Licking Valley courier., 1917-11-15
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
America Must Fight Hard or Germany
May Wln--Necessity for Mill
tary Training.
Number One

"Now, Billie" said his mother, "your
Uncle Dan is coming tomorrow to
spend week with us on the farm, and
III you want to know about the war,
here's your opportunity. Uncle Dan Is
probably one Of the best-informed men
in the country" Billie clapped his
hands and gave such whoop that he
Weakened the baby, but what could you
expect Of o fifteen-year-old boy who Is
a living Interrogation point and wants
to know about war?
Uncle Dan arrived in due time and
Billie watched for an opportunity. 1t
came that evening after dinner when
Uncle Dan had lighted cigar and
taken seat on the porch.
'Tm mighty glad you came, Uncle
Dan. want to talk to you about the
war. We have just put military train
ing in our township high school, but
we had hard time to do 1t. The
Joneses and the Greggs objected. They
said the war wouldn't come over here.
Grandma Jones said: They amt no
use to worrit, 1t will soon blow over
Well, We put the training in just the
same. You orter heard Judge Brow
nell, the president Of the school board,
do the slackers up. He said unless we
take off our coats and 60 to II, Ger
many may yet win, and II she does, she
will take over the great British feet as
war trophy and compel US to do what
ever she wants to; that she could make
us pay all the cost Of the war; the
kaiser could tax us as he pleased and
that we couldn't help ourselves. He
could make every one pay over part
Of what he earns; that he could make
the farmers pay rent for their own
farms, etc. Now, Uncle, what do you
think Of that7"
swell, my boy" said Uncle Dan,
"all that Judge Brownell says might
easily come true and may unless we 60
quickly to the aid Of the allies with
large numbers of men and help them
break the German line. Unless we cnn
beat the submarines, they may pre-
vent US from getting enough food to
tho allies to keep them going. In that
case Germany would win. AS matters
stand today, our greatest need is
trained men. II 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
forced the war upon us. As 1t was, he
had no respect for us, and now we are
in 1t 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-
manently universal military training,
apply 1t to every young man who is
physically At, say in his nineteenth or
twentieth year. The training can be
carried forward In the United States
training camps that are now being es.
tabllshed for training men called by
the selective draft. AS soon as these
men vacate these stations, they should
be filled by younger men, and this
should be made the permanent policy
of the country"
Blllie's mother, Mrs. Graham, ha(
overheard the conversation. She cam,
out and said: "Really, Brother Dan
are you serious as to the dangers O
our country II It is as bad as that, 4
is high time for us to wake I'D and d,
something about It."
Exactly" replied Uncle Dan. 81
is better to wake up now than to b,
rudely awakened later. We may al
= well understand, sister, that this ia ou
war and we must win It or God hel,
America. Everything that we hayI
or hope to have-our liberties, ou
blessings, our opportunities are all In
volved In the great issue before us
Nothing must stand between us an,
winning this war. II is a questio,
+ whether the peoples right or the kaI
4 ser's might shall dominate the worlt
II there ever was holy war, this 1
: it. We are fighting for world libert,
We are fighting for the freedom Q
5 humanity. We are fighting for tn
d right Of men to govern themselves II
t stead Of being governed against theI
l. win by war-mad overload. Perilou
times are ahead Of us. We must b
prepared to makeAny sacrifice, to pe
n form any service that may be require
]. of u.s."
, "oh, Uncle Dan." exclaimed Bill
: may bring my chum, Jimmie CO
Inns, when we have our next talkf +
is bug on this war business and ju
:, crazy to see you"
a Certainly" said Uncle Dan, with
!. hearty laugh. ''If we are to have mo
a talks, shall be glad to have Jimm
a Join u.s."
a. Billie clapped mis- hands and ran
+ the phone and told Jimmie to be ov
ut seven o'clock the next evening.