South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-11
PREPAREDNESS" AGAINST "NIHILISM. I"

Destruction OF large munition plants and
two grain with lives lost the toll OF
one day. right here in this country. should TO
waken somebody their dreams. Evidently we
need to get busy; should do and chew the rag
less. very much though Imperial Ger
many were planning to conduct sort of modernzed.
revised up-to-date system "bushwhacking warfare
against the L. s; the polite order
than. 50 s soil is concerned by battle-ground
invasions new type Of preparedness" that il seems
We should be looking for is preparedness" against
German nihfsm. The organization Of a home guard.
drafting into perhaps quite tit for the army
navy because Of diminutve stature. health etc,
might give lot o something more do than
preach patriotism others Placed police duty for
protection of muntion factories food storage
establishments railroad bridges such like, might
be less heightened than organization that
is going on but it would be quite as seryiceabe.
Then again, with respect sending army 20
Europe. The may be before America can
army trained soldiers cross the Atlantic,
any military thoroughly trained in the
warfare would be than useless But could
in thirty sixty days land Brest or
industrial units OF bridge builders, ten
thousand strong, with adequate equipment of imple-
and steel every of which would release an
efficient soldier return him the lighting line?
army o workmen be quickly raised
by big American contractor II would be under the
direction of American engineers and foremen The
project could be undertaken by private enterprise but
would be better OF under government control
The force. once landed. would be placed a dis
posal British government, preferably
the latter.
There is immense amount of such work 10 be
done The business of beating Germany there is
business of driving Germans back their coun-
try but they retreat they leave behind them ter
ritory devastated battle-ground devas-
tated before. Such the "nihilism' Elan
ders All that torn and blasted be reclaimed
and organized" by builders before pursuers
can bring their guns and supplies and prepare for
the onslaught. Trained soldiers
the ranks by of thousands roads, build
bridges lay rails etc.
We have a genius for construction. We are builders
particularly railroad builders. We could do this work
we'll anybody and the best is ready
for it.
Why not? It's a quick practical plan make our
entrance into the effective it shouldn't diff
hcut TO recruit men for such army. 1t may seem
first sight glorious volunteer pick and
shovel brigade than members Of fighting regiment,
but modern warfare is mostly digging anyhow. And
the would be soldiers They would
know that they were actually serving their country
while their SNOWY comrades n lighting units
still drilling at home. They could
and have military rating And while serving
men oehlhd the uehches they could be learning war
under French British drllmasters and be ready
share the triumph the end vertabe soldiers They
would be fighting too a most vicious type OF foe
What is suggested here is exactly the way Germany
would do it; the Germany is doing it; Germany the
world power that has become a to all the
other nations OF earth. including allies. If some
such move undertaken, too it would put a sudden
stop a this bride" stuff frequently
INDUCED in by American smart set" than other
wise would formulate legitimate system that
might give something else in army lists besides
names ending in SKI, "vich' and elk,
come common locally. Where are our young Amer
lean patriots?
We something n that our native
Americans can do-besides get married and manufao-
excuses staying a home.
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