Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1917-08-04
:: Brother To Brother

By Orrin A. Briefly

My brother-but two years younger
than You are going to the front, to
fight for Uncle Sam in an endeavor
to wipe autocracy off the map that
the future may see the end of Prus-
sianism and the dawn of new era.
An Utopia, if you wish. And I,
equally as strong in desire to serve,
equally as willing to give my life for
the cause, cannot go, because my
body is weak. 1t is impossible for me
to write how | actually feel. Oh.
do not mean that my condition, for
that gives me no concern, but that l
cannot nartake in what is everybody's
! fight. That's where it hurts. To
know that | can't stand shoulder to
shoulder with the wonderful Allies,
to help push the Huns out of France
and Belgium, to realize that | can't
do my bit. And all of this brother,
this fight you are going into, is not
for you or me or your neighbor, or
relatives-nay it is not for the pres
ent generation, but FOR THE NEXT.
For those in infancy. For those yet
unborn.
Thousands of martyrs have gone
before. Thousands of martyrs still to
be called. Oh, realize brother that
martyrdom is the highest pinnacle
these insignificant bodies of ours can
reach. No one, great or small, wise
or ignorant can give more to cause,
than the one giving "life." But you
| ,,eL fho 10
are going forth to face death merely
because nation asked you to. AS
you volunteered to fight for your
country many months ago, you were
fully cognizant of your country's
aims, and SO individually you are one
of a collective body of heroes. Yes,
all of you, heroes. Now before one
shot has been fired, at the enemy.
You are envied by thousands like
myself-weak in body, but oh so will
ing, so anxious to serve their country
in this cause. The greatest cause in
the history of civilization. The cree
ton of foundation over the departed
bodies of thousands of heroes who
have given their lives for the insti-
tuition of permanent peace. Civiliza-
ton in its highest manifestation pos
sible on earth to be enjoyed by
others. That's it brother. For
others. And l, I-cannot take part.
Good God, why? Oh, boy l envy
you-yes muchly so, but it is not the
envy prompted by jealousy, but the
envy brought to boiling point by
the Pickering sparks of the Man in
me. The man in me however great
or small. To me the real irony of
war is that the strong are called to
face death, while the weak who can
easier be spared, are left behind.
| That's rub that cannot be helped.
1--WE ian know tHal Ckat .A++ha able
bodied are obliged to go through a
strenuous hell in the trenches, wear
ing their strong bodies away and if
not killed in action, then returned
home, sick and unfit for further duty
all this to me is the hardest thing
to swallow. In facts and figures it's
waste lad-a terrible waste. 1t is
not only weakening ourselves, but
what is worse-it weakens the man.
hood of the future. Only the weak
will be left behind-to become
fathers. God have mercy and let the
future generation be strong in body
and soul that they may appreciate
and enjoy to the fullest extent all
this, which our soldiers now (Which
their forefathers), are fighting for
That they may understand it was all
for them and that they do not abuse
it. Brother, brother! Oftimes in the
stiffness of the night have / formed q
plan whereby the weaker could work
hand in hand with the stronger.
This is my plan. Let the able bodies
dig the trenches, do the laborious
work, but let the weaker fill up the
trenches and fire the guns. What
dream! Yea, perhaps. But enough
1t cannot be-and so let us face the
reality. You are going-I cannot.
Your interests have always been
mine and mine yours. We have never
failed to tell each other of our ambl-
tons. We have borne each others
burdens in the past, let us share them
in the future. Sympathy comes in
mutual understanding. And that is
how we must share the present issue.
You are going away. Far away. No
one knows how long. You leave be-
hind many friends, many loved ones
Il sympathize with you. We under
stand. | have been away from home
also. And on the other hand, you
sympathise with me. Where you are
offering yourself for the worlds
greatest cause, l, no matter how
willing, have not even chance to
do so. There you are. Simple Ell ?
Its the best we can do and therefore
lightens your burden-it has already |
lightened mine.
And now Brother-Forward March!
Onward Firm stem 7 know Won will |
never finch in your duty. We are
fighting, side by side. God help us!