The Bossier banner., 1917-09-13


France, of England and of Italy, of the
courage of Japan. Russia and America,
and the others, but when the impartial
chrOnicler Of the times comes to write
the name. Of the heroine Of them all
he will write the imperishable name of
BELGIUM III letters of blood and gold.
The Allies and the world owe to this
little country on the north of France
debt of gratitude love and money can
never repay, for 1t wsfs the intrepid
soldiers of Belgium who stayed the
mighty onward sweep Of the Teuton
soldiers, saved Paris--and France
and perhaps the world for democracy.
Notwithstanding the numerous caus-
es which justify America in this war,
we sometimes. YES, even frequently,
| meet men (sO called) who, out of the
abundance of their ignorance, or the
| magnitude Of their treachery, ask,
why Is America III this war;" 1t
would take more time than is allotted
| to ME to even enumerate with elabora-
! tion the causes which have justified
American intervention but there are
| two, which, If there were no more,
would appeal to the honor and patri-
otic courage Of American citizenship,
/ and it Of these two | wish to speak
now only briefly.
The right of liberty, of the freedom
of speech and press, and the right OF
! religious belief and worship as the In
dividual conscience may dictate the
right to be, is not alone human, but
Divine, and any government that at
| tempts to abridge this birthright is
nothing less than an insolent and in
tolerabfe autocracy, and should not and
cannot endure.
i When the German Kaiser conceived
the idea Of autocracizing the world,
bringing the peoples Of the earth In
Il subjection to his command. and shold-
ing the destinies Of the nations in the
hollow of his hand, the maddened
knaye of theHouse Of Hohenzollern not
only struck at the sacred and inviola-
ble fundamentals Of the American Gov
erIlnnent, but trampled the inviolable
traditions of self-government Of ma
i tions and the universal liberty of man
J kind under ruthless feet, and the fate
that awaits his predecessor in such al
/ iniquitous and ill-starred vision O1
: power when the intrepid corsicaI
would have been the King Of Rome
and the Emperor of the world. mus
: come likewise to Wilhelm of HOhen
l zollern-he must 60 the way of NapO
: leon, the way of Waterloo and st. Hell
: ena's lonely isle. And he will go, whel
e Americas legions Of democracy shal
join hands with their allies across tn
: sea.
II there were no other reasons VIII.
: America should lift her voice and IN
d 4 sheath her sword at this time-if TO
Y ne other reason she should fight-slI
J, will stand mt the bar of history an
il the throne Of her eternal God. triumph
= antly vindicated for having made tll
IL world safe for democracy.
e The great American Republic-tli
d greatest government of the worlds
k my friends, the handiwork Of Your illu'
+ trious forefathers, pioneers on til
IL ITEHCler III HeStefH ClN1IlLStllUH. WI
N sealed their compact for freedom wit
= the rich red of their patriotic bloc,
,r 1t was those frohtierslnen who, fleein
from religious persecution and I'll
Df Iabridgnlent of the freedom OF persa
ty and speech. who sought the liberti.
ID afforded by the world across the Sc
re where, out of the native wilds the
e. might rear nation and a race. al
I'd establish government .'of the peopl
It. for the people and by the people. Oh
er hundred and forty -one years have pas
he ed since the sword of CORVALLIS ";
Of slieatlled at Yorktown and the ColOni
en of America were made free of Britain
monarchy. but in that desperate stru
of gle when young Americas hand W
or raised against her parent land-not t
ne greed or dominion. hut for nothing si
Nv an enduring democracy-there' cal
of from friendly France her soldiers Al
ii her wealth. to unite with the forces
ID. the Continental Army of America
of make America free. To-day. 1
at friends. If there were nc other reas
to justify Americas entry into Il
no war, America S debt of gratitude to
re- gallant legions Of France, ta Ler ILL
In trious and immortal kaf'ayette,