The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-04-30
COMMUNICATION
A FEW WORDS TO THE YOUNG
MEN OF THE STATE OF OHIO

A recent recruit in a certain Ma
tional Guard company is quoted as
saying:
"The state of Washington has CIV
en- me my education in it's common
schools and in the university. The
best way | know of trying to repay
this debt is to enlist in the National
Guard"
If every able-bodied young man in
the country felt in this way we
should have to station men at the
doors of our armores to keep back
the crowds, but unfortunately the
vast majority think they have done
all they should do to their country If
they attend school, and don't make it
necessary for the police to lock them
ur once in a while. But do you real
ize that there Is duty placed upon
| every citizen of the United States to
| prepare himself in time of peace for
our next war which is sure to come.
The prevailing European war has
| brought forth many books, most of
them conceived and written during the
| few short months of its intense exist
| ence. One of these books, however,
| is written by Robert w. Chambers.
1t is named "Who Goes There?" and
.. Mr.. Chambers has borne out his rep
| utation for telling tales with rapid ac-
tion and sustained interest. 1t will
pay you we'll to read this book and,
aside from the telling of the story,
| two things are very interesting.
First: his predatory remarks about
the attitude of the Germans toward
the United States in which, among
other things, he says For thirty
years the press Of Germany has seldom
missed an opportunity to express its
contempt for Americans. Any Amer
lean who has ever lived in Germany
or who has read German newspapers
during the last thirty years is aware
OF the tone Of the German press to-
ward America and Americans. No
| inuendoes have been too vulgar, no
sneers too brutal for the editors of
! these papers, and presumably for the
| readers" Second: The quiet dig"
he has Major General Won Reiter give
| the Yankees in the following.
There is much work to do. Much
work is to be done after this business
in Europe has been settled. Il
mean in America. She must pay her
reckoning. She must settle with us
Germans. ... | wish it might come
soon-now while the present admin
! istration remains While yet this
| dull president and his imbecile and
grotesque cabinet ministers are in
power"
These are Mr. Chambers own
words and | fear they are only too
true. | am afraid that the president
will have to call on you within the
next few years. Are you prepared to
help him?
+'h' w Npul lh'R 10 tiiut yOu uOl L
need training of any kind or descrip-
ton whatsoever All you need to
turn out an army is to have some sill.
ver-tongued orator make "a speech and
YOU will have regiment of soldiers,
and by multiplying the orators and
giving the commissions to the poll
| ticians you will have as many regt
ments as there are speeches made.
Beyond the mere raising there lies a
vast field OF effort, instruction and
experience that the initiated do not
| appreciate Our unframed, badly otii-
cered and badly equipped soldiers
have increased the losses and fatten.
ed the pension of all our wars
am afraid you won't like it in the vol
unteers with their inexperienced Off
GERS. They might be like the volun
teer officer In the early days of the
| Philippine insurrection who, while
marching his company through a
| trail, heard distant shot, and
| promtly turning to his first sergeant
said: Hell. sergeant, we are attack
ed. Take charge of the company