South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-13


repeated attacks, thus preventing
the enemy from lanking the posi-
ton Of the union forces"
From May to II. 1864, Private
John b. Lynch. third Indiana cav
airy. carried important dispatches
f.om the president 70 Gen. Grant.
passing through the enemy's coun-
try escaping capture. delivered his
message ana returned 10 Washing
ton with replies thereto"
on April p. 1899, Private Ed
ward White. goth Kansas infantry,
during q hight with insurgents in the
Philippine islands, swan the Rio
Grande dc Pampanga in face Of the
enemys fire and fastened a rope 10
the unoccupied trenches. thereby
enabling the crossing Of the river
and the driving OF the enemy from
his fortified position"
ON May 8, 1900, Private william
=. Maclay, 43d L. S. volunteer in
fantry. charged an occupied 5as-
ton. saving the life Of an officer in
hand-tO-h hand combat and destroying
the enemy"
IN all these cases medals Of hon
or were granted. The incidents,
however. are typical Of the army
Thousands Of similar stories might
be told. They represent the spirit
that viii inspire the national army
when the time comes TO show the
stuff OF which il it made.
Tales of heroic courage can be
found in the annals of all armies
oil
can army has its own special ira
clifton. which these incidents illus
;rate. II is the tradition Of intell-
gence. self-reliance, and individual
daring on the part Of men serving
in the ranks.
The Individual Soldier Counts.
other things being equal, an army
made up OF self-reliant. thinking
men has a great advantage over a
merely maChine-like army, and this
is especially true in present day
warfare. Mai. Gen. Hugh L. Scott
chief OF staff. L. :. A, remarks on
this point:
The conditions under which mod
err wars are fought are ever max
4, ing increasing demands on the in
dividual soldier. The individ-
ual soldier must know how TO inter-
pref accurately orders and signals.
for tine enemy's fire may often so
isolate him from his leader and
comrades. perhaps only step
aw7y. that he may be thrown on
his own initiative in making his ac-
tons conform 10 those of the whole
linc. he may have 10 use his own
judgment in opening fire, in ad-
vancins. in intrenching."
Fair Play.
a second tradition of the Ameri-
can army. which need only be men
toned, is that Of fighting fairly and
treating even the enemy with as
much humanity as his own conduct
will permit. As for slaughtering or
enslavin the civilian population of
captured territory. attacking prison
ers or assaulting women. American
soldiers would as little commit such
crimes i'm time of war as in time Of
peace. In this respect most of the
civilized nations or the world think
alike.
Fighting for Rights and Principles.
There is a third splendid tradi-
/ ton of the American army which
YOU viii help to carry forward. 1t
has fought always and everywhere
An defense of principles and rights
never merely for territory and for
power. Even the civil war resulted
from the clash of opposing princi-
/ ples-the principle Of an indivisible
union upheld by the north. and that
/ of freedom to withdraw from the
union upheld by the south.
To protect the rights of citizens.
! the American people have several
/ times opposed tyranniCal govern
ments-the English government in
| 1916 and 1912. the French govern
] ment for q short period in 1898, the
/ Mexican government in 1S4S. the
Spanish government in 1898. The
/ final effect in each case has been to
advance the cause of liberty and de-
mocracy throughout the world. even
/ i'm the countries against which we
! fought. Our weapons have not will
/ ingly been turned against any peo-
| pies. but only against the rulers who
misgoverned and misled them. In
} fighting for our own rights. the
| American army has fought also. in
Pres't Wilson's phrase. for the
rights of mankind"
For a high purpose. the Ameri-
can people have entered into the
| present war against the German
government government which
in our belief nisrepresents and mis-
leads the German people only by
so doing can we make America and
the world safe for democracy
But one ending can be thought Of
an ending that will guarantee the
continuance of all those principles
and rights which the American
army has in the past SO nobly fought
10 esta hlish
Never lose sight. even for an in
slant. of the fact that all your train
ing your efforts. and your sacri-
fces have this one great object in
view. the attainment Of which is
worth auyfhfr-o II may cost