Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-02
before the public or any portion Of
that public which can equal it in i'm
portance.
WE MUST WIN.

I
! WE MUST WIN.
/ Comment during the past few days
on the disaster to the Italian armies
has been eloquently Indicative of the
average citizens failure to realize the
] import and seriousness of the war. On
the whole it has indicated that major.
| ity of us are not even yet awake to
the terrible eventualities that might
follow any conclusion of the conflict
other than an absolute victory over the
kaiser and everything for which he
stands.
/! 1t is time for America to get mad
rot merely angry, nor exaspevated, not
/! impatient, but mad, with rage like
that OF the Berseker, fighting spirit
which grants the opposition no claim
TO the support Of justice for his slight
! est offense.. The time for weighing
issues has passed.. The time for fight
! ing is at hand.
+; This declaration is impelled by the
comments on the success of the united
Teutonic armies under Field Marshal
Mackensen and Emperor Charles
i in their drive against the Italians It
| is folly 10 belittle this defeat to the
cause that is our cause as much as it
| is Italy's. 1t is not patriotism to say
such defeat does not endanger the
success of the allies and America. 1t
! is folly to deny that the danger is very
save.
1t would be craven to permit this re-
verse, with all its seriousness, to
swarve America from the straight
course our government has mapped
out, course which was expressed so
| admirably in President Wilson's reply
to Pope Benedict's peace proposal.
This 10 a test Of Americas war spirit
and Americans must meet It with cour-
age and determination to rcdouble
their support Of their government
which in turn is lending its support TO
the Italians. It is one Of several tests
which must be met, always with the
extreme measure Of courage, before
the war can be won. And proper
realization Of ito seriousness >is the
first essential step.
Americas government has selected
the only proper course of procedure
as warning nation. We are in the
struggle to remove for all time
the rnenacing Prussian militar-
ism, to paralyze the mailed
fist which has wrought ruthless de-
struction of life and property. After
months of the calmest elaboration we
realized the absolute futility of hoping
for any safe peace which might permit
the Hohenzollern to remain the auto
cratic head of destructive govern
ment which draws it's strength from
might alone and disregards right.
It is folly to refuse to credit the I'M
assailable evidence which proves that
the invasion of Belgium and France
was carried out on scale Of barbaric
frightfulness which stamps the Ger
man ruler and his soldiers as the most
inhuman beasts the world has known
since those lawless days before the
dawn of Christianity.
1t is folly to discuss what Senator
Lafollette called the technical viola
ton" of international law which sent
to death those hundreds Of inoffensive
and helpless victims of the Lusitania.
1t is folly to permit groundless can
sideration for American citizens of
German lineage to becloud the fact
that the frightfulness committed by
German arms is applauded by the great
bulk Of the German public. Enough
proof of that is furnished by the med
ais which were made in Germany to
commemorate the sinking of the Lusi-
tania. It is an insult to the American
ism of citizens Of German lineage to
imagine that they do not resent such
frightfulness nor know who is respon-
sible for It.
the kaiser and his armies shall have
lrsr 81 h4 -
terms which will leave them no pos
sible hope OF becoming powerful
enough again to make war on the
world.
1t is folly to hope that revolution
within Germany may force the kaiser
to capitulate.
It is folly to permit ourselves to rea-
son that we need not concern ourselves
with the war. 1t Is not folly alone; it
is disloyal.
Americans must get mad. Every
smallest act and thought must be gov
erned by the knowledge that our gov
eminent, our nation and all the pro-
press that civilization and Christianity
have achieved in two thousand years
are being helped or hindered BY the in
dividual attitude Of each Of us.
We must meet the daily tests Of
patriotism as we meet the more infre-
quent major tests like the Liberty
Loan. We must be patriotic and loyal
seven days a week. twenty-four hours
G. day. The maximum Of zeal must
measure the minimum of our perform
ance.,
We must will to win.
Once in that mental attitude we will
find multitude of opportunities for
the expression of our patriotism.
THEY'RE IN THE TRENCHES.
American soldiers are In the
trenches and 1t will be only q short