The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-05-02

feature. Would it be right, would it
be just, to send our galla1t soldier
bows out against foreign invader
of our shores without providing them
with necessary equipment? Think of
those thousands of brave young men,
called to the colors by their country,
willingly sacrificing their innocent
! lives to the merciless fire of ruth
less foe. cut down in the flower OF
manhood like grass before the reap
er's scythe, writhing in the blood
stained dust, their bodies brutally
mangled and fearfully torn, dying
with the names of loved ones on their
lips, their last thoughts of those at
home for whom they had so cheerful
ly poured out their life-blood-but
all in vain !-simply because they
were sent into the ranks unframed
and defenseless. Would not that be
criminal negligence? Would not the
opponents of reasonable preparedness
than have to answer to the charge of
J Wilful murder?
But that is not the worst of this
horrible picture Innocent women
and children must pay the terrible
penalty for our military unprepar-
edness. They cannot end their suf-
ferings on the battlefield but grim
war sentences them to a wretched life
of pauperism and misery. Think of
terrified wives and mothers being
dragged from their homes and forced
to see their lcFed ones ruthlessly
shot down; of women compelled to
admit hordes of ilsolent and brutal
soldiers into their homes and submit
ting to unnamed indignities; of moth
ers driven insane by the pitiful suf-
ferings of their little children! line
enemy passes on, but leaves in his
wake smoking ruins, hunger, actual
starvation, and tortures worse than
death. These things are happening
every day in Europe. The martyrdom
of helpless women and children is
the bitter price that must be paid
for the maintenance of that milk
and water" policy of inadequate self
defense.
The time is ripe for action. Amer
lean lives and American interests are
at stake. Fair Columbia is pleading
with all those who worship at. the
common altar of american institu-
tons to pledge themselves faithfully
to that statesmanlike policy announc-
ed years ago millions for defense,
hut not one cent for tribute" Amer
can ideals of truth, right and justice
must be perpetuated; brilliant fu-
ture for young America must be in
sured; the sanctity of the American
home must be preserved; the virtue
of American womanhood must be kept
unstained. IWill we not learn the
lesson which the great European war
is teaching us daily? Intoxicated with
the alluring dreams Of overzealous
pacifsts, we may foolishly ignore this
plea for more adequate military pro-
lection, but some day there will come
:. most terrible awakening. When
our dreadnoughts shall have been sent
to the bottom of the ocean, when our
ar.nv shall have been completely an
initiated and the flower of American
rsnlood lies crushed and bleeding to
death on the battlefield, when our
cities shall have been reduced to
blackened heaps of smoking ruins,
when the gaunt spectres of Famine
auu TGSItlCuCS SLcl1A c1OA SS~0 WV
land, when the battle-scarred Stars
and Stripes shall have been drench-
ed in the blood of innocent women
end children, then it will be too late
to prepare. May the intelligent Cit
izership of this country give diligent
heed to this warning and when the
smoke of the present European con-
fagration shall have cleared away
when the terrifying roar of booming
cannon and the agonizing shrek OF
bursting shell shall have been silenc-
ed-when the bloody god of war shall
have been hurled from his royal seat
and when Peace shall reign su-
preme once more-then there Will
tower high above all others, a nation
strong enough to protect herself and
to command universal respect for her
rights the grandest government in
II IL. h,;,4o--- - fbo world the great