and Mattie +Kleiner’s father and a big man I’d never seen +before. I told my grandmother when I went +home. “I knew it,” she said. “I knew it. +And I dreamed last night of my cousin Michael +who died trying to escape from Van Diemen’s +Land.”</p> + +<p>“You knew what?” I asked her, for again +that strange way of hers sent shivery cold over +me.</p> + +<p>“Go to your skating,” she bade me.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>There wasn’t much skating at Tompkins +Square, though, when I found the crowd. The +sun had come out strong in the afternoon and +the ice was melting. “Ground-hog must have +seen his shadow last week,” Bennie Curtis said. +All the fellows—Joe Carey and Jim Dean and +Frank Belden and Joe Krebs and Mattie Kleiner +and Fred Wendell and the rest of them—had +taken off their skates and were starting a tug +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span>of war in the slush. Mattie Kleiner was the +captain on one side and Frank Belden the captain +on the other. Mattie had chosen Joe +Krebs and Jim Dean and Joe Carey on his side. +Just as I came along he shouted that he chose +me. Frank Belden yelled that it was his choice +and that he’d take me. “He don’t want to be +on your side!” Mattie cried. “He’s with the +Germans!”</p> + +<p>“Well, I guess not,” I said, “any more than +I’m with the English. I’m an American.”</p> + +<p>“You can’t be just an American in this +battle,” Frank Belden said.</p> + +<p>“Then I’ll stay out of it,” I told him.</p> + +<p>They all started to yell “Neutral!” and +“Fraid cat!” and “Oh, you dove of peace!” +at me. I got tired of it after a while, and I +went after Mattie hard. When I’d finished +with him he bawled at me: “Wait till your +father knows, he’ll fix you!”</p> + +<p>“What for?” I jeered.</p> + +<p>“For going against his principles, that’s +what,” Mattie Kleiner roared.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span>“I’d like to know what you know about +my father’s principles.” I laughed at him.</p> + +<p>“Well, I ought to know,” he cried. “I +heard him take the oath.”</p> + +<p>“What oath?” we all demanded, but Mattie +went off in surly silence. Joe Krebs and Joe +Carey trailed after him. I stayed with the +other fellows until it was dark. Then I started +for home.</p> + +<p>Joe Carey was waiting for me at the corner. +“Do you believe him, John?” he asked me. +“Do you believe Mattie about the oath?”</p> + +<p>“How’s that?” I parried. I seemed to +remember having heard a man who’d been at +the house a fortnight before whispering something +about an oath, and I knew that I’d heard +my mother say to my grandmother: “I pray +to God he’ll get in no trouble with any oaths or +promises.” I kept wondering if Mattie Kleiner’s +father and Joe Krebs’s uncle and the big man +with the blue-prints who’d been in my father’s +shop had anything to do with it. “Oh, Mattie’s +talking in his sleep,” I said.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span>“Well, maybe,” said Joe Carey; “but +he wasn’t sleeping the night they had the +meeting in his house. He was on the stairs +going up to the top floor, and he kept the +door open a little way and he heard everything +they said, and nobody at all knew he +was there.”</p> + +<p>Joe Carey’s eyes were almost popping out +of his head, and so I knew that Mattie had been +telling him a long story. “I guess he didn’t +hear very much,” I said.</p> + +<p>“You bet he did,” Joe declared. “He heard +them reading the letters telling people not to +go on the ships because they were going to be +sunk, and he heard them talking about bombs +and munition factories. He says that he heard +your father say that he’d gladly lay down his +life for the sake of Ireland.”</p> + +<p>“But Ireland’s not in this war!”</p> + +<p>“Sure it is! Mattie says the Germans are +going to free Ireland if they beat England. +That’s why the Irish ought to be with the +Germans. Mattie says your father’ll be awful +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span>ashamed that you wouldn’t go on his side. +Mattie says your father——”</p> + +<p>“I don’t give a whoop what Mattie says +about my father,” I told him. “I guess I can +take my own part.”</p> + +<p>“I guess you’ll have to,” said Joe.</p> + +<p>As I went up the street toward our house +I had that queer feeling that comes sometimes +after I’ve been away for a while, a fear that +something terrible has happened while I’ve +been gone and that I’ll be blamed for it. It +was dark on the street, for people hadn’t lighted +the lamps in the basement dining-rooms, and +I was hurrying along when suddenly a man’s +voice came over my shoulder. I hadn’t heard +his step behind me at all, and I jumped when +he spoke. “Where does Mr. John Sutton live?” +he asked me.</p> + +<p>“Right there.” I pointed to our house.</p> + +<p>“Do you know him?” he asked. Through +the dark I could see that he was a tall man with +sharp eyes. I knew that I had never seen him +before, and that he didn’t look like any of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span>men who came to my father’s machine-shop. +“Don’t you know Mr. Sutton?” he repeated.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir.”</p> + +<p>“Know him well, sonny?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir.”</p> + +<p>“How well?”</p> + +<p>“He’s my father.”</p> + +<p>He whistled softly, then laughed, turned +on his heel, and strode down the street. I +watched him to see if he’d take the turn toward +the shop, but he turned the other way at the +corner. I thought that I’d tell my grandmother +about him but my mother was with her in the +dark when I went in. They were talking very +low, as if some one were dead in the house, +but I heard my mother say, “If I only knew +how far he’s gone in this!” and my grandmother +mutter: “Sure, the farther he goes in, the +farther back he’ll have to come.” I stumbled +over a chair as I went into the room with them, +and they both stopped talking.</p> + +<p>I could hear the little hissing whisper my +grandmother always makes while she says the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span>rosary, but I could hear no sound from my +mother at all until she rose with a sigh and +lighted the gas-lamp. She looked at me as if +she hadn’t known I’d been there. “Have you +any home work to do to-night, John?” she +asked me.</p> + +<p>“No, ma’am,” I said. “It’s Friday.”</p> + +<p>“Then I want you to come to church with +me after your dinner,” she said.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t want to go to church,” I’d +said before my grandmother spoke.</p> + +<p>“’Twill be a queer thing to me as long as +I live,” she said, “that those who have don’t +want what they have, and that those who +haven’t keep wanting.”</p> + +<p>The telephone-bell rang just then up in the +room that my father used for an office, and I +raced up to answer it. A man’s voice, younger +than that of the man who’d spoken to me, came +over the wire. “Say, is this John Sutton’s +residence?” it asked. “And is he home? And, +if he isn’t, who are you?”</p> + +<p>“What do you want?” I called.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span>“Information. This is <i>The World</i>. We hear +that there’s to be a meeting of the clans to-night, +and we want to know where it’s to be held.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” I said.</p> + +<p>“Can you find out?”</p> + +<p>“No,” I lied. “There’s nobody home.”</p> + +<p>“Won’t your father be home for dinner?”</p> + +<p>Even then I could hear his key turning in +the lock, could hear him passing on his way +up to his bedroom, but a queer kind of caution +was being born in me. “No, sir,” I said.</p> + +<p>“Who was that?” my grandmother asked +me when I went down.</p> + +<p>I told her of the call, told her, too, of the +man who had stopped me on the street. Her +rosary slipped through her fingers. “I feared +it,” she said. Then the whisper of her praying +began again.</p> + +<p>At dinner my father was strangely silent. +Usually he talks a great deal, all about politics, +and the newspapers, and the trouble with the +schools, and woman suffrage, and war. But +he said nothing at all except to ask me if the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span>skating were good. My mother was just as +quiet as he, and I would have been afraid to +open my mouth if my grandmother hadn’t +started in to tell about New York in the days +she’d come here, more than sixty-five years +ago. She talked and talked about how different +everything had been then, with no tall +buildings and no big bridges and no subways +and no elevateds. “Faith, you can be proud of +your native town, John,” she said to my father.</p> + +<p>“I wish I’d been born in Ireland,” he said.</p> + +<p>She laughed. “And if I’d stayed in Ireland +I’d have starved,” she said, “and little chance +you’d have had of being born anywhere.”</p> + +<p>“It might have been just as well,” he said +bitterly.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no,” she said; “there’s Shauneen.”</p> + +<p>He rose from the table, flinging down his +napkin. “I won’t be home till very late,” he +said to my mother.</p> + +<p>She stood up beside him. “Do you have +to go, John?” she asked him.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” he said.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span>“Oh, John,” she said, “I’m afraid.”</p> + +<p>“Of what?”</p> + +<p>“Of what may happen you.”</p> + +<p>“Nothing’ll happen me,” he said.</p> + +<p>I wanted to tell him of the strange man +who had halted me on the street, and of the +telephone call, but my father’s anger was rising +and I feared to fan it to flame. My grandmother +said nothing until after my father had +gone. Then she spoke to my mother.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you know better,” she asked her, +“and you eighteen years married to him, than +to ask John not to do something you don’t +want him to do?”</p> + +<p>My mother began to cry as we heard the +banging of the door after my father. “Well, +if you can do nothing else,” my grandmother +said, “you’d better be off to church. Keep +your eyes open, Shauneen,” she warned me +while my mother was getting her hat and coat.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>It was a grand night, with the evening star +low in the sky, like a lamp, and the big yellow +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span>moon just rising in the east. The wind blew +sharp and salt off the water, but there was a +promise of spring in the air, saying that it must +be almost baseball time. We went over to the +Jesuit church, walking slowly all the way. +There we knelt in the dark until I was stiff. +As we came out my mother stopped at the holy-water +font. “John,” she said, “will you promise +me that if you ever marry you’ll never set any +cause but God’s above your wife?”</p> + +<p>“No, ma’am, I won’t,” I said, vaguely understanding +that my father had hurt my mother +by his refusal to stay at home, and wondering +what cause he had set above her. As we walked +toward the car-line I remembered what Joe +Carey had told me of Mattie Kleiner’s speech +about my father. “Do you have to go to Ireland +to die for Ireland?” I asked her. She clutched +my hand. “My grandfather died for Ireland,” +she said, “and he wasn’t the first of his line to +die for her. But I pray God that he may have +been the last.” She said no more till we came +into our own house.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span>My grandmother was still at the window +of the dining-room. There was no light, and +my mother did not make one. “There was +another telephone call,” my grandmother said. +“Norah answered it. ’Twas the newspaper +calling again for John to ask about the meeting. +She said she knew nothing about it and that +no one was here to answer.”</p> + +<p>“Do you suppose,” I said, “it was detectives?”</p> + +<p>They said nothing, and I could feel a big +lump coming up my throat. I thought they +might not have heard me until my grandmother +said: “Do you know, Kate, where the meeting +is.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know, and I don’t want to know,” +my mother cried. She turned to me sharply. +“Go to bed, John,” she said.</p> + +<p>“I know where the meetings are,” I blurted +out, eager enough for any excuse to put off +the hateful order. “They’re at Mattie Kleiner’s +house, because he hides on the stairs when they +come, and he heard them take the oath.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span>“Is that Matthew Kleiner’s boy?” my +grandmother asked, so quietly that I thought +she had not realized the importance of my +news.</p> + +<p>“Yes, ma’am.”</p> + +<p>“Go to bed, Shauneen.” She repeated my +mother’s order.</p> + +<p>I went up-stairs, leaving the two of them +silent in the dark. I whistled while I undressed, +but I shivered after I had turned out the light +and jumped between the sheets. I was going +to lie awake waiting for my father’s return, +but I must have dozed, for I thought that it +was in the middle of the night that something +woke me. I knew, as soon as I woke, that some +one was in my room. I could feel him groping. +I tried to speak, but my tongue stuck to the +roof of my mouth. Then I heard a faint +whisper. “Shauneen,” it said.</p> + +<p>So far away it seemed that I thought it +might be a ghost until my grandmother spoke +again. “Your mother’s in bed now,” she said. +“Put on your clothes as quick as you can.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span>“What is it?” I whispered.</p> + +<p>“We’re going to Matthew Kleiner’s, you +and I,” she said. “I’d go alone if I could see.”</p> + +<p>“What time is it?”</p> + +<p>“Between ten and eleven.”</p> + +<p>I pulled my clothes on as fast as I could. +Then stealthily as thieves we crept out from +my room and down the stairs. I held my grandmother’s +hand and wondered at its steadiness. +When we had come outside the basement door +she halted me. “Look down the street for the +tall man,” she bade me. There was no one in +sight, however, and we walked along sturdily, +turning corners until we came to Kleiner’s.</p> + +<p>It was a red-brick house in a row, not a +basement house like ours, but with a cellar +below and an attic above its two main floors. +There was no light on the first floor, but +I thought that I saw a stream behind the drawn +curtains up-stairs. I found the bell and pushed +on it hard. No one came for a long time. I +rang again. I could see shadows back of the +shades before Mattie Kleiner’s mother came. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span>“What is it?” she demanded before she opened +the door.</p> + +<p>“Tell her that your mother’s sick and that +you’ve come for your father,” my grandmother +ordered me. I repeated what she’d said. Mrs. +Kleiner opened the door. “Oh,” she cried, “it +is Mrs. Sutton and little John. Oh, you did +frighten me. Is the mother very sick? I shall +call the father.”</p> + +<p>“Let me go to him,” my grandmother said. +We were inside the hall then, and I put her +hand on the railing of the stairway. She had +started up before Mrs. Kleiner tried to stop +her. “I’ve a message for him,” said my grandmother. +Mrs. Kleiner and I followed her. At +the top of the stairs I turned her toward the +front room, for I could hear the murmur of +voices. I passed a door and wondered if Mattie +Kleiner were hiding behind it. “Oh, we must +not go in,” Mrs. Kleiner pleaded. “The men +will not want us to go in.” She tried to stop +us, but my grandmother turned, looking at +her as if she could see her. “I’ve always followed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span>my own conscience, ma’am,” she said, +“not my husband’s, nor my son’s, nor any other +man’s.”</p> + +<p>From within the front room came the sound +of the voices, growing louder and louder as we +stood there, my grandmother alert, Mrs. Kleiner +appalled, I myself athrill. I could hear my +father’s voice, short, sharp. “It’s our great +opportunity,” he was saying. “We have only +to strike the blow at England’s empire, and +the empire itself will arise to aid us. Twenty +thousand men flung into Canada will turn the +trick. French Quebec is disaffected. What if +soldiers are there? We can fight them! We +may die, but what if we do? We will have +started the avalanche that will destroy Carthage!”</p> + +<p>There were cries of “Right!” to him. Then +a man began to talk in German. His voice +rang out harshly. From the murmurs that +came out to us we knew that the men were applauding +his words, but we had no idea of what +the words were. Mrs. Kleiner stood wringing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span>her hands. “Who’s in there?” my grandmother +asked her.</p> + +<p>“I do not know,” she insisted.</p> + +<p>“Joe Krebs’s uncle is there,” I said. “I +know his cough. And Mr. Winngart who keeps +the delicatessen-shop. And Frank Belden’s +father; and that’s Mr. Carey’s voice.”</p> + +<p>“They just meet for fun,” groaned Mrs. +Kleiner.</p> + +<p>“Sure, I saw that kind of fun before,” said +my grandmother, “when the Fenians went +after the Queen’s Own.”</p> + +<p>My father’s voice rose again. “We are +ready to fire the torch? We are ready to send +out the word to-night for the mobilization of +our sympathizers? We are ready to stand together +to the bitter end?”</p> + +<p>“We are ready!” came the shout.</p> + +<p>Then my grandmother opened the door.</p> + +<p>Through the haze of their tobacco smoke +they looked up, the dozen men crowded into +the Kleiners’ front bedroom, to see my grandmother +standing before them, a bent old woman +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span>in her black dress and shawl, her little jet bonnet +nodding valiantly from its perch on her thin +white hair. She looked around as if she could +see every one of them. My father had sprung +forward at her coming, and, as if to hold him +off, she put up one hand.</p> + +<p>“<i>Is it yourself, John Sutton, who’s talking +here of plots, and plans, and war?</i>” she said. +Her voice went up to a sharp edge. She flung +back her head as if she defied them to answer +her. All of them, my father and Joe Krebs’s +uncle and Mattie Kleiner’s father and Mr. +Carey and Mr. Winngart and the big man who’d +had the blue-prints in the shop, and the others, +stared at her as if she were a ghost. No +one of them moved as she spoke. “’Tis a fine +lot you are to be sitting here thinking ways to +bring trouble on yourselves, and your wives, +and your children, and your country. Who +are there here of you? Is it yourself, Benedict +Krebs, who’s going out to fight for Germany +when your own father came to this very street +to get away from Prussia? Is it you, Matthew +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span>Kleiner, who gives roof to them who plot against +America, you, who came here to earn a living +that you couldn’t earn at home? Is it you, +Michael Carey, who’s helping them hurt the +land that’s making you a rich man? Shame on +you; shame on you all!”</p> + +<p>“Why shouldn’t we fight England?” Joe +Carey’s father said with a growl. “You’d be +the last one, Mrs. Sutton, that I’d think’d set +yourself against that.”</p> + +<p>“’Tis not England,” said my grandmother, +“that you fight with your plots. ’Tis America +you strike when you strike here. And, as long +as you stay here, be Americans and not +traitors!”</p> + +<p>They began to murmur at that, and my +father said: “You don’t know what you’re +talking about, mother. You’d better take John +home. This is no place for either of you.”</p> + +<p>“No more than it’s a place for you,” she +said. “Will you be coming home with me +now?”</p> + +<p>“I will not,” my father said.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span>“Faith, and you’ll all be wishing you had,” +she told them, “when the jails’ll be holding +you in the morning.”</p> + +<p>“The jails!” The big man who had held +the blue-prints came closer to us. “What is +it you say of jails? You have told the police, +then?”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t need to,” my grandmother said. +“The government men have been watching +this long time. ’Twill be at midnight that +they’ll come here. But ’tis not myself they’ll +be finding.” I saw the men’s glances flash +around the room through the smoky haze before +she called: “Come, Shauneen.” I took +her hand again and led her out of the room. +Just before the door closed after us I saw that +my father’s face had grown very white, and +that Mattie Kleiner’s father had dropped his +pipe on the floor.</p> + +<p>Outside the house I spoke to my grandmother +tremblingly. “Do the police really +know?” I asked her. She gave her dry little +chuckle. “If they don’t, they should,” she +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span>answered; “but I was born an O’Brien, and +I’ve never known one of them yet that ever +told the police anything. No, Shauneen,” she +laughed, “’twas the high hill I shot at, but I’m +thinking that the shot struck. We’ll watch.”</p> + +<p>We crossed the street and waited in the +shadow of the house at the corner. For a little +while all was quiet at Kleiner’s. Then I saw +the tall man come out with Joe Krebs’s uncle. +After a time my father came out with Mr. Winngart +and Mr. Carey. They walked to the other +corner and stood there a moment before they +separated, “Shall we go home now?” I asked +my grandmother after I had told her what I +had seen.</p> + +<p>“Not yet,” she said. “I’ve one more errand +to do this night.” I thought it might have +something to do with the tall man who’d spoken +to me or with the telephone call, and I wondered +when she sighed. “I’m a very old +woman,” she seemed to be saying to herself. +“I’ll be ninety-one years come Michaelmas +Day. Some of the world I’ve seen, and much +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span>of life. Out of it all I’ve brought but a few +things. I’d thought to give these to my son. +But—” She paused. “How old are you, +Shauneen?” she asked me.</p> + +<p>“Fourteen,” I said.</p> + +<p>“Old enough,” she nodded. She turned +her head as if she were looking for something +or some one. Then: “Do you know your way +to the Battery?” she asked me.</p> + +<p>“Sure,” I told her. “Are you going there?”</p> + +<p>“We are.”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>It had been quiet enough in our part of +town. It was quieter yet when we came to +Bowling Green and walked across to the Battery. +Down there, past the high buildings and +the warehouses, we seemed to have come into +the heart of a hush. To the north of us the +sky was afire with the golden glow from the +up-town lights. In front of us ran the East +River and the North River. Out on Bedloe’s +Island I could see the shining of the Goddess +of Liberty’s torch. Every little while a ferry-boat, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span>all yellow with lights, would shoot out +on the water. A sailing-vessel moved slowly +after its puffing tug. The little oyster-boats +were coming in from the bay. A steamer glided +along past it as I walked with my grandmother +out toward the old Castle Garden.</p> + +<p>On the Saturday before Joe Carey and I +had come down to the piers, prowling all afternoon +on the docks, watching the men bringing +in the queer crates and boxes and bags while +we told each other of the places from where +the fruits and spices and coffee and wines had +come. There were thousands and thousands +of ships out there in the dark, I knew, and I +began to tell my grandmother what some of +the sailors had told us of how the trade of the +world was crowding into New York, with the +ships all pressing the docks for room. “If you +could only see it!” I said to her. “I can see +more than that,” she said. Then: “Take me +to the edge of the waters,” she bade me.</p> + +<p>Wondering and a little frightened, I obeyed +her, trying to solve the while the mystery of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span>her whim to bring me to the deserted park in +the middle of the night. “Is Castle Garden +over there?” she pointed. “Then I’ve my +bearings now.”</p> + +<p>She stood alone, a little way off from me, +staring seaward as if she counted the shadowy +ships. The wind blew her thin white hair from +under her bonnet and raised the folds of her +shawl. There in the lateness of the night, alone +at the edge of the Battery, she didn’t seem to +be my grandmother at all, but some stranger. +I remembered the story I’d read somewhere of +an old woman who’d brought a pile of books +to a King of Rome, books that she threw away, +one by one, as he refused them, until there was +but one book left. When he’d bought that one +from her he’d found that it was the book of +the future of the empire, and that he’d lost all +the rest through his folly. As I looked at my +grandmother I thought she must be like the old +woman of the story. Even her voice sounded +strange and deep when she turned to me.</p> + +<p>“It was sixty-five years ago the 7th of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span>November that I first stood on this soil,” she +said. “’Tis a long lifetime, and, thank God, +a useful one I’ve had. Burdens I’ve had, but +never did I lack the strength to bear them. +Looking back, I’m sorry for many a word and +many a deed, but I’ve never sorrowed that I +came here.”</p> + +<p>I would have thought that she had forgotten +me if she hadn’t touched my arm. “You’ve +heard tell of the famine, Shauneen,” she went +on, “the great famine that fell on Ireland, +blighting even the potatoes in the ground? +We’d a little place in Connaught then, a bit +of land my father was tilling. We hadn’t much, +even for the place, but we were happy enough, +God knows, with our singing and dancing, and +the fairs and the patterns. Then little by little, +we grew poorer and poorer. I was the oldest of +the seven of us. My mother and myself’d be +planning and scraping to find food for the rest of +them. Every day we’d see them growing thinner +and thinner. Oh, <i>mavrone</i>, the pity of it! And +they looking at us betimes as if we were cheating +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span>them of their bit of a sup! Sometimes now +in the dark I see them come to my bed, with +their soft eyes begging for bread, and we having +naught to give them. Brigid—she was the +youngest of them all—died. Then my father +went.</p> + +<p>“I used to go down to the sea and hunt the +wrack for bits of food. There by the shore I +would look over here to America and pray, +day after day, that the Lord would send to us +some help before my mother should go. You +don’t know what it is to pray, Shauneen. Your +father cannot teach you and your mother hopes +you’ll never learn. For prayer is born in agony, +<i>avick</i>, and grief and loss and sorrow. But because +you are the son of my soul I pray for you +that life may teach you prayer. For when you +come to the end of the road, Shauneen, you’ll +know that ’tis not the smoothness of the way, +but the height of it and the depth of it, that +measures your travelling. Far, far down in +the depths I went when I prayed over there +on the bleak coast of Connaught.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span>“God answered my prayer. There came +from America food to us. There came, too, +the chance for me to come here with the promise +of work to do. ’Twas a drear day when I left +home. How I cursed England as I looked back +on the hills of Cork harbor, all green and smiling +as if never a blight had cast its shadow behind +them!</p> + +<p>“’Twas a long, dreary sailing. Nine weeks +we were in the crossing. A lifetime I thought +it was between the day I looked on the western +sea from the Connaught mountains and the +day when I stood here looking back toward +home. Sure life is full of lifetimes like those.”</p> + +<p>She paused a moment, but I felt as if I were +under a spell that I must not break by word +of mine. A cloud came over the moon and all +around us grew shadowy. The big throb that +the city always beats at night kept sounding +like the thrumming of an orchestra waiting for +the violin solo to start.</p> + +<p>“I’d plenty of them before many years.” +My grandmother’s voice came like the sound +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span>for which the thrumming had waited. “Did +you ever think what it means to the poor souls +who come here alone for their living? When +you’ve a house of your own, Shauneen, with +men servants and maid servants, don’t forget +that your father’s mother worked out for some +one. They were kind people, too, who took +me to their homes. Don’t forget that either. +For ’tis my first memory of America. Kind +they were, and just. They helped me save +what I earned and they showed me ways of +helping my folks at home. I’d brought out +Danny and James and Ellen and Mary before +the war. I met each one of them right here at +Castle Garden. That’s why I always think +of this place as the gateway through which +the Irish have come to America. Sure Ellis +Island’s been for the Italians and the Jews and +the Greeks. We didn’t wait outside the door. +We came straight in,” she chuckled.</p> + +<p>“My mother wouldn’t come from the old +place. Long I grieved over her there in the +little house where my father and Brigid had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span>died, but after a while I knew she was happier +so. Sometimes, Shauneen, I think of Ireland +as an old woman, like my mother, sitting home +alone in the old places, grieving, mourning, +with her children out over the world, living the +dreams of her nights by the fire. ’Twas here +we found the freedom the Irish had been fighting +for. ’Twas here, away from landlords and +landholding, away from famine and persecution, +that we found that life need not be a thing of +sorrow. ’Twas here I met your grandfather.</p> + +<p>“I’d nothing of my own, and your grandfather +had but a trifle more when we married. +I suppose ’tis brave that people would call us +now. We didn’t think that we were. We were +young and strong and we loved each other. +And we were getting along fairly well—we’d +started the payments on a bit of a house of +our own after your father was born—when +the war came down on us.</p> + +<p>“Your grandfather went with the brigade. +Not twice did we think whether or not he should +go. We knew that he owed his first duty to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span>the country that had called him, and sheltered +him, and given him work and hope and freedom. +For he was a boy from home as I was a girl +from home. I stood on the curbstone the day +he marched by, with your father in my arms, +and I cheered for the flag. ‘Sure he’ll be walking +to meet you when you come back!’ I +called, lifting up the child. Your grandfather +never came back. He fell at Marye’s Heights.”</p> + +<p>When she spoke again her voice had changed +more to her every-day tone. “Well, I raised +your father,” she said, “and I thought I was +raising him well. My arms were strong. I +worked at the wash-tub morning, noon, and +night. It wasn’t long till I had a laundry of +my own. I thought to give my son all that I’d +ever wanted for myself. Perhaps that was +where I made my mistake. I thought too much +of the things that money can buy in those years +when money was so hard to earn. Perhaps +’twas myself and no other who taught your +father the cold, hard things of life, though, +God knows, I’d no thought to do it. He’s a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span>good man in many ways, but he’s not the man +I want you to be. He’s a good hater but he’s +not a good lover. And, faith, what’s there in +life but love?”</p> + +<p>I moved a little then, and my grandmother +swung me around, with her two hands on my +shoulders, and, blind as she is, stared at me as +if she were looking right down into my heart. +“Shauneen,” she said, “I have prayed, day +and night, that your father might be to America +the good citizen his father was. I have prayed +that if America should ever need him he would +stand ready for her call. I have prayed that +he’d love America as I have loved America. +I love Ireland, <i>mavrone</i>. Always in my heart +do I see her hills as they looked on the morning +I looked back on them from the sea. But I +love America, too, and I wanted my son to +love her even more than I do. I’ve wanted +him to love this land as my fathers and their +fathers loved Ireland. ’Twas not that I wanted +him to forget my land; when he was a lad like +you I’d tell him tales of Ireland’s glory and of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span>Ireland’s woe. How was I to know that all it +would do for him was to rouse the black hate +for England? I taught him love for Ireland, +but never did I teach him to set my land above +his own.</p> + +<p>“For ’twas America gave us our chance, +Shauneen, when we’d no other place on earth +to seek. Hard days we’ve known here, too, +days when even the children jeered at us, but +we’ve never felt the hand of the oppressor upon +us since we touched our feet on these shores. +We’ve been free and we’ve prospered. Fine +houses we have and fine clothes; and ’tis a long +day since I knew the pinch of hunger. This is +our debt. Tell me again, Shauneen, what you +see out there?”</p> + +<p>I told her of the shining lights, of the funnels +of the steamers, of the piled piers, of the little +oyster-boats, of the great liners waiting the +word for their sailing.</p> + +<p>“’Twould be a fine sight,” she sighed. “Do +you think me a madwoman to bring you here?” +she went on, as if she had read my thought. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span>“Perhaps I am that. Perhaps I’m not. For +you’ll remember this night when you’ve forgotten +many another time, just as I remember +the day when my mother took me to the shrine +at Knock. For this is the shrine of your country, +Shauneen, this old Castle Garden, where +your people set foot in the land that’s given +them liberty. Here it was that I told my +brothers and my sisters of the future before +them. Here it is that I’m telling you that your +country will be the greatest nation of all the +world if only you lads stay true to her. That’s +why I’ve brought you here to-night, Shauneen. +I’m an old, old woman. I’ve not long for this +earth. But I’ve this message for you; it’s +yours; this duty that your father shirks when +he plots with black traitors who’d drag us into +wars that are not of our choosing. Raise your +hand, Shauneen. Say after me: ‘<i>As long as I +live, God helping me, I shall keep my country first +in my heart and, after God, first in my soul!</i>’”</p> + +<p>Through the misty moonlight there came +to me the memory of my mother’s plea at the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span>door of the church, my mother’s cry: “Promise +me that you’ll set no cause but God’s before +your wife!” Some battle of spirit struggled +within me. For an instant I was silent. Then, +suddenly, as if the moon had ridden above the +cloud, I saw the right. “Since all true causes +come from God,” I said to myself, “it is right +to set my own country above anything else +that may ever come.” And I said the words +after my grandmother.</p> + +<p>She took my face between her hands and +kissed me. “God keep you, Shauneen,” she said, +“for the woman who’ll love you, and the children +you’ll teach, and the land you’ll serve!”</p> + +<p>Then through a sleeping city my grandmother +and I went home.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Our country’s part is to keep the flame of +freedom burning above the darkness of the +world. Our part is to feed that flame with the +oil of our love of our country. No matter what +our duty may be, whether it be great or small, +let us do it as our country asks; that we may +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span>keep our land the place where men may live +in freedom, in justice, in peace.</p> + +<p>We have come upon troubled times. We +have enemies at home as well as abroad. We +have those who would cry “Peace at any price,” +when our country knows that the only enduring +peace is one which is won with honor. We +have those who would barter American ideals +for immediate comfort, those who would sell +the future for the present. It is our part, the +part of each and every American, to stand firm +for those principles which America has cherished +and for which she fights to-day. It is our part +to be American, to think American, to pray +American. It is our duty to remember what +America does for us. It is our privilege to do +what we can for America. Every man, woman, +and child in the United States, not in active war +service in army or navy, is nothing less than a +licensed pilot, steering the ship of his patriotism +among rough waters. It is his part to steer it +straight, and, as the President said of the nation, +“God helping him, he can do no other.”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER II<br> +<small>THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD WAR</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the last days of April, 1918, fifty men +in the khaki of the army of the United States +of America landed at an Atlantic port. Their +coming, unheralded and almost unwelcomed, +marked one of the most important events in +the history of our country. For they were the +first homecoming veterans of the American +Expeditionary Forces, men who had fought +under Pershing on the soil of France for the +principles that inspired our nation’s entrance +into the world war.</p> + +<p>There was the man who had fired the first +American gun in the battles. There was the +man who had stood beside the first man killed +in action. There was the man who had brought +five German prisoners back into camp after +the rush on the trenches. Wounded, disabled, +made unfit for further immediate service, they +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span>had been sent home; and they came back to +their country, the advance-guard of the greatest +army the United States has ever assembled +and one of the greatest armies the world has +ever seen, to bear witness to the fact that +America has actually taken her place in the +world struggle.</p> + +<p>They had fought under German fire. They +had stood beside French soldiers and British +soldiers in the attack. They had received their +baptism of blood. They had set the flag of +the United States of America on the battle-fronts +in the standard that bears the flags of +those nations which are defending the rights +of democracy against the invasion of autocracy. +They are of the first division of an American +army to fight a battle for America in the fields +of Europe; and they had come home to give +testimony of what America’s part in the great +war really is. For they are the first of the millions +of fighters whom the nation has gathered +for the winning of the war.</p> + +<p>Even when the United States entered the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span>great war on the 6th of April, 1917, the part +that we would take in the conflict was not clearly +defined. Would we send an army abroad? +Would our navy fight? Or would we merely +defend our own shores against possible attack, +and supply the other nations at war with Germany +with food, munitions, and other supplies? +The question was soon answered by American +honesty which thundered that the only way +to wage war was to send soldiers to the scene of +battle. Preparations never equalled in the history +of the world went into effect for the purpose +of conveying our soldiers over the ocean, +of supplying them and equipping them, and of +standing back of the troops and peoples of the +Allies who were already at war with Germany.</p> + +<p>Not, however, until more than a year after +the beginning of our part in the war was the +issue of exactly what the United States would +do on the battle-fronts settled. Then the President +of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, +gave the order that General John Pershing, in +command of the American Expeditionary Forces, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span>should place the American force at the disposition +of General Foch of France, commander-in-chief +for the armies of the Allies. The American +Expeditionary Forces slipped into place, +and American soldiers began the actual fighting +of America’s war.</p> + +<p>For the war into which our nation has entered +is, in spite of the fact that it is being fought +on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, as much +America’s war and a war of defense as if it +were being fought along our own Atlantic seaboard +against an invading army. It is being +fought for the same principles which are the +only ones great enough to force our country +to war, principles of freedom for the individual, +freedom for the free-governed nations, and of +ultimate, lasting peace for the world. It is +being fought against the forces of aggression, +of greed, of injustice. It is being fought against +the intention of Germany to dominate the +world.</p> + +<p>In every war there are two great issues +battling against each other. Men fight for one +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span>or the other. Nations fight for one or the other. +There have been wars of conquest waged by +strong nations against weaker ones, wars of +religion, wars of territorial aggression, wars of +defense, wars of trade, wars of high moral ideals. +This is a war where the issue is sharply set. It +is a war where democracy fights against autocracy, +where liberty fights against bondage, +where freemen fight to keep their freedom +against men who strive to take it away from +them.</p> + +<p>There are two kinds of nations in the world, +those nations which believe that governments +derive their just powers from the consent of +the governed and those other nations which +believe that power comes from God to Kings +to be used over people who have nothing to +say about its use. The first is a democracy, +even though it have a monarch nominally as its +head. The other is an autocracy. And, since +this is a war of democracy against autocracy, it +is really a war of the free people of the world +against the bondsmen and their masters.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span>There was a time when all the great nations +of the world had Kings. It was part of the +evolution of the social system. Nations need +leaders, and there were men so strong that they +were able to seize and hold leadership, keeping +it for their sons so that the people came to accept +one family as its rulers. But in time some +nations began to emerge from the yoke that +these rulers set upon them. The people, who +had been serfs and slaves, began to demand +a voice in the government. Kings and nobles +began to lose power in these nations with the +awakening of the people. The signing of the +Magna Charta in England by King John +marked the transfer of power from the King. +Bit by bit in those nations tending toward +liberal government the shift of power took +place.</p> + +<p>It was not until the last quarter of the +eighteenth century, however, that the theory +of free government flowered and bore fruit. +Then the Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain, +situated along the western Atlantic seaboard, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span>revolted against the imposition of a tax that +the colonists considered unjust, went to war, +and won the war. They established the United +States of America, a nation which has been +from that day to this a genuine democracy, a +free republic based absolutely on the doctrine +that power came from the people, and that +government exists merely as the steward of that +power.</p> + +<p>It was through the aid given to the Colonies +by France, brought by Lafayette and Rochambeau, +that the War of the Revolution was won. +The French soldiers, returning home at its close, +took with them reinforcement of the spirit of +desire for freedom that was already animating +France and which in time brought about the +beginnings of the French Revolution, a war +which changed France from a monarchy where +the King said with truth “I am the state” to +a real democracy.</p> + +<p>The example of the United States of America +inspired other nations of Europe toward the +ideal of a government in which the people should +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span>have a voice. Our republican institutions have +had a reflex upon English institutions so that +to-day Great Britain, in spite of having a +nominal King, is one of the most democratic +governments in the world. The King of Italy +holds his power as a result of a war in which the +people of Italy wrested freedom from Austrian +domination. And Russia, at the time when it +went into war, was moving toward a more +elastic form of government. That it failed in +the experiment was due to German intrigue, and +not to lack of desire of the Russian people for +self-government.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, the people of the Central +Powers, Germany and Austria-Hungary, have +accepted—sometimes with mutterings of revolt, +but eventually with resignation—the idea that +their rulers derived authority from some divine +source. Few nations in modern times have +had less voice in the government of their country +than the people of Germany. For, under +the German constitution, Germany is governed +by its Emperor, with its legislative power in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span>two bodies, the <i>Bundesrat</i> and the <i>Reichstag</i>. +Now, the United States puts its legislative power +into two bodies, the Senate and the House of +Representatives. France puts power into the +Chamber of Deputies, England into the House +of Commons and the House of Lords. But +England is shearing the power of the House of +Lords, and in our country the Senate and the +House of Representatives are elected by and +are directly responsible to the voters of the +country. Here, as in France and in England, +the vote is not restricted by wealth or by class. +In Germany the vote is so arranged that 370 +rich men have the same voting power as 22,324 +poor men in one district, Cologne; while the +<i>Bundesrat</i> is merely a diplomatic assembly, +representing the kingdoms of the German Empire, +an assembly which the King of Prussia +absolutely dominates, and through which he +becomes, as Emperor of Germany, absolute +ruler of the empire. For the <i>Reichstag</i> has no +power to make or unmake ministries, or to +control the Emperor in any way. The Emperor +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span>appoints the chancellor, and the chancellor is +answerable only to him. So that in the long +run, although it has a constitutional form, the +government of Germany is the Emperor of +Germany and the military group known as +Junkers with whom he has surrounded himself.</p> + +<p>The Emperor of Germany and the Junkers +of his Prussia forced the present war. They +prepared for it during years while the rest of +the world was keeping peace. They justified +it to their people on the ground that Germany +needed new territory, new trade, new markets. +Although she was gaining the trade and markets +without war, Germany’s leader made this their +excuse to their people, and when they were +ready they went to war for the purpose of imposing +their form of government upon peoples +who did not want it, of forcing their rule upon +nations opposed to their ideas. Serbia lay in +their path of conquest into Asia, and so they +caused Austria, their tool, to make an excuse of +the assassination by a Serbian of an Austrian +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span>archduke, and declare war on the small nation. +Then Germany invaded Belgium, with which it +was not at war, to get to France, against which +war had been declared. Belgium resisted. +England entered the conflict. The struggle +was on.</p> + +<p>Month after month the aggressions of Germany +caused new nations to break off relations +with her. Italy and Japan entered the war. +China, most peaceful of nations in her relations +with the outside world, broke off relations. +One after another of the South American +republics were forced to do the same. The +United States, after a long period of patient +endurance of German insults, attacks on our +commerce, intrigues and plots in our own country, +restriction of our maritime activities in +defiance of international law, was finally driven +to announcement of the existence of a state of +war. The lines were drawn. Democracy was +making a stand for its life against autocracy, +the freemen of the world against the bondsmen.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span>It is right and fitting that the United States +of America should take her place in a war which +is being fought for those principles for which +she has stood since her coming into nationhood. +For more than a century and a quarter +she has been, like the Statue of Liberty in the +harbor of New York, a symbolic figure to the +world beaconing men to freedom. It is in line +with her history that she should go to Europe +for the same cause for which she has fought +all her wars—defense of the weaker against the +stronger, the right of people to determine their +own governments, the right of all to be free.</p> + +<p>There is a story told of General Pershing’s +entrance into Paris. He was taken to the tomb +of Lafayette. His hosts crowded about him, +waiting for his speech. But, like all American +soldiers, Pershing is no orator. “Well, Lafayette,” +he said, “we’re here!” That was all. +But France, hearing, understood. America +was there, to fight side by side with them, to +suffer with them, to die with them, that the +cause of liberty for which Lafayette had fought +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span>on two continents might live. The world war +had menaced the United States in its sacred +institution of freedom, and the United States +had met the challenge, and had come to fight +for that which is dearer than life—honor, and +right, and justice.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER III<br> +<small>WHAT THE GREAT WAR REALLY MEANS</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> history of the human race has been +the history of man’s struggle toward freedom. +Because certain nations have seen the light +sooner than others, they have been the object +of attack by these others, primarily because +the rulers of the latter have been shrewd enough +to see that revolution is contagious. A free +neighbor threatens the existence of a monarch +who derives his power from the force with which +he has surrounded himself and from the blindness +of his own people. A free neighbor is therefore +a menace to autocracy, and something to +be crushed.</p> + +<p>When the people of France, inspired by the +example of the United States, arose in revolution +against their monarch, the revolution shook +the thrones of Europe. The King of France +was closer in blood to other royal families of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span>Europe than he was to the people whom he +had governed. The Queen of France was a +Hapsburg, of the royal family of Austria, whose +representatives were in almost every royal +house of the Continent of Europe. The success +of the French Revolution was the handwriting +on the wall; and every Belshazzar on a throne +had a Daniel of statesmanship to tell him what +it meant.</p> + +<p>Almost at once the Kings of Europe rallied +against France, because free France threatened +the existence of the Kings. France fought valiantly. +The military establishment which she +had to assume to protect her rights, however, +swung her out of the republican form of government +she had set up, and Napoleon Bonaparte, +who won her wars, became her Emperor. The +change, however, did not swing back the French +people into any slavish acceptance of royalty. +They held, in spite of Bonaparte’s court, their +fundamental democracy; and it was a democratic +army which France sent across Europe. +Napoleon himself said that every private carried +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span>a field-marshal’s bâton in his knapsack. +Every man had a chance for promotion. Every +man had a chance to better his life. And, because +France remained fundamentally democratic, +the Kings battled against Bonaparte. +They defeated him, finally; but they did +not defeat France, for its spirit remained +free.</p> + +<p>Germany, nearest neighbor to France, had +never known democracy. Once part of the +vast kingdom known as the Holy Roman Empire, +she had disintegrated into little states, +kingdoms, duchies, and archbishoprics, each +ruled by one-man power. Sometimes a King, +stronger than the others, drew the kingdoms +together for purposes of warfare against other +countries. Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, +fought against Austria. With him the power of +Prussia rose. After his death it declined so that +Napoleon found the conquest of Prussia easy, +and went about it so thoroughly that he made +the French conquest a profound humiliation to +the Prussians. Even his defeat at Waterloo +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span>failed to pay the debt Prussia cherished against +the French.</p> + +<p>It was in the time of Napoleon that the +German people came nearer to freedom of spirit +than they had been before or have been since. +For in fighting a foreign enemy who sought +power even as the Hohenzollern ruler of Germany +seeks it to-day, the youth of Germany +glimpsed the truth of democracy. With Napoleon’s +defeat they stood ready to move forward +toward it. But again the Kings intervened.</p> + +<p>There was formed in Europe at that time +the Holy Alliance, that same group of Kings +and Kingmakers who sought to restore to Spain +its revolting colonies in South America, and +who held firmly to the idea of the divine right +of Kings. This Holy Alliance throttled free +thought in Germany. By 1848 revolutions for +the right of freedom surged up throughout the +German states and kingdoms and principalities. +They were beaten down by the ruling powers, +one helping the other. It was at this time that +the German emigration toward the United +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span>States began, for the leaders of the revolution +sought a land where they could be free. Those +who stayed came in time to accept the system +which the rulers imposed upon them.</p> + +<p>The putting down of the revolution of 1848 +gave Prussia increased power. She had a disciplined +standing army, and a military establishment. +In 1862 William I became King. +He made Bismarck his prime minister, and the +march of Prussia toward world conquest began.</p> + +<p>Bismarck made the whole Prussian nation +into an army. Then he made alliance with +Austria to secure the duchy of Schleswig-Holstein +from Denmark. Then he provoked a +quarrel with Austria so that Prussia might +deprive her of all influence over the other German +states. He won his object in a six-weeks’ +war in 1866. But he was not satisfied with the +power he had won, for democratic France—democratic +for all her acceptance of another +Napoleon for her throne—still threatened the +power of Kings who claimed that their power +came from God, and not from their people.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span>Prussia waited its chance. When France +was unprepared, a quarrel was brought on, +and the blow struck. Prussia took Alsace and +Lorraine from her. Then the King of Prussia +was made Emperor of Germany.</p> + +<p>The territory which Prussia had acquired +for the German Empire, for Alsace and Lorraine +are the richest mineral districts of France, +gave Germany opportunity for that industrial +development which has marked her history +since the Franco-Prussian War. Germany’s +population overcrowded her territorial space. +Germany grew rich and prosperous. Germany +became highly efficient in mechanical arts. +German trade reached out over the world, but +found the barriers of the establishment of other +nations. The German army remained a great +machine, officered by Prussian nobles. Germany +grew so mighty that she grew to believe +that might makes right. She had the might, +and she made ready to exercise it.</p> + +<p>First of all, she needed trade routes. She +needed a way to the sea more open than the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span>Hamburg harbors. She wanted a road to Asia. +She wanted to control the gateway to the rich +Orient. She wanted an empire that would +contain Austria-Hungary as well as Germany +proper. And she set out to win it all.</p> + +<p>In 1914 the situation was this: Francis +Joseph, Emperor of Austria, was an old man, +a sick man. His empire, composed of scores +of nationalities, held together by a thin thread. +If he died, it might disintegrate into groups of +free peoples. Serbia, its near neighbor, had +won independence. The Balkan wars had +shifted power to small states that stood between +Germany and the Orient. Russia was +disaffected. A revolution might come at any +time that would dethrone the Czar. Unless a +war, and a great war, was started, many and +great free nations would soon surround Germany, +cutting her off from the way to the Orient. +France, her hated neighbor, flaunted her free +institutions in her face and remembered Alsace +and Lorraine. England cut her off from unrestricted +rule of the sea. To be sure, she was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span>not eager to force war with England, since the +German navy had not arrived at the point of +preparedness of the German army. England +could wait until Germany had conquered the +rest of Europe. Then, when England was conquered, +too, Germany would punish the United +States for our “international impertinence” as +Bismarck called our policy of the Monroe Doctrine. +It was the time to strike. Germany, as +usual in the Bismarckian policy, made the occasion.</p> + +<p>Down in Bosnia, a Balkan state which Austria +had seized and held against the will of its +people, an anarchist threw a bomb which killed +an Austrian archduke in June, 1914. For a +time no action came of the happening. Then +Austria announced that she had discovered that +the assassination was the result of a Serbian +plot, known to the Serbian Government, Bosnia’s +neighbor and the friend of her freedom. +Therefore she declared war on Serbia. Germany +gave her consent to the ultimatum. She +was taking her opportunity.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span>Knowing that a war of Austria against +Serbia would open a way for her own progress +toward the East, Germany, being prepared to +the last gun and last man, forced the issue. +She knew that Russia would rise against her, +but she knew, better than the Russian Government +did, how unprepared Russia was. On the +first day of August, 1914, she declared war +against Russia. On the fourth day of August +the <i>Reichstag</i>, the people’s legislative body of +Germany, met and for the first time learned +officially of what had been done. By that time +the German Government had put itself in a +position of war against Russia, France, Great +Britain, and Belgium, a fact which proves how +little the German people had to say about the +making of actual warfare.</p> + +<p>In utter contempt of a treaty which had +been signed Germany invaded Belgium on the +way to France. Belgium resisted the invasion. +A Chinese schoolboy, writing of the event in a +school in western Canada months afterward, +phrased the story better than any historian +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span>has done. “Germany,” he wrote, “said to +Belgium: ‘Let me through.’ Belgium said: ‘I +am not a road. I am a nation.’” And Belgium +proved to the world how strong a small +nation may be in courage. For she resisted +Germany so well that France had time to gather +her forces for defense. The drive to Paris was +stopped. Prussia had announced that its armies +would be in Paris in an almost incredibly short +time.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Germany made alliance +with the Sultan of Turkey. The war on the +eastern front began. Hordes of Austrians and +Germans swarmed over Poland into Russia, +and back again as Russia beat them back, then +forward again as Russia collapsed. In Egypt, +in Palestine, in Mesopotamia war has raged. +Japan joined. China broke off relations with +Germany. Japan holds troops at the eastern +end of the Russian-Siberian railway, waiting +for the word of the Allies to strike westward.</p> + +<p>In the west the war has remained almost +stationary since the initial sweep of the German +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span>hordes; but eastward Germany has driven her +armies toward her goal. Russia has disintegrated, +pulled apart by the insidious forces of +German intrigue. Germany has the open way +to the East. She has the resources of Austria-Hungary, +of Russia, of Asia Minor at her command.</p> + +<p>Had it not been for Germany’s idea that +she could conquer the world in one war, an +idea supported by her eastward conquests, she +might be nearer to ultimate success than she +is to-day. For the entrance of the United States +into the war, provoked by German measures +of attack on American commerce, has materially +changed the issue. It has put heart into the +Allies, as well as opening up the field of supplies +of men and munitions for them. Our country +has barely begun to fight, for it has taken a +year to bear to France the necessary troops +and equipment.</p> + +<p>However long the war may be, it is one that +must be fought to the end. For, as a river purifies +itself as it flows, so has the issue of the war +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span>defined itself as it has progressed. In its beginning +Germany strove to make the world +believe that it was a trade war between Austria +and Serbia which Russia had entered for +the injury of Austria and which had been forced +on Germany in Austria’s defense. Then she +claimed that she fought England “for the freedom +of the seas.” The war against Belgium +was “a military necessity,” the submarine warfare +against neutral nations “a retaliatory +measure against blockade.” But in the long +run Germany’s war is the war of the military +caste of the world against the free peoples, the +war of government holding power by force +against government holding power by popular +vote, the war of military establishment against +peaceful ideals; and until it is won by those +who fight Germany there can be no lasting +peace in the world.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IV<br> +<small>HOW THE WAR CAME TO THE UNITED STATES</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> great war, beginning in 1914, brought +to most Americans no idea that our country +would ever be more than a watcher of it. That +we ourselves would one day become part of +it—and one of the greatest parts of it—was +something beyond the imagination of most +men. America had lived apart from other nations. +For, although our government had made +treaties with foreign nations, and become part +of The Hague Conference, and been drawn to +some extent into international politics, we had +none of the ambitions which draw nations into +ordinary wars. We had no desire for colonies, +we had no jealousy of other nations, we had +no fear of neighboring governments. In fact, +Americans believed that wars were going out +of fashion, and that western Europe, any more +than ourselves, was not likely to go to war. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span>The coming of the conflict was therefore a shock +to us, but not one that brought us to realize +that we were likely to take part in it.</p> + +<p>When Germany invaded Belgium with no +excuse other than that progress through that +nation afforded the quickest way to France +the people of the United States awoke to their +first knowledge of what militarism may mean. +Although people of German birth or parentage +in America were inclined to accept Germany’s +attempted justification of military necessity, +the sympathies of most Americans went to +Belgium and became one of the important factors +in determining the country’s attitude +toward the war. For the United States had +always stood for principles of justice and humanitarianism. +The stories of how Germany +treated the civilian population of Belgium, +stories which were verified by the later reports +of such non-partisan investigators as Brand +Whitlock, American minister to Belgium, +aroused American sentiment against German +military methods.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> + <img src="images/i_fp66.jpg" width="700" height="452" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p><small><i>Copyright Newspaper Illustrations, Ltd.</i></small></p> + <p class="caption">Belgium refugees between Malines and Brussels</p> + <p class="caption"><small>When Germany invaded Belgium ... the people of the United States awoke to their first knowledge of what militarism may mean</small></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span>There were people in the United States +who believed that our country should go to +war in defense of Belgium, just as we had gone +to war to free Cuba from the dominion of Spain +when the rule of Spain on that island became +cruelly oppressive. But our government, believing +that the war was not a parallel instance, +since it had not yet violated those fundamental +principles of our national life that had been +struck at by Spain, refused to consider such +action, and the people fell back into consideration +of the causes and progress of the war +abroad.</p> + +<p>It began to be clear, as German forces +crossed Belgium and plunged into France, while +at the same time German forces swept eastward, +that Germany had evolved the definite +scheme of world conquest which her later demands +and movements have proven. The +American people, however, were slow to believe +this intention of Germany. Bit by bit only our +country began to see that Germany was pushing +forward a gigantic plan of territorial aggression, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span>and with all that we heard and some +that we believed, we were slow to see how this +plan could affect the United States.</p> + +<p>Because we had lived apart from the rest +of the world we would probably have continued +to feel that, terrible as the war which Germany +had begun was, it was not our war, and that +all we were expected to do was to remain +genuinely neutral and to give such assistance +as the international law permitted neutral nations +to give the wounded and stricken. But +Germany would not allow us to remain apart. +The ruling class of Prussia, headed by the +Kaiser, grown mad with power and the desire +for more power, put into operation methods +that forced us toward war.</p> + +<p>Germany’s progress into this war had, as +we have seen, struck blows at those principles +for which America had struggled, the principles +of individual freedom, of international peace, +of the freedom of the seas. For any one of these +ideals the republic might have rushed into war; +but it was only when the American people came +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span>to know that Germany was plotting not only +to overthrow the Monroe Doctrine but actually +against the American Government here in the +United States that we were roused to desire +for conflict to uphold our national honor.</p> + +<p>“It is plain enough how we were forced +into war,” President Wilson declared in his Flag +Day Address of June 14, 1917. “The extraordinary +insults and aggressions of the Imperial +German Government left us no self-respecting +choice but to take up arms in defense of our +rights as a free people and of our honor as a +sovereign government. The military masters +of Germany denied us the right to be neutral. +They filled our unsuspecting communities with +vicious spies and conspirators and sought to +corrupt the opinions of our people in their own +behalf. When they found that they could not +do that, their agents diligently spread sedition +amongst us and sought to draw our own citizens +from their allegiance; and some of those agents +were men connected with the official embassy +of the German Government in our own capital.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span>“They sought by violence to destroy our +industries and arrest our commerce. They +tried to incite Mexico to take up arms against +us and to draw Japan into a hostile alliance +with her; and that, not by indirection, but by +direct suggestion from the Foreign Office in +Berlin. They impudently denied us the use of +the high seas and repeatedly executed their +threat that they would send to their death any +of our people who ventured to approach the +coasts of Europe.</p> + +<p>“Many of our own people were corrupted. +Men began to look upon their own neighbors +with suspicion and to wonder in their hot resentment +whether there was any community +in which hostile intrigue did not lurk. What +great nation in such circumstances would not +have taken up arms? Much as we desired +peace, it was denied us, and not of our own +choice. The flag under which we serve would +have been dishonored had we withheld our +hand.”</p> + +<p>The President of the United States stated +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span>America’s case against Germany mildly. Evidence +of the bad faith of the government of +Germany to the government of the United +States is piled in the archives of the State Department +in Washington. The honest efforts +of our government to establish honest relations +with them were met by German officials +with quibbles, misrepresentations, counter-accusations, +and continuing, deliberate delays. +German high officials kept us in humiliating +waiting while German official agents in this +country, protected by the rules of diplomatic +immunity from criminal prosecution, used their +trust to conspire against our internal peace. +Agents of the German Embassy placed spies +through the length and breadth of our country. +They put their agents at work in Japan and in +Latin America while they were professing to +be our friends. They bought newspapers and +employed speakers for the purpose of rousing +distrust of us in those countries. They incited +insurrection in Cuba, in Haiti, and in Santo +Domingo. They did their best to arouse against +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span>us the Danish West Indies. They spread suspicion +of us and our motives in South America. +They conducted an attack upon the Monroe +Doctrine such as no other nation had ever attempted.</p> + +<p>For a time the government of the United +States tried to take the view that this intrigue, +plotting, spying, and insidious warfare was the +work of irresponsible agents, not countenanced +by the Imperial German Government; but +the proof was too strong. The government +finally had to request the recall of the Austro-Hungarian +ambassador and of the German +military and naval attachés, presenting proof +of their criminal violations of our hospitality. +Their governments offered no reply to us, issued +no reprimands to them.</p> + +<p>In spite of all this the temper of the American +people was that we should keep out of +war as long as it was possible to maintain our +national honor without war. The President +even began the preparation of a communication +to the warring nations, asking them to define +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span>their war aims, as this would be a step toward +peace. Before this note was completed, the +German Government sent out a communication, +asking the same definition. But the German +Government issued this document on the idea +that the German armies had triumphed, and +incorporated in it a threat to neutral governments. +From a thousand sources, official and +unofficial, word came to our government that +unless the United States used her influence to +end the war on the terms dictated by Germany, +Germany and her allies would consider themselves +free from obligation to respect the rights +of neutrals. The Kaiser was frankly ordering +the neutral nations of the world to force those +Powers which fought him to accept the peace +he offered. If they failed to do this, Germany +would resume her submarine warfare on neutral +commerce with new ruthlessness.</p> + +<p>The President, continuing his own purpose, +finished his note to both sides, sending it on the +18th of December, 1916. Both sides replied, the +Powers who resisted Germany declaring that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span>their principal end in the war was the lasting +restoration of peace. Germany and her associates +refused to state their terms, and merely +proposed a conference—another method of delay. +The President, in an address to the Senate +on the 22d of January, 1917, outlined the terms +of the peace which the United States could honorably +join in guaranteeing.</p> + +<p>“No peace can last,” he stated, “or ought +to last, which does not recognize and accept +the principle that governments derive all their +just powers from the consent of the governed, +and that no right anywhere exists to hand people +about from sovereignty to sovereignty as if +they were property....</p> + +<p>“I am proposing government by the consent +of the governed; that freedom of the seas +which in international conference after conference +representatives of the United States +have urged with the eloquence of those who +are the convinced disciples of liberty; and +that moderation of armaments which makes of +armies and navies a power for order merely, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span>not an instrument of aggression or of selfish +violence.”</p> + +<p>Six days earlier, on the 16th of January, the +German secretary of foreign affairs had secretly +despatched a communication to the German +minister in Mexico, informing him that Germany +intended to repudiate its pledge made +to the United States to discontinue submarine +warfare on neutral ships, and instructing him +to offer to the Mexican Government New Mexico +and Arizona if Mexico would join with Japan +in attacking the United States.</p> + +<p>On the last day of January, 1917, the German +ambassador to the United States, Count +Bernstorff, brought to the secretary of state +a note in which Germany announced her purpose +of intensifying her submarine warfare. +The German chancellor stated in Germany +that the reason that this policy had not been +put into force earlier was simply because his +government had not been ready to act.</p> + +<p>On the 3d of February, 1917, the President +announced to both houses of Congress +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span>the complete severance of our relations with +Germany. Count Bernstorff went to Berlin, +and James W. Gerard, American ambassador +to Germany, was recalled to this country. +Count Bernstorff had begged that no irrevocable +decision of war be made until he had the chance +to make one final plea for peace to the Kaiser. +If he made the plea, he failed. The submarine +warfare began again in greater violence. And +on the twelfth day of March our government +ordered the placing of armed guards on our +merchant ships.</p> + +<p>With the Sixty-fourth Congress dissolved +on the 4th of March, we had come to the +door of the greatest war in the history of the +world.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER V<br> +<small>HOW THE UNITED STATES WENT INTO WAR</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">One</span> hundred and thirty years before the +great war of Europe came to the threshold of +the United States a group of wise, far-sighted +statesmen met in the city of Philadelphia to +make a constitution for the governing of the +Colonies whose independence had just been +won. They desired, above all things, to establish +a government which would stand the test +of time and remain a government of the people, +by the people, and for the people. For months +they deliberated, bringing to the meetings all +the wisdom, all the ideals, all the visioning they +had acquired from long study, and from victorious, +righteous warfare. Finally they—the +fathers of our republic—completed a document +that has governed the United States of America +and become to the world a model of democratic +government.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span>In this document, which was ratified by +the States then existing and which became the +law of those States which were admitted to the +nation, its makers set down certain rules governing +the making of war.</p> + +<p>The Constitution divided the government +into three branches: the executive, the legislative, +and the judicial. In order that no one +of them might have too much power, the duties +of each were determined and divided. The +executive, of which the President is chief, could +do certain deeds and duties. The judicial had +the final determination of the right of enacting +certain laws, saying whether or not later laws, +made by Congress, conformed to the original +Constitution. But to the legislative, represented +by two houses of Congress, the Senate and the +House of Representatives, the Constitution +granted certain very clear powers.</p> + +<p>Among these powers was the power to declare +war. In autocracies monarchs declare +war; but in a democracy such as ours it is right +and just that the power of declaring war should +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span>rest with that body most directly responsive +to the people of the nation. The Congress is +such a body. The Constitution therefore gave +to Congress the right of war declaration; and +nothing better illustrates the difference between +autocracy and democracy than the fact that +the Emperor of Germany had thrust his country +into war three days before the German +<i>Reichstag</i>, which is the limited popular assembly +of the empire, knew officially of its existence, +while the President of the United States had +to summon Congress into special session for +consideration of the war problem.</p> + +<p>On the second day of April, 1917, the President +went before the Congress which he had +summoned. Beneath the dome of the white +Capitol in the city of Washington, while a world +waited breathlessly for the verdict of the great +nation, he read his message to the men who +represent the people of the United States. In +that message he set down the case of the United +States against Germany. Only twice before +in the history of America—at the beginning +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span>of the War of the Revolution and at the beginning +of the war between the States—had +there been so momentous an occasion. Upon +the men assembled in the Senate and the House +of Representatives depended the honor, the +future of the nation, and the honor and the +future of democracy.</p> + +<p>“It is a war,” the President read to them, +“against all nations.... The challenge is to +all mankind. Each nation must decide for +itself how it will meet it. The choice we make +for ourselves must be made with a moderation +of counsel and a temperateness of judgment +befitting our character and our motives as a +nation. We must put excited feelings away. +Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious +assertion of the physical might of the nation, +but only the vindication of right, of human +right, of which we are only a single champion.”</p> + +<p>In that spirit the Congress listened. In +that spirit they heard the voice of the man who +was speaking not for himself but for our United +States, not for our generation alone but for the +generations who have passed and the generations +who will come, when he said:</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> + <img src="images/i_fp80.jpg" width="700" height="425" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p><small><i>From a photograph by G. V. Buck, Underwood & Underwood.</i></small></p> + <p class="caption">President Wilson delivering his war message</p> + <p class="caption"><small>On the second day of April, 1917 ... while a world waited breathlessly for the verdict of the great nation, President Wilson read his + message to the men who represent the people of the United States</small></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span>“The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted +upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish +ends to serve. We desire no conquests, no dominion. We seek no +indemnities for ourselves, no material compensations for the sacrifices +we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights +of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as +secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them.”</p> + +<p>With the weight of the gravest responsibility +an American Congress has ever raised falling +upon their shoulders, they gave heed as the +chief executive brought to them the issue:</p> + +<p>“It is a distressing and oppressive duty, +gentlemen of the Congress, which I have performed +in thus addressing you. There are, it +may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice +ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this +great, peaceful people into war, into the most +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span>terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization +itself seeming to be in the balance. But the +right is more precious than peace, and we shall +fight for the things which we have always carried +nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right +of those who submit to authority to have a +voice in their own governments, for the rights +and liberties of small nations, for a universal +dominion of right by such a concert of free +people as shall bring peace and safety to all +nations and make the world itself at last +free.</p> + +<p>“To such a task we can dedicate our lives +and our fortunes, everything that we are and +everything that we have, with the pride of those +who know that the day has come when America +is privileged to spend her blood and her might +for the principles that gave her birth and happiness, +and the peace which she has treasured.</p> + +<p>“God helping her, she can do no other.”</p> + +<p>The Congress of the United States deliberated, +through three days and three nights, while +the world waited, upon the question of war. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span>On the 2d of April, the very day of the President’s +message, the war declaration passed the +Senate with a vote of 82 yeas and 6 nays. On +the 5th of April, it passed the House of Representatives +with a vote of 373 yeas and 70 +nays. America had spoken, and the voice of +America thundered this message to Germany:</p> + +<p>“Whereas the Imperial German Government +has committed repeated acts of war against +the Government and the people of the United +States of America: Therefore be it</p> + +<p>“<i>Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives +of the United States of America in Congress +assembled</i>, That the state of war between +the United States and the Imperial German +Government which has thus been thrust upon +the United States is hereby formally declared; +and that the President be, and he is hereby, +authorized and directed to employ the entire +naval and military forces of the United States +and the resources of the Government to carry +on war against the Imperial German Government; +and to bring the conflict to a successful +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span>termination all the resources of the country +are hereby pledged by the Congress of the +United States.”</p> + +<p>The United States of America had gone +into its greatest war.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span> + + <h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VI<br> +<small>WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS DOING IN + THE WAR</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">When</span> a military nation of the type of Germany +goes into war the entrance is but a step +forward out of the preparations which it has +been making for years; but when a peace-loving, +peace-observing nation of the type of +the United States goes into war the entrance +is a revolution in the thoughts, habits, and intentions +of the people.</p> + +<p>The declaration by Congress of the existence +of a state of war with Germany found the United +States with the greatest resources of any nation +in the world but without the sort of military +machinery necessary for prosecution of the +conflict. The readjustment of the nation from +ordinary occupations into war-making occupations +has been a gigantic task, and one that +has been accomplished only through the intelligent +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span>patriotism of the citizens of the nation, +co-operating with the government.</p> + +<p>The first concern of the nation was the increase +of our army and navy to a size commensurate +to the part we were about to take in the +conflict. Neither the army nor the navy came +near to the strength which the nation knew to +be imperative for the winning of the war. For, +although the exact part which the United States +would take in the struggle was to be determined +later by conferences with the war councils of +the other nations fighting Germany, it was +certain that we would require a vast army and +an adequate navy.</p> + +<p>Congress having voted that the United +States should undertake extensive military +preparation, the duty of providing that preparation +fell upon the executive branch of our +government. It was provided that the army +of the United States should consist of the Regular +Army, the National Guard, and the +National Army. The law provides that, when +these armies are assembled, there shall be no +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span>difference between the Regular Army, the National +Guard, and the National Army. Every +man in the army, no matter in what service, +is equal in dignity, in responsibility, and in +opportunity to every other man of the same +rank in the army.</p> + +<p>The first year of the conflict has been largely +occupied with the assembling of these armies, +and in the despatch of those trained for battle +duty to France. To insure this despatch in +safety the navy has been greatly increased in +size and efficiency, although it stands to the +honor of America that her navy proved itself +instantly worthy of her trust.</p> + +<p>With the beginning of the war there was a +rush of men to enlist in the Regular Army and +in the National Guard, which was to be part +of the army of the United States. The government, +however, decided upon a method of service, +known as selective service and sometimes +called “the draft,” which would be more democratic +and fair than the enlistment method, and +which would supplement the other methods.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span>The selective-service law, passed by Congress +on the 18th of May, 1917, established a class of +men between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-one +from which the President may draft soldiers. +All men between those ages were enrolled on the +5th of June, 1917. The administration of the +draft is in the hands of the War Department +under the supervision of the President. Every +voting district has a local draft board, and every +congressional district a board of appeal, which +decides contested cases. All men between the +ages given are subject to service, unless they are +exempted for reasons allowed by law. No exemptions +can be bought. No substitutions can +be made. The richest man in the country of +draft age is as subject to service as the poorest +man. Exemptions are permitted those men who +are supporting dependants who cannot support +themselves, those men who are working in occupations +necessary for the winning of the war, +such as ship-building and the making of munitions +of war, and those men who are physically +unfit for war service.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span>In the registration 9,659,382 men enrolled. +By a drawing system conducted publicly in +the Capitol of the United States at Washington +the order by which these men were to go in +the army was determined by lot. The President +issued instructions to the exemption boards +on the 2d of July, and the first National Army +of 687,000 men was called to service on the 5th +of September, 1917.</p> + +<p>Following this call every man in the rest +of the nearly 10,000,000 men received a document, +known as a questionnaire, which gave a +number of questions to be answered, and which +he filled out. According to his answers the local +board determined to what class he belongs. +There are five groups of selective service, ranged +according to a man’s obligations and his occupation. +Single men without dependent relatives +head the first class. Licensed pilots, who are +so necessary to navigation as to be almost indispensable, +end the last class. No fairer system +of military service was ever devised.</p> + +<p>For the training of this army arrangements +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span>had to be made. The government set about +the building of camps, called cantonments, for +the use of the National Guard and the National +Army while their various units were being prepared +for service abroad. Most of these camps +are in the South so that the men may have less +hardship during the winter season. Some of +the camps were completed in September, 1917. +The construction of every camp was a great +engineering achievement. Camp Meade is the +second largest city of Maryland, and every +camp is in itself a great community. There are +thirty-three of these camps, or cantonments, +extending from Atlantic to Pacific and from +the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border in +their locations. Here the men are trained into +service, and cared for in various ways while +they are being trained.</p> + +<p>Training-camps for officers were also established +where men were taught the science of +warfare and the leading of other men. In addition +to the army, training-camps for the United +States marines, who are in the naval service, +were established. Special branches of service, +such as aviation, had special camps.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> + <img src="images/i_fp90.jpg" width="700" height="450" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p class="caption">Recruits of the National Army waiting at the booths of a National Army cantonment</p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span>On the fourth day of July, 1917, the news +came to the United States that the first division +of the American Expeditionary Forces, +under the command of General John Pershing, +had landed in France. American troops began +intensive training with French and British +soldiers, and when they were judged ready, +took their places on the battle-lines. Day after +day the casualty lists have recorded the deaths +and injuries of American soldiers in the war. +Our country is paying the price for the liberty we +have enjoyed, and which we struggle to hold.</p> + +<p>Every day sees new divisions sailing eastward +on their way to Europe. The shipyards +of the country are busy night and day in the +building of ships to convoy troops and supplies +to the battle-fronts, and to the countries of the +peoples who fight with us against Germany.</p> + +<p>For upon the United States has fallen the +task, not only of supplying men for fighting with +the men of France and Great Britain on the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span>western front, but of supplying food, clothing, +and ammunition. Depleted by the years of devastating +warfare, our fellow fighters look to us +for sustenance. And we are not failing them.</p> + +<p>One of the sinews of war is money. Nations +must raise vast sums to keep up armies. Soldiers +must be fed and clothed, and given guns +and bullets with which to defend themselves. +If they have families at home, their families +must be supported. The government of the +United States does all this for the men in its +army and navy. And the people of the United +States stand back of the government to pay +for these needs. Besides the government, certain +private enterprises are aiding the soldiers, +sailors, and all the victims of war abroad, as +well as those needing aid at home for various +reasons connected with the change that war +brings. Only a certain percentage of our population +may go overseas to fight, but to every +American is given the opportunity of standing +back of the lines and doing the part asked of +him.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span> + + <h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VII<br> +<small>REAR-LINE TRENCHES</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Back</span> of the firing-lines of battle are other +lines which must be held by the fighting nations, +if a war is to be won. These lines, which +may be called the rear-line trenches of conflict, +are the means of supply by which the armies +at the front are fed and clothed, and given ammunition, +and cared for in every way that will +make them better soldiers. It is on these lines +that the civilian population of a nation gives +help to the fighting men. It is in these trenches +that the men, and women, and children of a +country may do their part for the soldiers and +sailors who have to go into the actual battles.</p> + +<p>Because the United States is a democracy, +fighting in a great struggle for the principles +of democracy, it follows that our country has +enlisted the service of every American to win +the war. There is no one in the nation who +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span>may not help, since every one may do something +to give actual, immediate, necessary aid +to the men at the front, and those who are on +their way to the front.</p> + +<p>This aid has been given, and is being given, +in many ways. Through food conservation, +Liberty Loans, War Thrift and Savings Stamps +and Certificates, the Red Cross, the Young +Men’s Christian Association, the Young Men’s +Hebrew Association, the Knights of Columbus, +the Young Women’s Christian Association, and +various other organizations which are working +for the welfare of the soldiers, sailors, and marines, +almost every person in the United States +old enough to understand that the country is +at war has helped toward the winning of the +war.</p> + +<p>Some of these methods, such as food conservation, +and the raising of money through +Liberty Loans and the sale of War Thrift +Stamps, have been used directly by the government. +Others have been semi-private enterprises +with governmental sanction. All of them +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span>have been for the purpose of helping the men +who have been doing the actual fighting, so +that every one in the nation who has done what +he could for these causes has been fighting his +country’s battles in the trenches back of the +front.</p> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Food Conservation</span></h3> + +<p>Napoleon, the one-time Emperor of the +French and the greatest general of modern warfare, +said that “an army travelled on its stomach.” +He meant that no army could go faster +than its food-supply. Although the method of +warfare has changed since the century ago when +he fought, the truth of his statement remains. +No army can win battles unless it is properly fed.</p> + +<p>When the United States went into the great +war the government of our country knew that +a vast amount of certain kinds of food must +be shipped abroad to feed those soldiers whom +we would send across and those soldiers of the +nations on whose side we were to fight against +Germany. France and Belgium, devastated by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span>the invading armies of the Germans, could +not raise food enough for their own populations, +to say nothing of the defending armies. +England, with her men fighting abroad, and +with only a comparatively small area of farming +land, could not do much more. Canada +was sending millions of bushels of wheat and +thousands of tons of other food-supplies monthly +to the Allies, but the need was infinitely greater +than the supply. It therefore became the first +duty of our country to send to those nations +which were fighting in the same cause all the +food which we could possibly spare, in order +that their soldiers, and our soldiers when they +came, would be properly fed.</p> + +<p>Although the United States produces great +quantities of food products every year, only +certain kinds of food could be sent abroad. +It was necessary to send the kind of food that +would take up the least space in shipment and +have the greatest nourishment. The greatest +demand was for wheat, and even our country +could not—without saving at home—send to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span>Europe as much as was required. In order +that the people of the United States might be +taught how to save wheat and other foods needed +for our troops and the Allies, the government +established a food administration for the double +purpose of taking over this instruction and of +devising other methods of food saving. The +success of both branches of service has been +due to the intelligent co-operation of the American +people with the officers of the food administration; +but it has been in the actual +savings by individual Americans that the sum +of sacrifice has been attained.</p> + +<p>It may not seem a soldier’s duty to refrain +from eating white bread on certain days designated +by the government. It may not seem +a patriot’s duty to keep from eating sugar or +pork on other days; but it is none the less a +duty as certain as that one which his commanding +officer assigns to the soldier in the ranks, +and one which should be as carefully followed. +The following of it has enabled the United States +to ship abroad wheat, pork, sugar, and other +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span>foodstuff in quantities sufficient to keep fed the +people who are actually fighting the enemy. +The man, woman, or child who has saved at +home the kind of food that the government +has needed to send abroad, and who has used +the substitutes, has done a patriotic duty and +his share of keeping the rear-line trench where +he is placed.</p> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Fuel Conservation</span></h3> + +<p>Coal is one of the essential means of making +war. Without coal ships cannot cross the seas, +bearing soldiers. Without coal the great factories +where guns and bullets, powder and +cannon, uniforms and equipment are made +for our army and navy could not run. Because +of many reasons there was during 1917 a shortage +of 50,000,000 tons of coal. The government +therefore appointed a fuel administrator +for the purpose of finding ways to make up +this shortage so that ships would not be delayed +nor factories stopped where munitions +for our soldiers and sailors were being made.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span>The fuel administrator ordered the shutting +down of the use of electric lights where these +were not absolutely needed, and also, when the +shortage was most acute, the shutting down +of all factories not employed in munitions-making +for a certain period of time. This was +why there were so-called “lightless” nights and +“coalless” days. The people were also asked +to save fuel in their homes as much as possible. +The result was a saving of fuel that was used +for war purpose directly.</p> + +<h3><span class="smcap">War Finance</span></h3> + +<p>In the old days, when Kings hired men of +other nations to help their own armies fight +their wars, it used to be said that the victory +went to that side which had the most money. +Some wars where countries with practically +no money fought against rich nations and defeated +them, because of superior valor and +courage of their men, proved that it was not +money, but men, which won wars. The fact +remains, however, that money is absolutely +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span>necessary for any country to carry a war to +success. Soldiers must be fed and clothed, +and given guns and bullets and cannon, as +well as proper care. All this takes money.</p> + +<p>A government has two ways of raising +money. One of these ways, the older way, is +by taxation. The government says to the +citizen: “You have property worth so much +money. We shall require you to give us a certain +percentage of that money. You have an +income of so many dollars. We shall take from +you part of it, according to your wealth.” Or +the government may put a tax on tea, or coffee, +or clothes, or any other article which people +use. All this is perfectly right and legal as a +means of raising money for the prosecution of +a war in which the government must direct the +people, to win.</p> + +<p>The other method of raising money by the +government is the sale of bonds. Bonds are +really promises made by a corporation to pay +at a certain stated time, with interest, the +amount which the purchaser gives for them. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span>For instance, when a railroad company wants to +get money enough to make some necessary improvements, +it issues bonds at a certain rate of +interest, payable at a certain time. If the improvements +help the railroad, and the company +makes money by having done this, the person +who buys the bond usually finds that his purchase +has increased in value because of the certainty +of the interest payments. It is this +certainty of payment, both principal and interest, +which has always made United States +bonds such good investments. It is not hard +for a man who has good property to secure a +mortgage upon it.</p> + +<p>The United States is the richest country +in the world. The government of the United +States has at its command the greatest resources +of any nation. Therefore, the government +could raise more money than any other +agency.</p> + +<p>When the war came to our country, the +government had the choice of raising money +by taxation or by the sale of bonds. In order +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span>to make the task as easy on the people as possible +the government, through its officers, decided +to combine the systems. Through the +Internal Revenue Bureau of the Treasury of +the United States the government set about +the collection of taxes imposed by Congress, +and designed to raise money for the winning +of the war. And the secretary of the treasury +announced the opening of the first Liberty +Loan.</p> + +<p>The Liberty Loans are really bond sales. +Through them the government sells to the +people bonds, which are promises to pay the +money which the government borrows. These +bonds are promises to pay the purchasers at +the end of a certain number of years the +amount which they pay for them. In the +meantime they pay semi-annual interest. These +bonds are investments. Buying them is not +making a gift to the government. It is, rather, +letting the government make a gift to you.</p> + +<p>In order to have money enough to purchase +bonds, however, hundreds of thousands of people +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span>have had to make sacrifices during the course +of the Liberty Loans; and it is only when they +have made sacrifice, when they have given up +clothes they wanted, or vacations they thought +they needed, or pleasure they would have sought, +that they are really doing something for the +country. But so many millions of men and +women and children have bought Liberty Bonds +and are continuing to buy Liberty Bonds that +their purchase has become one of the great patriotic +movements of our country in this war.</p> + +<p>In the War of the Revolution, Robert Morris, +of Philadelphia, loaned money to General Washington’s +army. History has made famous his +name because he had faith enough in his country +and love enough for his country to loan +money to her in the hour of her need. In this +great war every man, every woman, every boy, +every girl in the United States has the opportunity +of becoming a Robert Morris.</p> + +<p>For, although the lowest denomination of +a Liberty Bond is fifty dollars, the government +has devised a method by which every one who +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span>has any money at all can help in the war. The +treasury has issued War Thrift Stamps and +War Savings Certificates so that any one who +has money at all—no matter how little—may +do his share. The stamps may be bought almost +everywhere for twenty-five cents. In +January, 1918, a certificate cost $4.12. In +every month which followed it cost one cent +more. But it will bring back to the holder of +it in 1923 five dollars. The stamps may be +exchanged for certificates, as soon as the saver +has enough of them, with the odd amount added, +to make the purchase.</p> + +<p>Since every one in the nation who has twenty-five +cents may buy a Thrift Stamp, it is almost +certain that every one in the United States +can help the government win the war by making +the purchase. And it is by the individual efforts +that the money will be raised, and the war won.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> + <img src="images/i_fp104.jpg" width="700" height="450" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p class="caption">Children selling Thrift Stamps</p> + <p class="caption"><small>The Treasury has issued War Thrift Stamps and War Savings Certificates so that any one who has money at all—no matter how little—may + do his share</small></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<h3><span class="smcap">The Red Cross</span></h3> + +<p>From an auxiliary branch of a great organization +the American Red Cross has become +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span>one of the great agencies of the war. Before +the United States entered the conflict, the American +Red Cross had been the great relief agency +among the peoples of the stricken districts of +western Europe. Food, clothing, a new chance +at life had been given the stricken. Back of +the battle-fields the soldiers, wounded in the +struggles, were cared for. Even in Germany +the American Red Cross had made easier the +lot of the prisoners of war. With our entrance +into the war the organization became one of +the great factors in our country’s means of +caring for the welfare of our fighters.</p> + +<p>The American Red Cross, of which the President +of the United States is honorary chairman, +is the means through which volunteer aid is +given to the sick and wounded men of the army +and navy, to sufferers in the war zones, and +to the families of men in the service.</p> + +<p>There are two classes of Red Cross service, +civilian and military. The civilian relief includes +the care and education of destitute children +in the war zone, the care of mutilated soldiers, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span>the care of sick and wounded soldiers, +the relief of the devastated districts of France +and Belgium, aid for prisoners of war and +civilians sent back from bondage in Germany +to France and Belgium, and the prevention of +tuberculosis. It also includes care for the +families of soldiers and sailors beyond the aid +given by the government. Military relief establishes +and maintains hospitals for sick and +wounded soldiers in the American army in +France, and canteens, rest-houses, recreation-huts +for American soldiers and also for the +soldiers of the other nations at war with Germany.</p> + +<p>In the equipment of the hospitals and in +the other relief work done by the Red Cross +a very great number of special articles, such +as bandages, garments, and other articles requiring +skill in the making were needed. Almost +every woman and child in the United +States has been at work since the beginning +of the war in making something for the Red +Cross, so that this semi-governmental activity +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span>has become one of the most wide-spread forces +in providing comforts and necessaries for our +army and navy, as well as for the relief of conditions +in the war zone.</p> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Welfare Work</span></h3> + +<p>Both in the camps at home and in the +trenches abroad the soldier needs something besides +the routine life provided for him by the +government. In order to give him recreation +and pleasures, so that his life may be normal +even when he is away from home, several organizations +have been at work since the beginning +of the war. The Commission on Training-Camp +Activities, the Young Men’s Christian +Association, with its attendant Young Men’s +Hebrew Association, the Knights of Columbus, +and the Jewish Welfare Board have been among +the many who have been working to make the +fighting men happier. These organizations have +built rest-houses and recreation-huts for the +men. They have given entertainments for +them. They have supplied them with comforts, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span>and have kept up a high morality among them. +The United Service Clubs have also been busy +in providing good lodgings for soldiers and +sailors when they have been out of the camps on +leave. The Young Women’s Christian Association +has also done splendid work both for the +men in the camps and for their visiting relatives.</p> + +<p>In addition to the large organizations smaller +ones are busy all over the country in aiding the +soldiers. Almost every town has some group +of people who are giving service to the men in +the camps. In every city and town through +which the troop-trains have passed on their +way from the camps to the harbors where the +soldiers would be placed on board the transports, +women have fixed food for the men, and +children have aided them in carrying this food +to the stations. Large sums have been raised +to carry on the recreation service in the camps, +both here and in France, and the response of +the American people to any request for the +soldiers and sailors has been speedy and inspiring.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span>The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts of the +United States have been noteworthy in their +work for our country. Three hundred and +twenty thousand Boy Scouts aided in the work +of selling the bonds of the Third Liberty Loan +and of the sale of War Thrift Stamps. The Girl +Scouts have done all sorts of clerical and special +work for the same cause, as well as for various +others. The children of every public school +and almost every private school in the United +States have worked in some cause or another +for the winning of the war. With the men and +women of the country they have earned their +place on the patriots’ roll.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[110]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VIII<br> +<small>THE AMERICAN’S PART</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Entering</span> the great war after it had already +waged for nearly three years, the United +States learned many of the lessons that experience +had taught to the Allies, and outlined a +programme that was designed to promote speed +and efficiency. Every programme that is dependent +upon human action is, of course, imperfect; +but the programme of our country in +this war has, at least, given to the citizens of +our land opportunity for service in the prosecution +of the war. No man, woman, or child in +the nation need be idle or useless. He has the +chance now of helping his country as he has +had in no other time in her history.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> + <img src="images/i_fp110.jpg" width="700" height="449" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p class="caption">Boys at work in their war garden</p> + <p class="caption"><small>No ... child in the nation need be idle or useless. He has the chance now of helping his country as he has had in no other time + in her history</small></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Why should the American help America?</p> + +<p>There is, to begin with, in the soul of every +human being a love of country that should +come next to a love of God. Love of country +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[111]</span>is not only next to love of God, but is part of +genuine love of God. No man who loves his +God sincerely fails to love his country. Even +those countries which have not been kind or +just, or fair to their peoples, countries where +men are not given the chance for freedom or +opportunity, have their patriots. But the +United States of America, more than any other +country in the world, has given to her people +liberty, justice, opportunity, freedom. It is, +therefore, the grateful duty of every American +to do what he can to keep his country what +she has been.</p> + +<p>For those men who are in the army or navy +the duty is clear. They are making the supreme +sacrifice in standing ready to give their lives in +the defense of our nation. For those who stay +at home the path may not be as plain, but it +is there, and no one should fail to find it and +travel upon it, for it is the road of patriotism, +and patriotism is a divine duty.</p> + +<p>The United States, as we have seen, entered +the war to uphold those principles of right which +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[112]</span>all great Americans, from Washington and +Patrick Henry to Abraham Lincoln, have cherished. +For freedom of the seas, for the safekeeping +of the Monroe Doctrine, for the right +of arbitration in international disputes, for the +right of small nations to govern themselves, for +the preservation of those free institutions of +democracy which the autocracy of Germany +strives to conquer, our nation took up the +burden of conflict. While it is the first war in +which we have sent our troops to foreign soil, +it is a war in keeping with the basic principles +of our nationality. It is being fought for the +same freedom for which the thirteen Colonies +fought in the War of the Revolution. It is +being fought for the same maritime right for +which the War of 1812 was fought. Both these +struggles were, it is true, against England, who +is now our cobelligerent in the war against Germany. +By our winning of those wars the +United States helped the people of England to +see that light for which they are now sacrificing +everything. There were men in England, even +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[113]</span>in the times of the War of the Revolution and +in the War of 1812, who believed America right, +and who proclaimed their belief in the halls of +Westminster. Their courage and our success +set beacons on the hills of history for the lighting +of those who followed. The same spirit that +inspired our nation in its beginnings is the spirit +that inspires not only ourselves but those against +whom we fought until they, too, are fighting +for it now on the fields of Flanders and France.</p> + +<p>It is a war which is being fought for the +same basic principles on which the War of the +States was fought in the sixties of the last century. +For while the North fought for the freedom +of the slave, the South fought, not for his +continuation in bondage, but for the rights of +the separate States. Both issues were fundamentally +right. The greater—for the freedom +of the individual is greater than the constitutional +right of a State—triumphed. But the +spirit of both is American, and part of our reason +for entering this war.</p> + +<p>Since it is a war in keeping with American +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span>traditions, it is the part of the American, in +service or out of it, to keep up the standard of +our country in it.</p> + +<p>How shall he do it?</p> + +<p>Every man sees his own duty clearest. But +there are certain lines of life in which this duty +is so clear that it is easy to mark. One of these +lines is that of the American of foreign birth +or parentage, now a citizen of the United States. +Another is that of the families of officers and +soldiers. A third is that of the industrial workers +of the country. The men, women, and children +in any one of these zones have definite standards +to uphold. If they fail to do so, they are not +less traitorous than the sentry who falls asleep +at his post and lets the enemy in.</p> + +<p>The American of foreign birth or parentage +is a citizen of this country because he or his +parents saw that America offered an opportunity +which could not be secured in the old +country. He is the recipient of favors of freedom, +liberty, and such wealth as he did not +before enjoy. His allegiance is doubly owed. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[115]</span>It is therefore his part to do everything in his +power to prove his gratitude. It is his part to +combat all disloyalty, to uproot all treason, to +stand firm for American principles at home and +abroad, to proclaim by word and deed his loyalty +to our country.</p> + +<p>Because this is a war for democracy it is +the part of every American to maintain that +democracy at home and in deed as well as abroad +and in word. Military organizations have a +tendency to create distinctions, unless the people +of the country keep close watch on themselves. +Military discipline must be maintained, +but any line drawn between officer and private +must end with discipline and not be carried +into private life. The private in the ranks is +as great an American, if he does his duty, as +the general in command; and no one knows it +better than the general. It is not in the army +or navy, but in the civilian families of soldiers +and sailors, that the danger lies. Therefore, +it is the part of every member of these to bear +in mind constantly and continuously that every +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[116]</span>man in the service is equal; that the commissioned +officer is giving no more than the man +in the ranks; and that both are giving up everything +else in life for the one thing of paramount +importance, the winning of the war. “No snobbery” +is as good and as great an American watchword +as “Give me liberty, or give me death.” +For snobbery is the death of liberty as surely +as the will of a tyrant. The “Junker” class +of Prussia is the officer class who look down +upon all others, and who have come to believe +the world to have been made for their rule. +We are fighting “Junkerism” in Europe. It +is the American’s part to fight the slightest +trace of it at home.</p> + +<p>Every war has its home heroes as well as +its field heroes. Since this war is, more than +any other, a war of resources, it follows that +the part of labor is more important than it has +been in any previous war. If the working men +and women of any one of the great warring +nations should refuse to continue at work, that +nation would be defeated as surely as if the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[117]</span>armies had laid down their arms in the field. +American victory is as dependent upon American +labor as it is upon American manhood. +And it is with pride that it may be said that +American labor has been found worthy of all +American traditions.</p> + +<p>The United States has been pre-eminently +the nation of the working man. Its legislation +has continuously tended toward the betterment +of his condition. Nowhere else in the +world has he enjoyed the lot that has been his +in America. Nowhere else has he the voice, +the power, the future that our nation accords +him. And upon him in this war has fallen the +duty of speeding up the war production of the +country, a task so important that those men +of draft age engaged in such occupations have +been exempted from military service in order +that they may continue at their work. For +the making of munitions is as necessary as the +firing of guns.</p> + +<p>It has become the duty of American labor to +keep at the allotted tasks. No one must shirk. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span>No one must fail. No one must delay. No +matter how trivial the task may seem in the +sum of the war work, it may be the one whose +lack of doing may be the breach in the wall +through which the enemy may enter.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first"> “For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost.</div> +<div class="verse">For the want of a shoe, the horse was lost.</div> +<div class="verse">For the want of a horse, the rider was lost.</div> +<div class="verse">For the want of the rider, the message was lost.</div> +<div class="verse">For the want of the message, the battle was lost.</div> +<div class="verse">For the loss of the battle, the kingdom was lost.</div> +<div class="verse">All for the want of the nail of a shoe.”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>And the maker of the horseshoe was one of +the factors of his country’s defeat!</p> + +<p>The civilian’s part in this war has been outlined +by the President of the United States in +his proclamation of the 16th of April, 1917:</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> + <img src="images/i_fp118.jpg" width="700" height="447" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p class="caption">The launching of the U. S. S. <i>Accoma</i></p> + <p class="caption"><small>Scarcely a minute after this 3,500-ton wooden cargo-ship had been launched the keel of another ship was swung into place</small></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>“These, then, are the things we must do +and do well besides fighting—the things without +which mere fighting would be fruitless; +we must supply abundant food for ourselves, +our armies, and our seamen, not only, but also +for a large part of the nations with whom we +have common cause, in whose support and by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span>whose side we are fighting. We must supply +ships by the hundreds out of our shipyards to +carry to the other side of the sea, submarines +or no submarines, what will every day be needed +there, and abundant materials out of our fields +and our mines and our factories with which +not only to cloak and equip our own forces on +land and sea, but also to clothe and support +our people for whom the gallant fellows under +arms can no longer work; to help clothe and +equip the armies with which we are co-operating +in Europe and to keep the looms and manufactories +there in raw materials; coal to keep +the fires going in the ships at sea and in the +furnaces of hundreds of factories across the +sea; steel out of which to make arms and ammunition +both here and there; rails for worn-out +railways back of the fighting fronts; locomotives +and rolling-stock to take the places of +those every day going to pieces; mules, horses, +cattle, for labor and for military service; everything +with which the people in England, France, +Italy, and Russia have normally supplied themselves, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[120]</span>but cannot now afford the men, the +materials, or the machinery to make.”</p> + +<p>America is the factory of the world. The +American who stays at home is the worker in +the factory, and it is his part to do his work +so well that the man who fights overseas for +the same cause may hold his hand in the essential +brotherhood of equal service.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span> + + <h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IX<br> +<small>THE UNITED STATES AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the soul of every human being, no matter +how clogged it be by traditions, lives the desire +for freedom. It is this desire, this spark of +fire, which has peopled the continent of America. +For, long before the colonies revolted and established +a republic the great territory which has +become the United States beckoned to the +peoples of the Old World a welcome to a land +which would give them opportunity for the +freedom they sought. The whole history of +the American colonies is a history of the search +of mankind for individual freedom in which to +work out his ideals without governmental interference. +Political refugees, religious refugees +dared the dangers of the ocean to come to the +new land that they might live and worship as +their souls urged them.</p> + +<p>The settlement of Massachusetts was made +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[122]</span>by the Puritans of England who were seeking +a refuge from the oppression they had suffered +in England on account of their religious beliefs +and practices. They braved the stormy northern +Atlantic to come to the wilderness. They braved +the Indians to stay. They established their +homes, their schools, their meeting-houses, their +government, and dwelt according to the dictates +of their consciences in that freedom which +they had desired.</p> + +<p>No less for freedom did William Penn and +his colony of Quakers come to the western hemisphere. +They sought a place where they would +be given a chance to worship God according +to their belief. A peaceful sect, they sought +peace, and they brought into the new country +standards of living that set their impress upon +the infant nation. Liberal to others as they +desired liberality for themselves, they were +destined to sow seeds of thought that were to +be harvested in the effects of the Constitution +of the republic, when it was formulated.</p> + +<p>The Huguenots in the Carolinas, fleeing religious +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[123]</span>persecution, found haven. Lord Baltimore +established the Maryland colony of English +Catholics who could not practise their religion +in the old country. And where the motive +for the establishment of the colony was not in +itself purely a question of finding a place of +religious freedom, the interrelationship of the +colonies became so close that in time the spirit +of religious freedom became warp of the fabric +of the country that was to be the American +nation.</p> + +<p>Political freedom was promoted, in the beginning, +by the distance of the colonies from +Europe. France, Spain, and England were +too far away, and ocean travel too hazardous, +to make the bond between the mother countries +and the colonies tight. Men and women +who had been venturesome enough to cross +the seas were not of the sort who would be held +for long by mere traditions of allegiance to +old lands. Little by little the people of the +colonies gained larger measures of political +freedom until the time arrived when the unjust +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[124]</span>tax imposed by England aroused them +to revolt. The Boston Tea Party expressed +the spirit of America. The Declaration of +Independence voiced America’s aspiration and +America’s intention. The War of the Revolution +settled the right of Americans to their own +government. The Constitution of the United +States guaranteed to Americans their rights to +the enjoyment of that freedom which had been +the mainspring of the foundation of the nation.</p> + +<p>Gradually the fact that this was a country +where men could have a share in the government, +could speak their minds, could worship +God in their own way, could work out their +ideals and ambitions without governmental +interference as long as these in no way conflicted +with the interests of law and order, went +over the earth. It found its way into those +countries of Europe where men were eager for +its coming. The English, after the War of 1812, +when the United States definitely established +our standing as a nation, were among the first +to come as settlers. And from other western +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span>countries of Europe came other settlers, led +by the knowledge that here could they enjoy +individual freedom.</p> + +<p>To America, as to the Promised Land, flocked +the Irish. Restless under the English yoke, +denied economic, political, religious, and educational +liberty by a government of an alien +neighbor, the Irish people turned westward. +The famine and the political revolution of 1848 +sent them out from Ireland by the tens of thousands. +To our land they brought a passionate +yearning for freedom and a passionate gratitude +to the country which opened it to them; and +because they were, as a people, gifted with the +power of expressing their emotions, they spread +the fame of the United States broadcast over +the world as a haven for those who sought liberty.</p> + +<p>After them came the Germans, led by the +political refugees of that country who had incurred +the enmity of Prussia in the Revolution +of 1848, which had striven to bring some measure +of freedom to the German people. Denied it at +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span>home, hundreds of thousands of Germans came +to America to find liberty in their individual +lives, to find opportunity. It is these Germans +and their descendants who, understanding what +the Prussian yoke means, have become among +the best of our American citizens. Knowing +what they escaped, they know what America +fights against now.</p> + +<p>The third great movement of a people to +the United States has been the westward coming +of the Jews. In this country, as in no other, +they possessed full religious freedom, and to this +country they have flocked from every land of +Europe where they had huddled, unwelcome, for +centuries. Here they have found no opposition +to their faith. Here they have had full chance +to worship as they would. For the first time +in thousands of years the Jew could build his +temple unhindered. For the first time since +the Roman had gone into Palestine the Jew +was a citizen of the land in which he dwelt.</p> + +<p>Then came the peoples of eastern Europe, +peoples of the vast empire that is called Austria-Hungary +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[127]</span>for lack of a better name. Ruled by +a man not of their race, a man of one of the +oldest, most corrupt, and autocratic of the reigning +families of Europe, they were struggling +upward toward freedom when the growing commercial +dominion of the United States took the +word to them of our nation’s beacon. To us +they have literally surged. Among us they +have found the freedom denied their peoples +at home.</p> + +<p>Another people sought the United States +to attain freedom. The Poles, oppressed on +one side by Germany, on another by Austria, +and on the third by the autocratic government +of Russia under the Czars, heard the tale of +the land of liberty, and set out for our shores +in great hordes. So many have they come that +Chicago is the second largest Polish city in the +world, having almost as many Poles as Warsaw; +and Milwaukee, Buffalo, and other American +cities attest the surging of the Pole toward a +land of liberty.</p> + +<p>In fact, there has been no country in Europe +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[128]</span>where people were dissatisfied with their +government that has not sent its people to the +United States. That France has sent the least +number in proportion to her population has +been due largely to the fact that the people of +France had worked out for themselves a genuine +democracy that satisfied the souls of her sons +and daughters.</p> + +<p>Through the hundred and forty-one years +that had elapsed between the calling of the +Continental Congress and the entrance of the +United States into war against Germany this +nation had been solidifying that right of individual +freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. +The war between North and South had been +fought in defense of the right of a human being +to freedom as against the right of a State to +separate itself from the national government. +The latter issue was lost, not because it was +wrong, but because it was not as vitally important +in the history of civilization as the former. +For that men and women and children should +be held in bondage violated the spirit of America; +and the bondage had to be broken. “No government,” +as Abraham Lincoln said, “can exist +half-slave and half-free.”</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> + <img src="images/i_fp128.jpg" width="450" height="647" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p class="caption">An immigrant family qualified to enter the United States</p> + <p class="caption"><small>There has been no country in Europe where people were dissatisfied with their government + that has not sent its people to the United States</small></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span>Some one has called America the melting-pot +of the nations. If it is, the fire that fuses +the nationalities which have come to our land +has been the fire of freedom.</p> + +<p>That is why America’s entrance into the +world war is so much more vitally significant +than a mere attack in defense of certain violations +of international law. It is a defense of +the principle of individual freedom. Were +the United States not to oppose a force that +threatened the freedom of the world, we would +not be worthy of the trust which the peoples +of other lands have reposed in us. The Irish, +the Germans, the Jews, the Slavs who came to +America would eventually have come in vain. +For Germany threatens the liberty of all peoples, +if she wins to victory in Europe. Germany +stands for all those ideas of government from +which these peoples fled. Germany stands for +the suppression of the individual as a political +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[130]</span>unit. Germany stands for might. Against all +that we have always fought. If we failed to +fight now, we would be but deferring the issue. +And so to-day the United States sends our soldiers +to France and our sailors out on the seas +in defense of that right of mankind which is +God’s gift, no matter how men have tried to +take it from him, the right of the freedom of +the individual to live his life as he sees best, +according only to the dictates of order, of moral +integrity, of justice, and of righteousness.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[131]</span> + + <h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER X<br> +<small>THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONAL PEACE</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">International</span>, lasting peace is the third +great ideal sought by the Republic of the United +States of America, and it is for the enforcement +of that kind of peace that the United States +is fighting. For, unless such peace is assured +by a decisive victory, the menace of German +imperialism will so overshadow the world that +all civilization will be flung back into one long +effort to keep armed to repel the invader.</p> + +<p>Although other nations have struggled +toward a standard of international and permanent +peace, the United States was one of +the first great nations to put the theory into +practice. One of the first instances of this practice +came at the close of the war between the +States, when the question of the <i>Alabama</i> +Claims arose.</p> + +<p>During the war the Confederate States had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span>caused to be built in English ports, with the +knowledge of the British Government, cruisers +to damage Federal commerce on the high seas. +The cruiser <i>Alabama</i> was most active of these, +and from its prominence gave name to the claim +which the United States brought against Great +Britain for the offense against international +law, particularly since the independence of the +Confederate States had not been recognized. +Great Britain had paid no attention to American +remonstrance during the war, but at its +close requested settlement of the difficulty.</p> + +<p>The United States was equipped for war, +with a victorious army at command, and with +a record of two victorious wars over England. +It was a chance to launch another, had our +nation been inclined toward militarism. Instead, +our country did its part in appointing +members of a joint high commission, of five +British and five American statesmen, who met +in Washington in 1871 and adjusted the difficulty. +These commissioners made a treaty, +known as the Treaty of Washington, by which +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span>it was agreed that the claims of either nation +against the other should be submitted to a +board of arbitration to be appointed by friendly +nations. In 1872 this board met at Geneva, +Switzerland, and decided the claims in favor of +the United States. Great Britain paid fifteen +million five hundred thousand dollars for the +damage done by the cruisers built in her ports; +but even more important was the precedent +established by two great nations.</p> + +<p>Through a period in which the world was +singularly free from great wars the peace ideal +grew among those countries where the democratic +form of government was progressing. +The other nations, striving to maintain that +elusive standard of political and trade domination +known as the balance of power, juggled +with the peace idea, but from a different point +of view. And it was, strangely enough, the +Czar of Russia who proposed the establishment +of an international court for the settling of international +disputes. His idea and that of the +nations who accepted the plan was to keep +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[134]</span>peace by a settlement of the causes of war, and +also to reduce the military and naval armaments +of the great Powers. He also brought forward +the idea that, if war should come, the conditions +of warfare should be made less terrible for the +men who were fighting. He invited the delegates +of the nations of the world to a conference +at The Hague, in the Netherlands, in May, +1899.</p> + +<p>The first conference promoted—to all appearances—a +general good feeling, but did not +formulate actual rules. The second, called by +the Czar in 1907, at the request of the government +of the United States, and extending from +June to October of that year, promulgated +certain rules that were regarded until the beginning +of the war by Germany in 1914 as those +which would hold all civilized nations.</p> + +<p>The articles of this conference, known as +The Hague Conventions, provided for:</p> + +<p>I.—The pacific settling of international disputes;</p> + +<p>II.—The recovery of debts contracted;</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span>III.—Rules for the opening of hostilities;</p> + +<p>IV.—Laws and customs of war on land;</p> + +<p>V.—Rights and duties of neutral states and +individuals in warfare on land;</p> + +<p>VI.—Treatment of enemy’s merchant ships +at the opening of hostilities;</p> + +<p>VII.—Transformation of merchant ships into +war vessels;</p> + +<p>VIII.—Placing of submarine mines;</p> + +<p>IX.—Bombardment of undefended towns by +naval forces;</p> + +<p>X.—Adoption of humane standards authorized +by the Geneva Convention to maritime +warfare;</p> + +<p>XI.—Restrictions on right of capture in +maritime war;</p> + +<p>XII.—Establishment of an international +prize court;</p> + +<p>XIII.—Rights and duties of neutral states +in maritime war.</p> + +<p>In addition to the adoption of these thirteen +articles, which were designed to keep peace or +to make war less terrible, if it came, the conference +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[136]</span>established a permanent court of arbitration +which has had its place at The Hague, +and which is known as The Hague Tribunal. +This court is really a number of judges from +whom some are selected to try cases of international +dispute. It is noteworthy that the +first case laid before The Hague Tribunal for +settlement was the Pius Fund matter between +the United States and Mexico. The government +of the United States took the dispute to +The Hague, the first time in history when a +great nation had appealed to an international +court for settlement of a claim against a small +nation.</p> + +<p>Since The Hague Conference the United +States has concluded about thirty peace treaties +with as many nations. They are all modelled +on one general idea which is expressed in the +opening article of each in this way:</p> + +<p>“The high contracting parties agree that +all disputes between them, of every nature +whatsoever, shall, when diplomatic methods +of adjustment have failed, be referred for investigation +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[137]</span>and report to a permanent international +commission to be constituted” (by the +contracting parties) “... and agree not to declare +war nor to begin hostilities during such +investigation and before the report be submitted.”</p> + +<p>Thirty-five nations had accepted this plan +“in principle” before Germany flung war upon +the world, and thirty treaties had been signed. +France, Russia, Great Britain, and Italy had +signed the treaties. Germany professed approval +of the plan, but avoided all definite arrangements, +her attitude apparently growing +out of her dislike of arbitration.</p> + +<p>This opposition to arbitration on Germany’s +part was due to the fact that for many years +she was actually preparing for war, and believed +that her best chance of winning it was +in the unpreparedness of the nations against +which she intended to wage it. The utterances +of her statesmen, philosophers, and editors revealed +the German official attitude of mind. +There can be no doubt but that Germany desired +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span>to keep the world lulled in a false security +until she had made ready to strike the blow +against world peace. Nothing else explains +her refusal to bind herself with the terms that +other nations accepted in the hope that wars +were becoming things of the past.</p> + +<p>Just before the United States was forced +into the breaking off of diplomatic relations +with Germany the President of the country +went before the Senate to set forth the principles +which should govern our nation in the +making of any peace with which we would associate +ourselves. The principles which he set +forth were:</p> + +<p>I.—An equality of rights between nations, +to be based on justice and not on the old principle +of balance of power;</p> + +<p>II.—Recognition of the principle that governments +derive their just powers from the +consent of the governed;</p> + +<p>III.—The right of all great peoples to have +a direct outlet to the sea, either by territorial +acquisition or by neutralization;</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span>IV.—The freedom of the seas;</p> + +<p>V.—The limitations of armaments on land +and sea;</p> + +<p>VI.—Refusal to permit any nation to extend +its policy over any other nation or people;</p> + +<p>VII.—A concert of nations to guarantee +peace and the rights of all nations, no entangling +alliances creating a competition for power, +but a league for the enforcement of international +peace.</p> + +<p>“These are American principles, American +policies,” the President stated. “They are also +the principles of forward-looking men and +women everywhere, of every modern nation, +and of every enlightened community.”</p> + +<p>To the very last, until the action of Germany +in restricting the freedom of the seas for which +the United States had fought and won a war in +days when she was ill-prepared for any conflict, +our country had stood out for peace. Only +when our vital rights were threatened, our vital +principles violated, did war come. And, when +it came the United States entered into the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span>conflict, not in hot passion, but with the high +purpose of establishing a real peace that cannot +be broken by any one vandal nation.</p> + +<p>The kind of peace which is the ideal of the +United States, and the one toward which we +are now fighting, is not to be the sort which +may be patched up over a council-table for a +brief space. There is only one way of curing +a cancer of the human body. It must be cut +out. And so it is with the world. The only +way to cure the world of war is to cut out the +cancer of militarism. The only way to cut it +out is to defeat the armies of militarism.</p> + +<p>The United States and the Allies are not +fighting to impose on Germany and her fellow +fighters any particular form of government; +but they are fighting to defeat that form of +government which has precipitated the war, +the so-called Junker policy of the German Empire. +The Junker, who is a member of the Prussian +nobility and a man devoted to militarism, +has been the instrument of war, forcing it on +the world that Germany, which for him means +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[141]</span>only a certain small class of rulers in Prussia +headed by the Kaiser, shall be rich and powerful +over all the earth. It is to end his reign +upon earth that hundreds of thousands of men +are dying on the fields of France and Flanders. +It is to end that policy of Germany which aims +to keep men always at war that we are warring. +For, if Germany is not totally defeated, every +country in the world will have to build up a +military machine of the same kind as Germany’s +in order to be ready to fight her when she makes +up her mind to invade their territories; and +no one will know when she might do that. The +policy of Germany will threaten every democracy +in the world; for democracies cannot +exist while military establishments continue. +Nothing but a total, annihilating defeat of +Germany in this war will make the world “safe +for democracy” and sure for peace.</p> + +<p>When the war is won the United States +will, it is sure, insist upon a just peace that +will insure these ideals, a peace that will make +impossible another such outrage as the invasion +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[142]</span>of Belgium, another <i>Lusitania</i> outrage, another +defiance of all civilized standards, a peace +that will remove militarism, make free the seas, +and give to the individual that freedom that +has made the United States the haven of the +whole world.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="transnote"> +<p class="ph1">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:</p> + +<p>Perceived typographical errors have been corrected.</p> + +<p>Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.</p> +</div></div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76636 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76636-h/images/cover.jpg b/76636-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..13b59b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/coversmall.jpg b/76636-h/images/coversmall.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c925c9c --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/coversmall.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_fp104.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_fp104.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..05baba7 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_fp104.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_fp110.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_fp110.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9832aa7 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_fp110.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_fp118.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_fp118.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d38dc69 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_fp118.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_fp128.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_fp128.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a70d0f6 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_fp128.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_fp66.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_fp66.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aaf95c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_fp66.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_fp80.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_fp80.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..95a14f2 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_fp80.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_fp90.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_fp90.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..25da4e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_fp90.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_frontis.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_frontis.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..740558b --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_frontis.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/i_title.jpg b/76636-h/images/i_title.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a0655c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/i_title.jpg diff --git a/76636-h/images/pub_logo.jpg b/76636-h/images/pub_logo.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f905f2 --- /dev/null +++ b/76636-h/images/pub_logo.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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