Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1917-10-04
We Are Unprepared.


Don't forget things as they are
Just one week after the declaration
OF war in Europe somewhere in the
reighborhood of eight or nine mil
lion troops were moving toward theiI
national frontier. At the end of si1
lnonths as against seven days we are
just beginning to get our men into
training and organized such as you
see today, waiting for arms and
equipment.
But modern war comes so sudden,
it comes like an avalanche, not like
a glacier It is fortunate that we
we're struck at through the allied
lines; that they stood between us and
this great Teutonic mass, possibly the
best trained military mass. We would
damn their policies and condemn the
methods they have been using, in
many cases, which would revert to
barbarism, but while we will damn
one thing and condemn another, don t
| forget that they are fine soldiers, in
fighting sense Your boys and men
are going to meet them.
In other words. am painting
this rather dark picture to you not
to discourage you but to let you know
that you are up against a very great
war and we want your earnest, sober
Cfforts behind this great preparation.
Help the nation in every way you
POSSIBLY can. Help the nation pol
cies; back up the liberty loan; in
crease the conservation of foodstuff;
support the Red Cross-they are sup
porting US, for they are helping to
cure and care for the wounded lives
who are doing our fighting for us
an unpleasant thing to say. Give all
you can give and then give some
more, give until it hurts.
1--WE want to get into the war just
rs quick as we can. If we want to
have any friends to take by the hand
after the war we have to stand shoul-
der to shoulder with them and look
common enemy in the eye. Train
your men and train them thoroughly
when they are about 8 or 20 years of
age Give them six months of in
tensive training, say from the first
Of April until the first of November |
1t wouldn't break up the college or
the school year at either end and
they would learn so much more that
the schools would recognize that
training and give credit for same, AT
Harvard, Yale and Princeton they are
already doing it. 1t will make them
extremely valuable citizens. The men
d .nong you who have fought in the
Civil war are some of your most re-
spected citizens. They don't want to
S ae another war. because they know
what war is The men who talk the
most of war are those who know the
least about it. Gives US the boys for
six months Of intensive training. We
viii send them home with better
minds, better bodies. better disciplin-
ac, and God knows they need it, We
will send them back to you better
than they came to us, and they will
know how to do when they are told.
Now don't think you can win this
war thru numbers unless the numbers
are organized and trained men. No
wolf is very alarmed at the size OF
4 flock of sheep. but waits its time
to pick one from the fold
I'VE don't want a large army, we
don't want any larger than we need
We want the boys to train them and
after a specified time let them return
% their former pursuits. and they will
render all the more effective service.
THE national guard is a rotten
system, it is made up Of good men
and splendid officers. but It can not
10 the right kind OF work under dual
The officers and men Of
the company are fine men but It is
he system that won't work; it never
has worked and We don't want to sac