The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-05
SAYS UNCLE CAV

Blessed is the Dutch Uncle and
Brig Gen. Clarence B. Edwards talks
like one. Whatever you may think of
the judgment of the doughty
brigadier, he's no coward. Evil
IDENTIFY he's a first class fighting
man with a moral courage that meas
ures up to the physical fearlessness
that we demand of our regular army
men. For it was only the other day
that in a manner of speaking. this
brigadier called his fellow citizens to
the carpet, reprimanded them as if
they were set of over-confident
school boys and sent them away
thoughtful. And any American who
will even attempt to make his coun-
trymen soberly thoughtful upon the
subject of national prowess is nero.
1t is no small thing to plant ones
fist in the face of the sacred super
stiturion of American invincibleness.
Few men have cared to assume the
responsibility of iarring the JOSS on
his pedestal, knowing that most of us
are ready to reach for an epithet or
a brickbat The moment cur attention
is called to the iconoclastic act.
your revered ancestors
and mine whose daring deeds gave
the joss his following would doubt
less rise in Their grave AMI laugh
at the concept N 4 their perform
ances that 1inds lodgment in the
average American mind.
1t is time, in the opinion of Brig
Gen. Clarence B. Edwards, hero and
self appointed Dutch Uncle to the
American people, that the youth of
the country be made to understand
that American armies have been de-
feated and that there is nothing
about the average
American who has donned uniform
and gone to fight for his country.
The more serious works on Amert-
can history amply justify the re-
marks of the soldier and give force to
his suggestion for the revision of the
school histories, which somehow or
other manage to create the impress
sion that the defeats suffered by
American armies were inconsequen-
-ial and their slightest victories eX-
eeedingly important.
1t is time for some of us to find
;eat on the woodpile and take good
ong look at the past and present.
AS a matter of sober fact, there is
nothing invincible about the typical
American except his courage and his
egotism. The two have in
lines past made up for a multitude
# shortcomings and to that extent
lave justified devotion to the joss.
But times change eand the modern
Methods of transportation put new
aces upon many problems. The
plendid isolation of the country
which was the boast and the fortress
# the past is gone. We fight most of
,ur battles comfnercially-and carry
,ur goods to foreign ports in foreign
,ottoms. We boast of our superiority
mong nations and, say our military
leave our Pacific coast
inc naked to the attacks of whatso-
yer nation may choose to become our
nemy. We vaunt our supposed in
ustriaI and artistic prominence, but
all to make good on the one while
re import the artists, pictures and
1usic that give the lie to the other.
We think harder, faster and more
accurately than any other nation on
arth. And the sacred joss of Amerf-
an invincibleness is largely respon-
IbIe for the inaccuracy. Blessed is
he Dutch Uncle" and blessed is
larence 3. Edwards, brigadier-een-
raj and man of convictions-he talks
Ike Copyright, 1913, by the
lecture Newspaper Syndicate.)