Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-25
Ordered for Foreign Service.

Our boys may go to France. That
is decided by an order from the War
Department to mobilize the 26th di-
vision lat once" for foreign service.
AT once" may mean several weeks,
but relatives and friends are advised
70 say their God be with you" on
Sunday (tomorrow) that the activities
Of the division may not be interfered
with in the days to come.
This order carries heartaches into
many. many thousands of New Eng
land homes, but let US look upon the
brighter side of the prospect. Let us
remember that months of training
"over there" under the military ex-
perts OF England and France, will be
necessary before our boys can be sent
to the front. 1t may be weeks before
they go. They may never so at all,
for one OF the seven wonders of mill
tary preparation" in this country
since the declaration of war, has been
the reversed decisions of those in COM
mand-now we see it and now we
don't. And again things are develop
ing rapidly on the other side. We
may hope. and we may doubt the wis
dom of hasing our hope on a reason
ing consideration of conditions, but
we cannot get away from the democrat
izing effect of the constant and daily
increased pounding upon the German
forces. upon the German army and
people. We know that even the
Hohenzollerns and the German auto
cracy long for peace, what then must
be in the minds of the German peo-
pie?
or course we must admit the blue
vitriol prediction that the war MAY
last YEARS; but we may just as
confidently claim that it may NOT last
WEEKS.
IF there are heartaches in New Eng
land homes because our boys have
been ordered toward the front what
must we admit of the homes in Ger
many They are human and love
their sons and brothers and fathers;
who then, longs most for an end to it
all? The people in the German homes
did not make the war; they have been
nodded into 1t by years of Prussian-
ism. We are sending our sons over
there to save the world from the same.
and to free the German people from
their war tyrants.
The American answer to the Pope's
peace proposal should make that fact
plain. for the reply cannot be kept
from the German people. They should
he given the knowledge that the world
is ready to make any sort of peace
with THEM, but that there can be NO
peace with the Hohenzollerns and the
autocracy Of hate and lust and greed.
We believe that the American people
Rave been opposed to sending our boys
over there, but, rather. to finance, and
back with food and munitions, and
cmbargoes and ships. and navy. the
forces already there and now slowly
wearing Germany out But the gov
eminent, having better facilities for
learning the needs of England and
France and Italy knows best. They
lave need Of our inspiring presence,
over there. to lift them to new en-
deavors. and to correspondingly de-
10 Of 10
As yet the German people have been
led TO believe that only a handful of
Americans are in France. that they are
unskilled in warfare and that Prus-
sianism may hold them in contempt.
They are to be disillusioned by various
means. one of these the Stars and
Stripes at the front
We cannot but feel that these heart
breaking farewell scenes are to be de-
plored. Let us give the boys the ben
eft OF our hope and courage and
prayers THEY know how OUR hearts
ache at the parting. WE know how
THEY long to maintain the family
circle. unbroken by a visit to Europe.
Let us spare them and ourselves the
Iain Of public farewell. One boy writes
home When part of our fellows en-
trained last night it was awful-don t
come"
Our boys 90 eagerly in the name of
patriotism. knowing as little of war as
We have fondly hoped they always
might. Nor do we know-only the
teart-ache and the continuous watch
ing for a word and new ray of prom
Use. Can the powers of government
Congress and the grim officers. deny us
that little boon from the press?