The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-22

tories, as to the real situation in the
revolutionary war, the war OF 1917,
the Mexican war and the civil war.
ut is wrong" he said that the peo-
pie of this country have not been
taught the facts about these wars. AS
it is we have the false notion that be-
cause we are rich and clever ana
great, we can whip the world without
any special training and preparation
We have got to stop Dragging ana
boasting about our powers and get 10
the serious business of fighting TINS
war. Don't let anyone tell you IT VIII
end before we are into it. AT the END
of the eighth month of war, we are
drilling our soldiers with wooden guns
We have no air fleet that is swift
enough for actual fighting. Seventy
per cent of the ammunition we made
for England in the early days OF the
war was refused because it wasn't up
to standard, and English experts had
to teach us how to make the ammuni-
ton they required. Don't let anyone
tell you this is going to be settled by
the aviation department or that IN
ventors are going to think up some
arrangement to bring an end to Things
at once. There is nothing like that in
sight 1t is going TO come down TO
question of man power, and 1t is gong
to be fought out on the western
'front.'"
Heaps of Dead.
There are going to be heaps of
unnecessary dead over there, ana
those dead men will be your men. be-
cause they are going out to meet men
trained for years in the business OF
being soldiers, whereas your men nave
had but three months of intensive
training. The spirit of the volunteer
is fine and noble, but when you send
unframed volunteers against highly
trained regulars, you are not fair to
your men and boys. They have not
sporting chance
General Wood proceeded to outline
his plea for universal military train
ing for all boys of nineteen years of
age and over. He praised the uniform
loyalty of the nation, including both
natural born Americans and newcom-
ers to this country and he emphasized
the need of the work of the women
through agencies that will tend to
overcome the handicap of disease and
discomfort among the troops. He
praised the work of the Red Cross,
the Y M c. A. and Y. W. c. A. and
all agencies for looking after the well
fare of the soldiers families.
Professor Hopkins Here
The newly elected governor-general
of the society is Professor Edwin n.
Hopkins, of the English department
at K. U. Professor Hopkins has been
at the university for many years, COM
ing west from one of the large east
ern universities from which he has a
degree. He is one of the most fin
ished scholars at the university, and
one whose influence among students
and former students is strong and
lasting. He presided at the banquet
and introduced the speakers.
Mayor J. E. House made a short
address of welcome on behalf of the
city, and Mr.. Charles NJ. Sessions
spoke in place of Governor Capper,
who was unable to be present.
Of
ty. vice governor, spoke on the farm
labor problem. Speaking for the
farmers of the state on the big task
of production of food for the army
and for the allies, Mr.. Sherman de-
clared there was to be no thought of
failure, but the government of the
United States would be forced to take
up the problem of drafting men for
the farm. He urged that cities fore
go all public improvement work that
could possibly be postponed so the
labor employed at this work could he
utilized for the farms. He declared
the people of the country and the
government itself did not realize what
a problem confronted the country in
the matter of production of food sup
plies and the shortage of help had
become national menace. Mr.. Sher-
man conducts one of the biggest
farms in Kansas.
Officers.
The officers of the organization
elected at the business session of the
society yesterday afternoon were:
Prof. Edwin n. Hopkins, governor
Lawrence; NJ. NJ. Sherman, vice gov
ernor, Crawford county; Mrs. w. NJ
johnson, Lawrence, secretary; Mrs
H. A. Perry, Topeka, treasurer; Frank
Alden, Kansas City, Kan, Mrs. A s.
Amber, Topeka, assistants; Mrs
John r. Shelton, Topeka, historian
1t was decided that the society pur-
chase two 500 liberty bonds.