The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-21

told. They represent the spirit that
Will inspire the national army when
the time comes to show the stuff of
which it is made.
Tales of heroic courage can be
found in the annals of all armies and
of all nations. But the American
army has it's own special tradition,
which these incidents illustrate. II
is the tradition of intelligence, self
reliance, and individual daring on
the part of men serving in the ranks.
The Individual Soldier Counts.
Other things being equal, an army
made up of self-reliant, thinking men
has a great advantage over a merely
machine-like army, and this is es-
pecially true in present-day warfare.
Maj. Gen. Hugh L. Scott, Chief Of
Staff, United States Army, remarks
OH this point:
THE conditions under which
modern wars are fought are ever
making increasing demands on the
individual soldier. The indi-
vidual soldier must know how to
interpret accurately orders ana
signals, for the enemy's fire may
often so isolate him from his leader
and comrades, perhaps only a step
away, that he may be thrown on his
own initiative in making his actions
conform to those of the whole line;
he may have to use his own judg-
ment in opening fire, in advancing,
in intrenching."
A second tradition Of the American
army, which need only be mentioned,
is that Of fighting fairly and treating
even the enemy with as much
humanity as his own conduct will
permit. AS for slaughtering or en-
shaving the civilian population of
captured territory, attacking pris-
oners, or assaulting women, Arneri-
can soldiers would as little commit
such crimes in time of, war as in
time of peace. In this respect most
of the civilized nations of the world
think alike.
Fighting for Rights and Principles.
There is a third splendid tradition
of the American army which you
will help to carry forward. 1t has
fought always and everywhere in
defense of principles and rights
never merely. for territory and for
power. Even the Civil war resulted
from the clash of opposing principles
the principle of an indiyisible
union upheld by the North and that
of freedom to withdraw from the
union upheld by the South.
To protect the rights Of citizens
the American people have several
times opposed tyrannical govern
ments-the English government in
1873 and 1912, the French govern
ment for short period in 1898, the
Mexican government in 184S, the
Spanish government in 1898. The
final effect in each case has been to
advance the cause of liberty and
democracy throughout the world,
even in the countries against which
we fought. Our weapons have not
willingly been turned against any
peoples, but only against the rulers
who misgoverned and misled them.
In fighting for our own rights the
American army has fought also, in
President Wilson's phrase, for the
rights of mankind"
For a like high purpose the Am
erican people have entered into the
present war against the German gov
ernment-a government which In
our belief misrepresents and mis-
leads the German people. Only by
so doing can we make America and
the world safe for democracy" But
one ending can be thought of-an
ending that will guarantee the con-
tinuance of all these principles and
rights which the American army has
in the past so nobly fought to es-
tablish.
Never lose sight, even for an in
slant, of the fact that all your train
ing, your efforts, and your sacrinces
have this one great object in view,
the attainment of which Is worth
anything 1t may cost.