The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-09-28
Judge ThOS. |. BOuCk'S Speech

Judge Thos. l. BOuCk'S Speech
"You young men have been select
ed as best fitted to carry out and per-
of soldiers. For your loyalty to your
country, and your Willingness to
serve it in these times Of peril you
are entitled to place upon its honor
rolls. We all regret to see you 60
You, who are young ands active, and
SO well respected, are needed at home
to take up the burdens and RESPONSE
blities Of those who are now controll-
ing the destinies of our common
wealth: but the situation now pre-
scented is such that it is necessary
for you to take up arms in order to
have a commonwealth to control. You
are willing to go in defense of your
countrys honor and Of your flag; and
it behooves us who by reason of age
or other disability must stay at home
to do our part as patriotic Ameicans
to give you courage and to sustain and
to help you in the many perilous po-
sitions in which you are likely to be
placed. l believe the people of Grant
county can be depended upon to do
this. This magnificent demonstration
in your honor will give you some
idea Of the feelings Of our people; of
the respect and reverence they have
70 you and yours.
Old Soldics
"When our other boys departed a
few weeks ago. it afforded me much
satisfaction to make reference to that
grand army Of patriots who in the
sixties left their homes and loved ones
and friends to crush out rebellion.
and for the cause of righteousness
and Justice. They had the courage
and zeal and manhood so requisite in
those turbulent times. Their COM
forts were few and they often lacked
the necessaries OF life. but they with
stood the dangers and hardships Of
war. because they priced human lib
erty more dearly than they did their
own lives. They came back greater
men, and they made their country
greater than it everswas before Their
acts and deeds will give you inspira-
ton and courage and be light to
your pathway. however rough and
perilous it may be. Let me tell you
that in the hearts Of those dear old
men on his platform the fires Of pa
triotism burn stronger today than it
ever did in their lives before. They
would at this time like to be right on
the firing line. and would be there
if their strength would permit There
is no ffty-flfty patriotism about them
Their ancestry or place Of birth
makes no diffeence. They are all
Americans-true to the flag.
Causes Of the War
ut is quite unnecessary for me to
| dwell at length upon the causes of
the war. All true Americans-all
right thinking people feel and know
that no other course could be taken.
Not only our national honor. but our
very existence as republic was at
stake. Our ships were sunk upon the
high seas, our citizens murdered. our
flag insulted, and the invasion Of our
country threatened. These things
made a declaration of war impera-
tive. But, aside from these consider
ations if we were in the future to
make claim to civilization, IL we were
to ask recognition in the world as
christian people, we could not be still
the German armies under the guise
Of military necessity. Crimes so
shocking as so horrible that they
seem almost unbelievable. To some
extent these crimes have been denied
by the Germans but the evidence
against them is so strong, and so
convincing, and comes from SO many
| sources. and from such high authori-
ty that we must believe it. 1t has
been truly said. If they are guilty Of
one half Of the savagery and butch
cry with which they are accused they
| have committed more sin and shed
more blood than the waters Of the
Rhine will wash away In q thousand
years. Many Of these things We must
believe. For instance. We believe
Brand Whitlock when he tells us Of
the murder Of Edith Cavell at Brus-
sells. BY Won Bissing. We believe our
minister Gerard when he tells OF the
crimes and treachery OF the kaiser
and his military machine. We be-
lieve Dwight Hills, the eminent
divine who has just returned from
Belgium and France. after having
made an investigation as to the true
situation Of affairs. The treatment
Of Bclgians is we'll known. The
kaiser without any cause or excuse.
and In violation OF his solemn agree
ment invaded Belgium. His armies
| destroyed their homes and devastated
the country, levied tribute upon every
city and town they occupied. murder
ed or left to starve the aged and
cripples took the young girls and able
bodied young men into Germany and
made them slaves. 1t is claimed
that a conservative estimate OF the
Belgians so deported would exceed
100000. These people are compelled
to work and give aid in the warfare
Continued on p y