McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1917-08-17

named "Wops", do most Of the Dig
ging and other hard work here, and
Fit would be hard to carry On public
works without them. Yol seldom see
negro at work here except as a
chauffer or a waiter or elevator man.
The negro has no standing here at
all; less than in the South, by great
deal The negroes had great pro-
cession on Fifth avenue the other
day, demanding representation on the
board of aldermen, the police force,
etc, bat they will not get it.
If the average young American
knew the peril that confronts the
United States to-day, from German
invasion and conquest, they would not
ask for exemption except in extreme
cases. wish all of them could read
the speech delivered by Secretary of
State Lansing the other day. We
need not think That because we are
three or four thousand miles away
from the battle front to-day that it
will never be any nearer. To those
short-sighted boys who say: Wait
till the Germans get over here; then
I'll do my best, bat ] don't want to
go to France" | would say: If you
wait till your house gets on fire be-
fore you take any measures to pro-
tect it, you are likely to be lost, and
it is too late to grab your gun when
the assassin has the drop on you.
The German general staff and the
Kaiser are working and thinking day
and night about how they are to get
the drop on US. And they have some
powerful heads among them. An
other invention or two like the bomb
dropping planes or the U-6oat, and
they will be here before we know it.
Once let them land, and God help
America and freedom for the next
FIVE hundred years. Now they are
throwing little shells for miles,
which, when they explode in the vii
lagos of northern France, throw out
a thin vapor which spreads itself
through the air and whoever breathes
it goes stone blind and then dies.
Poisoned candy has been placed where
children could get it, and wells and
springs made deadly to drink from.
And already some Of their hellish
tricks have been started here. Yes,
right here in America.
The papers have told how it was
discovered chat court-plaster peddled
here by Germans was found to be in
fected with lock-jaw germs. More
awful plots than that. Of which no
one is now at liberty to speak, have
been discovered, though not directly
traceabe to Germans. But who else,
in this country. but the Kaiser's
agents or sympathizers. would be in
terested in poisoning things the
American people use? Let US not
get into the habit of suspecting or
abusing our German neighbors here.
Most Of them are good and true
friends and American citizens. But
those of them who uphold the Kaiser
and his methods are not to be trust
ed, and the sooner they are made to
| feel this the better.
Are we dearer in the sight of God
than the people of northern France.
of Belgium or of Servia? Mol Then
let US not expect God to save US from
what those poor people have had to
endure at the hands of German SOL
diers, if We 'lie down" and let Ger
many have her will. Do we want to
preserve the English language. our
laws, our lands, our children and our
freedom? Then up and at the Teu-
tonic powerl Do We want to see our
parents tortured and murdered, our
sisters and daughters defiled by Ger
man soldiers, our boys sold into slav-
cry and the very foundation stones of
our homes, our fruit trees and even
our fields, blown off the face of the
earth by German shells? In other
words, do we want to be treated as
Germany has treated and is to-day
treating those who oppose her in
Europe? Well, then, instead of try
ing to escape duty by hiding behind
wife's skirts or other excuse, line
up with the American army Of defense
that will go to France to put a qui-
etus for all time on the brutality of
Germany and her allies! It is our
fight now. for as cure as night follows
the day, Germany will carry the war
into this cnnntru if che ,rinr Thnro