The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-08-21

on'cer in the Trenches Gives it Some
a thing OF u jar.

The following remarkable letter has
come to the London Chronicle from
u5he front, presumably written by an
'oacer in Lancashire regiment.
f'sir: 1 cannot help hut start with
abuse. although you are one OF those
In touch with the vast anti-conscrip-
tionist mass OF British opinion. as
your leader puts II. Damn British
opinion. sir; damn the vain, self
Veossplscent English smugness and
English arrogance. To your vast
mass the idea of defeat is quite in
cenceivable. for are they not the boys
OF the bulldog breed. the descendants
Of thousapds of heroes, men in free
country who just won't be slaves the
illustrators Of Belgium and SO on ad
nanseum? .t, - t.
$50 colossal Is the British arrogance
that our brains and imagination are
svnmped. We still seem to think that
the Germans have made war to graf
|, ify Us. so that we may show them
what fine fellows we really are.
rProbably you. too. have never en-
tsrtained the idea that we are losing
this war. Yet the bald truth remains
that the Germans are winning on
points; and we 20 on talking. talking
about the big push TO be delivered
Dnsxt spring. according to the Times
military correspondent. (Please OBJ
ssrve that we have given up the idea
this year--we are stili wearing down
tho baby killing hunt.D
III you could see trenches hammer
ed to hell by hundreds OF guns. hours
OF smoke. dust. blood and noise. and
then. 40 across to take the same bat
tered lines. only to be met by hail
OF bullets. to return leaving your
friends and men lying dead outside.
Sc might make you realize what an
enormous advantage lies with the de-
Tense. The French have battered for
t-nse weeks-I have heard Il day and
nlght-net gain two miles.
Tho bubble OF breaking through
has burst. but we are deaf TO hear
the pop
you answer with the German ad-
vance In Russia. and then go into the
financial problem. or course Ger
many cannot last. of course she will
be starved In few months. OF course
shs has no cotton. no cotton. but she
has some brains and method. and uses
both.
And we muddle along In our we'll
worn grooves. our party politics. our
newspaper dictatorship. our racing.
our brides In their baths. .
II have been ten months I'm France
nghting for that-the thought almost
raakes me vomit. Don't talk about
the glorious traditions OF our race.
Only fools fight for traditions: the
w'se man fights for realities and the
fniure. This long-winded preamble
your fear and hatred of conscription.
will be quite frank. Had conscrip-
tion passed twelve months since /
= should have left England. Now, IL
they don't have 1t. shall leave the
country-rats have the foresight TO
leave certain ships. Circumstances
alter cases. but 1 fear that they will
never give the Englishman sufficient
insight to see what fool he really
can be-
And you. In touch with your vast
mass. won't have national service in
the nations cause because all that Is
oharacteristically English dies II
English freedom perishes.'
Those are wornout myths. None OF
us are free. and you know 1t. Smith
was not free To drown his brides We
are all slaves OF the community, and.
some think OF the country in which We
i've. Will you leave your dear old
principles for "A moment and look at
things from another point OF view?
I'm a national crisis Il must be tax
en- Tor granted U assume that the ma
ton Is virile). that every man and wo-
man Is willing to serve the country.
In other words. every man and woman
is a volunteer.
III you deny this hypothesis you
damn the country and your vast mass
OF British opinions Probably your
statement. Well then. every man and
woman Is wiling To serve. To take
full advantage OF this Willingness, IL