The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-09-10

in the right and we were in the
wrong. One reason for our defeat
was that we employed German troops
But you will never defeat us again
and we will never defeat you for we
will never tight again. The two ma
lions have built up such an under.
standing that another Var is incon.
ceivable.
Must Never Happen Again.
GAS l remember war as 1t is, with
| its tremendous sacrifices, see more
and more that 1t is the most unsatis-
factory way of settling anything.
Wars must be made things of the
past. The only country that may want
war is going to be so defeated that it
will never again want to begin an
other
'"The allies tried in every possible
way to stave off the war in 1914 and
the United States did the same thing
until it was only question Of main
tanning peace with dishonor or going
to war with honor. Thank God you
chose the latter course"
The speaker cited EngIand's I'M
preparedness as proof that the
country was not the instigator of the
conflict as Germany declares. He
told of the very small army that Eng
land was able to turn into the field
and then discussed the way that
country had muddled through the
first year OF the war with unframed
men and officers, a lack OF guns and
ammunitions, and with old and ineffi-
cient men in the war office.
England sent it's contemplate lit
tie army, as the kaiser styled it, over
to help France. 1t was small, but 1t
held back FIVE times it's strength in
the terrible retreat from Mons to
Paris and finally was able to help
deal the blow that sent the Germans
staggering back from within thirteen
miles OF the French capitol, at the
battle Of the Marine.
Not Prepared for Task.
1.-The army was one OF the best
equipped fighting forces that has
ever been put into the field, but it
was not prepared for the huge task
before it. That small army and the
English navy was England's only
contribution to France at the start"
The work of the English navy in
clearing the seas OF German mer
chantmen, keeping the German fleet
bottled up in its own harbors and
helping to transport millions Of
troops across to France. was lauded.
Captain Vickers declared that the
American troops should not be sent
into action until they had been per-
fectly trained for the task before
them. They must learn the war game
all over again, he said, for modern
war was altogether different from any
other. He said that Lord Kitchener
was wise enough not to send raw and
unframed troops to the front.
The speaker then told of some Of
his own experiences both in England,
Scotland and in France.
When he first went over to France,
England had one man for every
twenty-five yards of line, while the
Germans had one for every three
England was short of shells at the
start. While the Germans in the
early months, had six shells per min
ute for every gun on the front. Eng
land had one shell per day for her
guns. And yet the troops of Eng
land and her colonies held on even
against odds so great.
Captain Viekers, who went to the
trenches in the Seaforth HighIanders,
declared the reason they did not give
in was because they were pledged to
die. No Seaforth Highlander had ever
been taken prisoner, he declared.
Shortage Of Shells
In 1915 England began her first Of |
fensive IN France at Neuve Chapelle |
The supply of shells, however, gave |
out in an hour and half aud for |
three days the men who had ad- |!
vanced suffered heavy losses under |
German fire. At Loos, another
bloody battle Of the first year of the |
war, the English lost but 200 men |
going forward but 10000 when they |
were forced to retreat, because the |
of the big guns gave out. |
These are the reasons that America |
nas to go in big. Faulty preparations !
cost many valuable lives.
Example of German atrocities were |
cited by the speaker, who said that
The German soldier has not the in
,tinct of a gentleman. that on the !
ield he is beast and brute. Some |
If the atrocities he mentioned were
he crucifying of two Canadian sol |
liers, one to barn and one to tree: |
he seven months old baby that had
been bayonetted to door with a
oke written on note pinned beneath
t, the mutilated children he had seen
md the graves Of forty-two women