East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-09-11
LESSON NO. rs.
,OME NATIONAL TRADITIONS.

SpME NAlIONAl lANINDNlho+NS'
This course should include back
ward glance over the military history
of the United States, II is worth
while for the soldier TO recall why
and how the men before us fought
for American principles and rights,
You are representing today the same
ideals and fighting for many OF the
same things they fought for in 17I6,
l7eS, 1912, 1876, 1861 and 1898
In 1875 our forefathers refused
any longer to submit TO the demands
of a tyrannical government and de-
clared themselves independent. Tho
farmers and shopkeepers and me-
chanics and fishermen who rushed
to arms at the beginning of the revo-
luton did not at first realize they
were forming a new nation. But be-
fore long they saw clearly that in or
der to enjoy liberty they must shake
off the rule of the autocratic govern
ment which had it's seat in London
Our First war.
In their attitude they had the SYM
pathy of a great many Englishme1
who were broad enough to see that
the American colonies were really
fighting for the rights of all free peo-
pies. In the British Parliament Pitt
and Burke and other great English
men openly defended the American
patriots. "If l were an American as
1 am an Englishman" said one of
the great parliamentary leaders,
while a foreign troop remained in
my country 1 would never lay down
my arms 1t was not the English
n
liberty in America, our a small body
of court politicians-an autocratic
government - which misrepresenteG
the people.
The Americans or that day on
their part did not hesitate to take up
arms for their rights. even though
they came into conflict with the sea-
soned troops of a great power-even
though they had to meet invasion
and partial conquest of their own
country Nor did they long hesitate
to break completely away from the
motherland which many of them still
loved
In 1898 we found ourselves ain a
state of war with the French govern
ment. This is not usually thought OF
as an American war. since there was
no fighting except for few encoun-
tiers on the high seas. There was no
declaration of war and it was all set
tied within few months. Yet the
fact is that a state of war actually
existed Here gain we had no quar-
rel with the Frencn people. whom
weadm ired and loved for the help
they had given us during the revolu
tion. We were really at war with a
little group known as the Directory,
who had seized the government of
France and misrepresented its peo-
pie
In the War of 1912 with Grea;
Britain the principal question at is
sue concerned the freedom of Am
erican ships and the rights of Amer
lean ships and the rights of American
sailors on the high seas For the
most part the American Army was
poorly trained and equipped and had
little success. II redeemed itself. how
ever, at the Battle of New Orleans
where Andrew Jackson led the west
ern militia to a we'll earned victory.
The British government tacitly recog-
nized the soundness of the principle
for which the Americans fought.
The Mexican War.
Americas next war was with Mex
leo. The Mexicans had not been very
careful Of American rights either ir
Mexico itself or along the frontier.
and the disagreement as to the own
ership of a certain large strip Of land
along the Rio Grande easily led to
nostilities. In the war that followed
the armies of Scott and Taylor won
victory after victory against over