Connecticut western news., 1915-06-24
WAR DODGERS
The Hermit Pays Respects to Wei,
 Known Species.

| Tongue Patriotism was pretty nnSly touched up in last weeks News by MT. Charles Harris, of Michigan. He said lot of good things because so true. We all know that there could be no war if the masses of mankind refused to fight, and that means the overpower- ing bulk of humanity, the common people. The paltry power hunters of the world, kings, emperors, diplomats and so on never would fight. How could they? You could stuff the whole caboodle into peach crate and we all know how fond they are of peaches. Now as to war dodgers and tongue sol diers I've no use for 'em. can stand a little Fourth of July and Civil war oratory from an old soldier. He makes my heart beat thick and heavy and all ache comes in my throat and damp. ness gathers round my eyes. I can stand hearing fine man praise the dead soldiers and the few tlaat are liv- ing. The world owes much that it can never repay to the brave common sol dier. but when 1 hear some man, who have never fought and who never will, talk about the brave soldier and the splendor of patriotism, feel like firing off a popgun to see 'em jump. don't like generals either. Most people do, and are clear carried away with all officers in the army don't care for em myself. There could be a war without generals, but there certainly could not be. without the armies of the common soldiers. I see picture of d general and handful of officers going out in field to command an army that wasn't there. Oh, yes it takes a head for everything, but 1 notice it. takes common soldiers, who never take to their heels. to really win any great war victories. A mob can fight with out generals. so can an army. have mt much use for the easy chair fighters nor the heads that take all the glory and honors that the poor torn and bloody arms and legs of common sol diers have won for them. l have no use for the ranting squawking stay at home, big man patriots, nor for the col lege bred sons with their lobster eat. ing, champagne and chorus girl chas- ing tendencies. Before sons of mine, (though I had hundred, should go as substitutes for such emasculated pa triots, I would entice them all into a hogshead of water and clap the cover on.
 I argue they might as we'll all die whole at home as to be scattered in mangled chunks over battlefields, or come back home minus two thirds of their anatomy. Why some men are called big bugs is beyond me. In truth it must mean only in an abdominal sense or it relates to neck girth, or more likely than all, it means a big bank account. That nearly always makes a man swell up like soaked bean, but his own bean should not swell up with patriotism because it is the bogus kind. In very truth big bugs should observe a discreet silence for they seem to lack the real geuine man. hood from which real patriotism springs. No one but coward wants another man to do his fighting for him. These tongue soldiers and war dodgers remind me of Penrod-who has become classic character-where he urges Sam Williams to go, (where he dare not go himself) in the stall where the old white horse is: "You go," says Penrod, "I'li be right here." So is the war dodger right here-at home, wherever that home may be or ill what country, while his substitute goes and gets killed or worse, comes home a wreck of physical manhood.
 There is one thing the war dodger ought to refrain from, yea, several things. Stop playing tennis and golf while the war is on, and wearing white tiannels. I read that the sight of him is almost insupportable to those who are mourning their dead, and indeed it must seem the last straw to those who have seen their dearest and best march off to almost certain mutilation, tor ture or death. How dare such men as the white flannel brigade tor are they mem cheer the real men who go by, or spout their silly patriotic piffie? Why should not rich men and big bugs go to war? Their flesh is no better than the poor mans, they cannot suffer pain more, nor are they dearer to their kith and kin. Do hear some one sav, ''rich men and big bugs do go to war. Yes, as officers or some other soft snaps, as compared to the common soldiers lot.
 An army composed of hamfat big bugs wouldn't be of enough size to over come hill of red ants. The rich mans son as a common soldier is a negligible quantity and freely admitted, as listen to this from noted authorities in the countries at war: "Working men have done and will do most of the fighting" and this: "Germany could not have waged war, at all, without the whole, souled hearty support of Ger man laborers, most of them volun- teers. This has always been true; the common soldier really wins the victories, perishes in greater numbers and suffers the most in war. What does he get for it all {? If he lives, the platitudes of patriotism from the stay at homes. If he dies he's lucky for he