Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-11-01
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
Number Five
Jimmie and a German Boy Clash
Must Do Three Things to Save
Country.
Number Five

Spi eduiuS DIduCNeS OIL Tue great LiSC
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. ave
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. Well,
Jimmie got hot under the collar and
handed it back to him good and plenty.
Jimmie said if their education taught
them to torpedo Lusitanias, sink hos
pital ships, murder hundreds of WON
en- and children, make slaves OF
the Belgians, poison wells, destroy fruit
trees and commit all sorts of crimes,
then we did not want that kind OF
education here What do you think
about it. Uncle Dan? I told Jimmie
you spent lot of time in Europe and
knew all about schools, so give US your
opinion"
WELL" 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
as a 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
sive to the Prussian plan Of world do
minion; they teach that it is the des-
tiny 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 of the
state, can do no wrong If he carries
forward the plan of world control.
Some of the greatest teachers and
preachers even defend and justify her
heartless crushing of Belgians and the
many other atrociOus crimes she mas
committed in this war. Thank God,
our American education reaches both
the head and the heart. It is an edu-
cation with a soul, and we must main
tain the high ideals we have fixed. In
a word, in Germany, the people are
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, so
I can write 1t down"
Uncle Dan, smilingly, complied.
Billie exclaimed: "Now, we will hand
that nut out for Carl to crack.
Carl, you know" continued Billie,
"has a very smart father who keeps
him posted on the German arguments.
Carl said our government was only
an experiment anyway; that it would
not last twenty years, and that 1t
might burst up any old time. Jimmie
asked him if Germany was so mighty
good why they did not go back there
to live"
"Our government will go on forever,
won't it, Uncle Dan"
snow" said Uncle Dan, "you are
raising a big question, and one that
has troubled me for years. Our gov
eminent is still in the experimental
stage; in fact, it is the greatest ex-
pertinent ever undertaken, and if pop
ular government is to be successful,
few things must be done, otherwise, to
paraphrase the great Lincoln, the gov
eminent of the people, by the people
and for the people, will perish. 1t is
my firm conviction" said Uncle Dan,
in a very impressive manner, "that if
our country is to go on, as we hope
and pray, we must very quickly do
at least three things, and l will name
them in the order of Importance as 1t
appears to me:
"First, adopt compulsory universal
military training of all young men
physically fit before they reach the
age of twenty years.
'Next, require that every foreigner
who comes here to live must, within a
reasonable time, say a year, declare
his intention of becoming an American
citizen and take the necessary steps to
do so, thereby, from that moment, as
Stunning all the obligations of citizen
ship of our country and that means he
must defend our flag upon equal terms
with our native born, and if he is not
willing to do this, he should be sent
back from whence he came"
That's the stuff" exclaimed Billie.
"And, finally, enact such legislation
as will make voting compulsory. Pop
ular government is based upon the
participation of all and the rule Of
the majority, and democracy cannot
continue and be successful unless we
live up to the spirit of the institu-
ton.
1.-THE first step, however, is the pass
ing of the Chamberlain bill for niver-
sal military training. If you will get
the leading citizen, and especially the
editor of your paper, to write personal
letters to your congressman and both
senators, urging their support, it will
help enormously.
II see by the morning papers," said
Uncle Dan, that the Rotary clubs Of
the entire country, the livest, most eff
Gent organization to be found, have
unanimously decided to get back of
the Chamberlain bill and give 1t loyal
and enthusiastic support. They win
work with the Universal Military
Training league to accomplish this i'm
portant piece of legislation, which will
DO more than anything else to make US
a real nation with a common view
point, bring US back 10 sane living, and
teach us the patriotism Of service"