Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1915-11-04
.CHAs. \. GRASTy HOME
AFTER 81 YEARS ABSENCE
Spent the Day Visiting Scenes Of His
Youth in and About This City
Meets Old Friends.
.U. S. MUST PREPARE FOR PEACE
Says Position Of This Country is Far
More PeriIous Than We Can
Possibly Believe.


More PeriIous Than We Can
Possibly Believe.
Chas, H. Grasty, who came back
to this city Tuesday night, after an
absence of s2 years. left Mexico when
he was 21 years old as a "cub" re-
porter and in the interim has made
good to such an extent that The Bal
timore News, the paper Of which he
was publisher, was sold, after he had
managed it for 16 years. for $780,
900. Mr.. Grasty speaks in Columbia
tonight on the Esecssity Of prepared
ness against war by the United
States. He has just returned from
Europe where he went in the inter-
ests of the Associated Press and what
he has to say concerning the posit-
ion of this country with the nations at
war is decidedly worth while and first
hand. He may return here shortly
and deliver his address.
The Marne Battlefield.
Mr.. Grasty said he had no inclin-
alton to visit the firing line while
abroad but that he visited the battle
field of the Marne and could hear
the sound of the big guns at
the front. He says every half mile
is trench and barbwire ENHANCEMENT
1t is hardly possible to realize the
great effort and the cost Of life
of troops gaining mile Of advance
under such conditions. However he
is returning to Europe in December
and expects to visit the front this
time.
While all Of this is interesting Mr.
Grasty does not stress it as he does
the position Of this country as re-
CARDS to war in the future-and he
believes we will surely have it unless
we are prepared to enforce Peace
with sufficient troops and armament
to make us impregnable to invasion
A Serious Situation.
"The present situation of the I'm
tied States" said Mr.. Grasty, very
earnestly, as far from safe. Europe
is filled with men trained to fight
and to whom fighting is becoming al
most the breath Of life. When peac'
is declared they win have no place t.
90 as the country is devastated. Theil
thirst for fighting will only be whet
ted and when we in this countr,
start selling them goods for prices W,
make ourselves the temptation Il
come over and take the United States
if we are no better prepared than w
are today, will be too great for then
to forego.
a.The first English troops sent Ii
the front were swallowed up witt
iscarcely any notice whatever. Th'
four million green troops in England
today are mothers darlings' who's
usefulness as soldiers will not b.
worth much for three or four years
England has decayed; they have los
their red-blood and as consequence
they are having extraordinary trou
BILE in enlisting men.
eWar has a technique as any othe
science and it cannot be learned in
day or year. The German fighter
when they start their training, ar
given instruction and work which in
ures them to hardships. AS we stan
today the invasion of this country !
Iby no means impossible. Unlike u
the men who are fighting a
broad are differently constitute
and have not the faculty Of dividinI
their attention from war to maxim
money in various pursuits as is don
here. The red-blood of America, tn
men who can give us an army tina
will be the greatest fighting machin
lfor peace in the world and protect u
from invasion are those in the Mis-
sissippi Valley. The East, to a Gel
tain extent, is like England, some
what weakened because Of ease an
luxury"
Mr.. Grasty left Mexico in 1878 al
ter having served ass local reporte
on the Mexico Intelligencer unde
Col. ]. E. Hutton. At the time b
took up newspaper work he had bee
teaching school for the purpose
raising sufficient funds to send him
llaw school. However after he toe
up Journalism the never thought
law again.
He went from Mexico to Kanss
City and worked short time on II
Times. He was not successful, hov
ever, and went to Sedalia where
was given an assignment, as tr!
: out, to write up Sweet Springs, M
He made such a success of this a
Isignment that he soon secured a Pc
manent position. He went from Se'
!. ALA to Kansas City and within
years time was managing editor
the Times. From there he went Soui
to take charge Of big weekly pap
Of national circulation. But he wi
more enthused in the Daily newspi
per game and in consequence inte
ested some capitalists and for 5000
900 bought the paper which he so
16 years afterwards, for $1,500,000,
price which was cheap according
those who know.
Speaks at High School.
Mr.. Grasty, who taught Latin
: the Mexico high school when he WI