Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-12-14
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
Number One
America Must Fight Hard or Germany
May Win-Neeessity for Mill
tary Training.
Number One

:Trr,a Dan is coming tomorrow y
s,o,,a week with US on the farm, ano
g vnu want to know about the war
nn-a.s vour opportunity. Uncle Dan Is
nrebably one Of the best-informed mer
!, the country" Billie clapped hi
bonds ond gave such whoop that III
1akened the baby, but what could you
..zaact Of a ffteen-year-old boy VINO Is
Ing Interrogation point and wants
1t war?
arrived in due time and
....-~~, cd for an opportunity.
..lraat evening after dinner when
...,.e Dan had lighted cigar ano
taken q seat on the porch.
"Tm mighty glad you came, Uncle
Dan. I want to talk to you about the
~. We have just put military train.
IN township high school, bu'
.. a hard time to do it. The
s:s; and the Greggs objected. The!
INC va: wouldn't come over here
IA. =.ncS said: They amt nc
,orrit, it will soon blow over.
. put the training in just the
.c1r orter heard Judge Brow
, ..- s!:, f...sident of the school board
,ia he slaC..ers up. He said unless we
lake OF our coats and go to 1t, Ger
-~...- my yctrwin, and if she does, SHE
over the great British fleet a.
.opily and compel us to do what
-a.. wants TO; that she could make
1hasss III the cost of the war; the
~ c@.,u Tax us as he pleased anc
10 r;e couldn't help ourselves. He
c0ula make every one pay over par
af What he earns; that ne could make
PRIMERS pay rent for their owr
~.s, etc Now, Uncle, what do got.
link Of thatw
"Well, my boy" said Uncle Dan.
sail that Judge Brownell says might
easily come true and may unless we &c
quickly to the aid of the allies with
large numbers of men and help then
break the German line. Unless we car
beat the submarines, they may pre-.
vent Us from getting enough food to
the allies to keep them going. In that
case Germany would win. AS matters
stand today, our greatest need is
trained men. IF we had had several
millions of men with military training
in our industries and on our farms
when the war came, who could
have been called at once for service, ]
do not believe the kaiser would have
fforced the war upon us. AS it was, he
had no respect for us, and now we are
in it and must go through with it. But
never again must we be caught so
wholly unprepared.
There is only one safe way" said
Uncle Dan, '.and that is to adopt per
Danently universal military training,
apply it to every young man who is
physically fit, say in his nineteenth OF
twentieth year. The training can be
carried forward in the United States
training camps that are now being es.
tablished for training men called by
the selective draft. As soon as these
men vacate these stations, they should
be filed by younger men, and this
should be made the permanent policy
of the country"
Billie's mother, Mrs. Graham, had
overheard the conversation. She came
out and said: "Really, Brother Dan,
are you serious as to the dangers Of
our country? If it is as bad as that, it
is high time for US to wake up and do
something about it."
Exactly" replied Uncle Dan. 'It
Is better to wake up now than to be
rudely awakened later. We may as
well understand, sister, that this is our
America. Everything that we have
or hope to have-our liberties, our
blessings, our opportunities are all in
velyed in the great issue before US.
Nothing must stand between US and
winning this war. 1t is question
whether the peoples right or the kai-
ser's might shall dominate the world.
If there ever was holy war, this is
1t. We are fighting for world liberty.
We are fighting for the freedom Of
humanity. We are fighting for the
right of men to govern themselves in
stead of being governed against their
will by war-mad overload. Perilous
times are ahead of US. We must be
prepared to make any sacrifice, to per-
form any service that may be required
of u.s."
"Oh, Uncle Dan," exclaimed Billie,
"may bring my chum, Jimmie Col
Inns, when we have our next talk? He
is bug On this war business and just
crazy to see YOU
Certainly" said Uncle Dan, with
hearty laugh. IF we are to have more
talks, l shall be glad to have Jimmie
join us"
Billie clapped mis- hands and ran to
The phone and told Jimr.ie to be over
at seven o'clock the next evening.