Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-29
Second Article by W. N. wiIey)

to face with the conditions OF ignor.
ance in which our system OF educa-
tion had left US. Neither our schocls
nor universities have taught us the
lessons which history holds tn make
US responsible citizens. and as soon
as disaster threatens, we are all AT
sea and do not know which way to
turn. The histories in our schools
tell Of the revolution somewhat as
follows: "The ragged tattered email
ions, inexperienced and unframed,
charged upon the serried ranks OF The
British red coats and wiped them of
the face OF the earth" AS matter
OF fact, nothing Of this sort happened.
The trials and tribulations which
Washington had with the unframed
and undisciplined army are not re-
ferred to. The inefficlency and prac-
tical failure OF the government, and
the fact that the Revolution would
have come to a quick end had II not
been for the help from France. are
treated with dignified silence. In the
war OF 1912. the capture of Washing
ton by the British is passed over
with slight comment and the battle
Of Bladensburg is never even hInted
a..
The unpreparedness developed by
the Civil war when two mobs met in
battle at Bull Run. is a lesson never
presented and studied by the schools
and the teachers.
The frighttul incapacity of our com
missary and medical departments in
the Spanish.American war, is a story
our history leaves untold. There are
several men in Elko today who can
tell Of eight hundred soldiers stricken
with typhoid fever Ia preyentable dis
easel. dying by scores with only two
trained nurses to administer 10 their
suffering.
Just here is good place for the
reader to stop and think. The vol.
unteer soldier puts his neck under
the yoke of military discipline to pro-
tect Mr.. Stay-at.home from Spanish
bullets. He had a right TO expect Mr.
Stay.at.home TO use the great wealth.
the wonderful resources and the
brains of the country in protecting
him from preventable disease. The
volunteer could not protect himself.
Military discipline bound him TO the
infected camp. Mr.. Stay.at-home vas
either too lazy, too tired, or too busy
to see TO the needs OF the man who
was lighting his battles. Result -a5O
men died from Spanish bullets, 1881
from preventable disease. You, MIR
reader. are under indictment right
here. You have assumed the fuDc
lions OF sovereignty, you must take la
responsibilities too. With all thu
wealth of America at your disposal
with all OF its business brains at you
command. you permitted these men
lighting in your defense, TO suffer an,
die from preventable disease. Yo,
can't dodge the issue. The president
the army officers, the commissaIy de
partment, the medical department
were and are all your servants. Thi
is n blot on the personal character o
every voter. That one soldier SUI
fered one hour--na, one minute G
pain that could havL been preverteC
should make every self.respectlns cit
zen hUS his head in shame. Can ou
chnols do better today than teac
the obligations OF our young peopl
to those who have Just gone to -.
froa;?
Our histories ignore these unplea
ant iscts, and the lessons which ca
beslearned, and convey the idea, whIc
q lsNulteIly and entirely false, thai til
American people can rush into we
unprepared and unframed. and b
some subtle, indefinite influence, su,
denly be made into soldiers, each or
OF whom can conquer anywhere fro
nne TO one hundred OF the enem
When the American Eagle begins
scream. figures make very little diffe
ence, and we can easily work o'
enthusiasm up to the pitch where v
can, in our minds. whip the who
g world with our hands tied behind u
:. g hesa lessons which the histories
I. cur schools teach are false.
d For years the voice OF our lcadii
y rnon has been raised in warning as
@ our state OF unpreparedness. Bool
have been written by the thought
men Of England. using our conditi'
!, II unpreparedness In the Civil war
n lesson to the British. These boo
were imported. and in some cases b
came text books for strategy In o
military schools. but the warning
Henderson, Woolsey. Roberts nj
others was totally disregarded.
The history OF nearly all republi
has been, when their sinews had
IS taxed from making their war OF ind
Iii -. A.. ia the nnntfipnc0 al