Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-13

fcupied trenches thereby enabling the
crossing Of the river and the driving
of the enemy from his fortified posi-
ton.
on May G. 1900, Private William 2
Maclay, 43d L. 5. Volunteer Infantry
charged an occupied baStian, suline
the life OF an officer in hand to.hand
combat and destroying the enemy.
In all these cases medals of honor
were granted The incidents. how
ever. are typical Of the army Thou
sands OF similar stories might he told.
They represent the spirit that viii in
spire the National Army when the
time comes to show the stun of which
il is made
Tales of heroic courage can be
found in the annals OF all armies and
Of all nations. But the American
Army has its own special tradition.
which these incidents Illustrate II
is the tradition of intelligence. self.
reliance. and individual daring on
the part Of men serving i'm 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
machinelike army, and this is espe.
eially true in presenVday warfare
Maj. Hugh l.. Scott Chief Of staff L.
S. A, remarks on this point
The conditions under which modern
wars are fought are ever making in.
creaslng demands on the individual
soldier. The individual sol
der must know how 10 interpret ac-
curately orders and signals, for the
enemys fire may often SO isolate him
from his leader and comrades, per
maps 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 judgment in opening fire, in
advancing, in intrenching'
Fair Play.
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 human
ity as his own conduct will permit. As
for Strengthening or enslaving the
civilian population of captured terri
tory, attacking prisoners or assaulting
women, American soldiers would as
little commit such crimes in time of
war as in time of peace. In this re-
spect most of the civilized nations of
the world think alike
Fighting For Rights and Principles.
4 There is 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 he principle of
an indivisible Union upheld by the
North, and that Of freedom to with
draw from the Union upheld by the
South.
10 protect the rights Of citizens. the
American people have several times
opposed tyrannica governments the
English government in l776 and 1912,
the French government for a short
period IN lS4S, the Mexican govern.
mem in lSiS, the Spanish government
IN 1898 The final effect in each case
has been to advance the cause Of lib
efty 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 misgoyerned and misled them. In
lighting for our own rights, the Ameri-
can Army has fought also, in presi
dent Wilson'S phrase, for the rights
of mankind
For a like high purpose, The Ameri.
can people have entered into the pres
ent war against the German govern.
lnent government which in our be.
lief mlsrepresents and misleads the
German people. only by so doing can
we make America and the world safe
Tor democracy But one ending can
be thought of-an ending that will
guarantee the continuance of all those
principles and rights which the
American Army has in the past 80
nobly fought to establish
Never lose sight, even for an in,
slant OF the fact that all your training
your effort, and your sacrifices have
inns one great object in view, the at.
talnment Of which is worth anything
1T may cost