French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1917-11-22
LESSON IN PURE PATRIOTISM
augusta Chronicle.)

Every young man WHO LAS enl6Ie
the army and navy, either as a VoluI
teer OF ~conscript. mas mad his W res
sons for doing so, but it is doubtful
any one OF them has ever better e.
~Epressed the motives and sentiment
that prompted him to take up arms /
his country's defense than is expresse
in the appended letter from a well
known Augusta boy to his brother i
this city. As an unsurpassed exampl
in lofty patriotism, expressed in word
that some straight from the neart. Tn
Chronicle reproduces it, with the hop
and belief that it will not only prov
an inspiration to other young men, blu
will be preserved in many a scrap
book. 1t is worthy of such a place TO
its literary merit alone-coming TO
does, from a boy yet in his teens-bu
it is doubly worthy of preservation TO
its lofty patriotism and for the higl
sense of duty which ii, breathes; and i
was the immortal Robert e. Lee, who
said duty was the noblest word in the
English language. &
This letter, which The Chronicle is
proud to use as an editorial leader to-
day was borrowed from a friend OF
the young mans family for this pur-
pose-his thought and ours being that
it is a. production, which in this present
crisis Of our nation a be given ad-
ditional value by the proper publicity.
Read it and be proud of this Augusta
boy:
Dear Brother Hugh:
/ may as well tell you that, in spite
of all you and the family have told me.
I intend to enlist. I have tried to
make all of you understand this, but
to no avail.
When l was in Baltimore, on my
way here, l was examined and reject
ed at the navy recruiting station. I
was physically fit to be a sailor, except
for the fact that 1 was three pounds
shy in weight. They told me at the
to return when I am heavy
at present, but some time after Christ
mas. -1~r.~A =
You need not tell Mama dear of my
decision just yet. There is no neces-
sity to grieve her prematurely. God
knows, I hate to grieve her at all. but
see my duty and l must do it, Some
day she will see 1 am right and be
proud of me for doing what 1 am going
do. i
I'm not going to war for the fun of
t. If 1 expected to find any fun in it,
would be sadly disappointtd. But
Jncle Sam has called for volunteers,
md I don't want to be deaf to his
'oice.
Wo3uo 0o+ RI uyin fbic wor oud win |
Iuick and it takes men to do it. We're
not for conquest, but to de-
end our homes and to keep America
rom the ruin and sorrow that Belgium
suffered.
1 am not fighting for democracy, or
nything else. but just to make the
Torld safe for my family and my de-
cendants to live in. l am doing ;his
Dr. all. Every family should have its
representative in the service. Ours =,
as none. You and Doc can not repre-
ent it. so it is up to me to do so.
The papers show the urgent need
lie United States has for men. The +
aVy especially needs men, to man the ,
'ansports and the aero service. Z
Also, there are rumOrs that a new
raft army is to be formed of men
ON 10 to 35. Why wait to be draft
/ Why shouldn't I go now when I f
now I'm needed? There are many c
elbows in both the army and navy (
.uch younger and smaller than l. II c
y going can make it unnecessary for f
ne such as these to go, I will be sat G
fed that I am doing right. :
l am telling you all this because I :
ant to do this openly. I don't want
enlist without the knowledge of my
l hate to enlist without the
Onsent of my family. but l have to
D it. :
Don't think that because l enlist as I
n ordinary seaman l have no higher
mbition. l have begged Mamma dear
!, send me to a military school for a
ear, so l would be able to have a
nance at getting an officers position.
ut it is too lateto think of that now.
must start in without any advantage
yer other fellows. and dc the best l
an to rise.
Don't think that I am %ungrattful
ecause 1 am going to do this against
our wishes. 1t is gratitude for all
nat you all have done for me that
rOmpts me to risk my life in your de-
ense.
I hope you will understand why 1
lean to enlist. I have been thinking
over since last April, and still be-
eve that it is the right thing to do.
If you think that Mamma dear can
ee it the way l do, tell her. and l
i'll come home and enlist in Augusta.
I remain always,
Your loving brother.
JOE.
HE WORLD LOVES coon TRyERS