The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-12-24
PUTTING POLES BETWEEN THE
SPOKES
BY E. E. Hartman
of The Vigilantes

Uncle Sam is training hard to haul
his car up steepgrade He is handi-
capped by the clinging mud of apathy.
His feet are slimed with the spew-
ing of pro-German citizens and sly,
sneaking aliens. They watch, eager
ly hoping, for the first slip Of a foot
carelessly planted. They work day
and night to render the way more
impossible, more hard to travel. They
stand about with quantities of soft
soap wherewith they hope to render
his understanding more unsafe They
are always sneaking to draw the
hobnails from his soles
The boys have seen his need of aid
They are flocking from every state
| valiant, earnest, manly boys, intend
upon the task before them. They
are nearly there -coming-coming
ready, willing, eager to help The
old gentleman spares a moment from
his task, stading braced that he lose
nothing of what he gained, to watch
the throng that press towards him.
He rejoices in their hearty willing
esns, but even as he smiles well
come another throng interposes.
They come with shouts Of self lau-
dation, cries Of hysterical appeal to
the straining giant to hear and heed.
They declare themselves the true
patriots, the loyal helpers who nave
come to save IN. He wonders why
they put no shoulders to the muddy
wheels, why every hand is yet I'M
soiled by honest effort. Then he
hears shouts and understands eve
do not believe in war conscientious
objectors-no Americans in Euro
pean war-sleep and dream secure in
the peace of the unprepared-this IS
England's war-this is Frances war
the Kaiser is our friend-it is
none Of our business at any
price,"
He sees pacifists that claw and bat
ter those who disagree with their
doctrines. He sees patriots who
would give up all, for a towards
peace. He sees loyal legions who
consult the emissaries of the Kaiser
before they vote on American meas
ures. He sees officials who cater to
the alien and half-hearted because
they happen to out-number the gen.
uine Americans. He sees the cow
ard, the traitor, the selfseeker, the
money grabbing alien and citizen,
the spy, the malinger, the profess
sional pacifist, the constituent fear
ing law maker, all thrusting their
bulk before the helpers who are
struggling to reach his side.
His back is arched and tense, the
muscles of his mighty thighs are
knotted and his arms swell with the
slip and roll Of great thews, as heI
mods to those who reach their hands
to help him pull.
"Come on, boys! Well pull her
through a-flying," he shouts and
they cheer him as they come.
But the other throng throw huge
blocks Of stone before the wheels.
They thrust poles between the
spokes. They drag at the car with
all their weight. They tear at the
bags of food it carries and scatter
them in the mud. Some they burn
and some they poison. And all the
time they work to keep his helpers
from helping.
But soon the giant will lose pa
thence with this throng Of obstruc-
tors. His voice will ring across the
hills and plains.
"Come on, boys! Trample the
rascals in the mire if they will not
go. Patience has ceased to be-
virtue. Give them the only thing
they understand force-and make
it swift. They pirate of patriotism
and do the deeds of traitors. Give
them traitors rations."
Then will the boys and men who
are real-they who have true
hearts-put on the boots with the
iron soles and tread out the path
way, breaking down the weeds and
nettles, kicking aside the foul and
decayed, and the sort Of "patriot-
ism" that aids the enemy will die as