The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-09-27
THEY'RE OFF, THEY'RE OFF.

The first contingent of the prefer
entially selected men" are now in the
military service of the United States.
We scorn the term drafted" men.
We are astounded that considering
the extensive vocabulary of the Eng
lish language that our representatives
in congress could find no better term
for the legislation providing for a ma
tional army than by calling it a
draft" or "conscription" act. We are
amazed that the greatest Woodward
the world has ever produced, Wood
row Wilson, permitted this legislation
to be termed draft" law or "con-
scription" law. Had we been in a
position where we had anything to
say about it we would have persisted
in the trenches before it would have
been so denominated. "Draft" and
"Conscription" convey. sthe idea of
force and compulsion, there is nothing
in this legislation justifying such
meaning.
The Liberty Loan act and the Pre-
ferential selection act are the culmin-
ating, climaxatic triumph of peoples
legislation. If Woodrow Wilson had
citizen Of the country on footing of
perfect equality. They offer the will
ing man an opportunity to offer his
service and the same legislation COM
pels the reclariclant to accept the OPP
portunity. The millionaire's son and
the street sweeper's son are placed
on terms of perfect equality. 1t is the
only purely democratic war measure
even enacted in the history of war
legislation. If Woodrow Wilson had
never accomplished anything else ex-
cept the enactment of this measure
he would go down into history as one
of the greatest Eberal-minded states
man of the ages.
During the last month we have
met with large number of these
preferential selected man. We
travelled on the same train wjthI
those. selected from Hubbard, Todd
and western Stearns counties.
We can remember seeing the vel
unteers march away to the Civil
VIZ. We. were, intimately associat-
ed with the volunteers, of the Span
ishAmerican war, but never have
we seen such a fine, capable, compe-
tent, gallant, accomplishing body Of
men, as the selected ones who as
sembled at Melrose on Friday Of
last week. They were the perfection
flower of American manhood. We
have seen the standing armies Of
most of the leading nations Of the
world in training maneuvers, and if
t'our boys whom we bade good bye
the other day, after reasonable
amount of training, cannot man for
man, hold their own against an
equal number of the soldiers Of any i
country beneath the sun, we for one,
stand ready to pay the penalty Of
subjugation.
They are to be congratulated and
not to be colidoled. They are to
play a mans part in history making
in this the greatest history making
period of all the ages. They are
knights of the Holy Grail starting
forth on splendid adventure. The
localities mentioned are the choicest
portions of Gods heritage. They
have much to be proud Of, but all
other sources of pride pale into in
significance compared to the pride
they have a right to feel in their
man-contribution to the cause OF
the worlds democracy and world
humanity. We all babe goodbye
with mingled cheers and tears and
the unanimous, common voice eX-
claimed "God be with you till we meet
again"