The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-24
Herbert ]. West Instructed to
Open Book for Topeka Club.
Patriotism of Members Stirred
by Luncheon Speakers.
TRENCH WARFARE DESCRIBED
X. f. Nance Tells of Horrors
French Have to Endure.
ChaS. f. LObdell Sounds Prayer
of the World Today.

Brought face to face with the grim
reality of the struggle ahead by dra-
matte address by X. f. Nance, for
mer Kansan, just returned from the
trenches III France, and stirred 20 =
high patriotic pitch by pleas for ac-
ton made by Charles E. l-obdell, OF
the federal farm loan board, am
James T. Bradley, of the Kansas city
National Bank of Commerce, the To
peka Rotary club today took unani-
nous action to help the United States
float the liberty loan.
Just before adjournment of the
meeting at the Chamber of Commerce,
Robert Stone, district governor, en-
tered a motion that the club endorse
the loan. He asked that Herbert j.
West cashier of the Farmers Nation
al Bank here, be instructed TO open q
a book for Rotarian subscriptions ana
in conjunction with Cecil Howes, act
ing secretary, solicit every member
of the club to buy one or more ponus
The motion carried. Unanimously
every man present arose to MS rect anu
started for West to enter subscrlp-
ton. In exactly three minutes after
the motion carried members or the
club had asked West to purchase Tor
them several thousand dollars worth
of the bonds Others promised 10
come to West later and pledge for
to five or six times that many bonds.
For Rotarians.
AS instructed, West will open book
for the exclusive subscriptions OF Ro-
tarians.
lust before Bradley, the last speak
er on the program, was caleo upon ~
make a short talk, Charles E. Lobdeil
sounded the prayer of the world which
ended in this way:
God and the Kansas farmer
give us our daily bread.
1.-The blowing of corn and harvest
ing of wheat" said Mr.. Lobdeil, nav
lost to the Kansas farmers their pro-
sale commercial cloaks and have
wrapped themselves in the garments
of highest patriotism
Mr. Bradley, the Kansas City bank
err. reviewed the beginning of the war,
brought his address to a forceful end
and urged the country to buy liberty
bonds discrediting any impression
that the gigantic loan would take too
much money out of the country. On
the other hand, he asserted it meant
more business to this country.
Nance Stirs Hearers.
Nance. the former Kansas man, UNI
til a short time ago resident OF
Hutchinson was the principal speaker
ar the luncheon. Dramatically he told
of the atrocities being committed by
the invaders of France; told of the
wounded French soldiers. bleeding
unto death, going thru operations on
oilcloth tables in base hospitals ana
smiling as they chewed on stick to
leaden the pain-smiled in the spirit
of France.
The former Kansan outlined the
work that this country must do in the
war.
struggle" he said, for the spectacu-
lar. There is no place in the war zone
for women
"France has already too many wo-
men to feed. The women OF Frapce
are doing the work of the civilian ma
ton yet there is no need for more.
Yet 1 do not mean to say that there
is no work in this war for American
women There is work. It will be
their work to stay here in America
and keep things going while our men
go on the fighting line.
Army Needs Backing.
I'VE will place on army on the
fighting line easily. No trouble about
that. Ours will be an army of men.
Yet there is something else needed,
That is a nation behind that army.
For every man on the fighting line
there must be ten Americans behind
him. working in this country.
"Parades and demonstrative patriot
ism are nice. Yet that is not what
we here ir America need. We need
the firing line digging trenches while
others bail the water out of them
There is nc glory in Europe. Armies
are not marching to meet each other
headed by bands and in parade forma-
ton. They are crawling thru barbeG
wire entanglements, fighting hand to
hand for trenches behind a carefully
artillery curtain fire There
isn't band on the whole fighting.
line. L do not want to be an alarm-S
list. If 1 hated war before / went to
Europe, 1 hate it a hundred times
more now. But what 1 have said is
grim reality
Was In Hospital Service
Nance vas In the hospital service in
France. He told how, in going into
France, he signed a waiver on his
body being removed from wherever II
might be buried in case of death and
how he signed his will
You have not awakened to the ser
iousness of this conflict ye.," he told
the Topekans. You will not realize
its seriousness until President Pofn
care of France begins marking off lit
tie strips of land alongside trenches
and deciding it forever to America for
the burial of its dead. Not until vo,,
scan the bulletin board of casualties
looking for the names OF the boys
from Topeka killed, will you realize"
Nance speaks tonight in Hutchin-
son.