The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-11-02
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
Number Five
Jimmie and a German Boy Clash
Must Do Three Things to Save
Country.
Number Five

MUST DO Inree IninQS 70 oaSe
Country.
It was a warm evening, so Uncle
Dan went out to lawn seat under the
spreading branches Of the great tree
that suggested the farms name Of Oak
Hill. Billie and Jimmie had been lay
ing for him, so Uncle Dan was cap
tured by the boys on short order.
"Say, Uncle Dan," Billie began. 1--WE
had red-hot argument at school yes
terday with Carl Newman. Carl said
that German schools were miles ahead
of our schools and that no one could
come up to the educated German. wen,
Jimmie got hot under the collar ana
handed 1t back to him good and plenty.
Jimmie said If their education taught
them to torpedo Lusitanias, sink hos
pital ships, murder hundreds of wom-
en- and children, make slaves or
the Belgians, poison wells, destroy fruit
trees and commit all sorts OF crimes,
then we did not want that kind or
education here. What do you think
about it, Uncle Dan? l told Jimmie
YOU spent lot of time in Europe and
knew all about schools, so give us your
opinion"
SWELL" replied Uncle Dan, deliber-
ately, "the German schools are very
thorough; they furnish exceedingly val
liable and practical instruction. The
industrial training given there Is PROB
ably the best to be found. The schools
ms n whole, however, in my opinion,
appeal to the head only, and never to
the heart. The aim and trend Is to
make the individual blindly submits
siye to the Prussian plan of world do
minion; they teach that 1t Is the des-
tipy of Germany to rule the world, and
that to the glory and advance OF Ger
MANY. in this plan, all things must give
way: that the kaiser as head or the
state, can do no wrong II he carries
forward the plan of world control
Some of the greatest teachers ano
preachers even defend and JUSTIFY mel
heartless crushing Of Belgians and the
manv other atrocious crimes she has
committed in this war. Thank Coo
our American education reaches botf
the head and the heart. 1t Is an ecu
cation with a soul, and we must main
tain the high ideals we have fixed. III
a word. in Germany, the people ar'
taught that they exist for the govern
,ment. while here the government ex
lists to serve the people"
! "Just wait a minute" interrupted
Billie. Say that over again SLOWLY 81
can write 1t down"
Uncle Dan, smilingly, complied.
Billie exclaimed: snow, we will ham
that nut out for Carl to crack
Carl YOU know" continued Billie
"has a very smart father who keep
him posted on tie German arguments
Carl said our government was onl
an experiment anyway; that it woul
not last twenty years, and that
might burst up any old time. Jimml
asked him If Germany was so might
good, why they did not go back ther
to live"
"Our government will 60 on forever
won't it, Uncle DAM"
Snow" said Uncle Dan, you ar
raising a big question, and one tina
has troubled me for years. Our gov
eminent is still in the experiments
stage: in fact, it is the greatest e.
periment ever undertaken, and If poi
ular government is to be successful
few things must be done, otherwise, I
paraphrase the great Lincoln, the go'
eminent of the people, by the peopl
and for the people, will perish. 1t
nv firm conviction" said Uncle DaI
in a very impressive manner, that
our country is to go on, as we hop
J and pray, we must very quickly q
Mt least three things, and will nam
them In the order Of Importance as
appears to me:
b "First, adopt compulsory univers'
1 military training of all young me
physically fit before they reach tt
4 age of twenty years.
II "Next, require that every foreign'
, who comes here to live must, within
l. reasonable time, say a year, declal
, his intention of becoming an America
r citizen and take the necessary steps
do so. thereby, from that moment, q
q suming all the obligations of citize
: shin of our country, and that means
must defend our flag upon equal tern
with our native born, and If he Is n
6 willing to do this, he should be sci
9 back from whence he came"
"That's the stuff" exclaimed Bill
d "And, finally, enact such legislatlt
as will make voting compulsory. Pc
J Mar government is based upon Il
y participation Of all and the rule
I the majority, and democracy cam
8 continue and be successful unless v
}, live up to the spirit of the instit
b ton.
If 1.-THE first step, however, is the pas
70 ing of the Chamberlain bill for unive
sal military training. If you will g
!, the leading citizen, and especially q
a editor of your paper, to write person
- letters to your congressman and DO
= senators, urging their support, 1t W