The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1917-12-01
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
How War Methods Have Changed
Everybody Must Help.
Number Three

SORRY If have kept you long," said
Uncle Dan. "Your mother has been
telling me how bashful used to be.
She said if girl spoke to me ! would
blush to my hair roots. Well, l re-
minded her of the time your father
first came to see her and the joke we
played on them, so I guess that will
hold her for WHILE"
Continuing, Uncle Dan said: "You
want to talk more about the war, do
you? Well, war methods have under
gone many changes and they are still
changing. No two wars are fought
alike. In early times, the weapons were
stones, clubs, spears, bows and arrows,
swords, etc. In this kind of warfare,
victory was with the strong right arm.
Men of enormous size and strength
were the great warriors. The inven-
ton of gunpowder, however, has
changed all this. 1t has enabled men
to kill one another at considerable
distance, and do 1t wholesale. The
war, as we know 1t now, Is combina-
ton of chemicals. machinery, mathe-
NAUTICAL calculations and highly trained
men. Just think of It! Airplanes,
submarines, armored tanks, or cater
pillars, poison gases. and curtains Of
fire are all used for the first time in
this war; and they are destructive be-
yond anything heretofore known.
"The methods followed by the kali
ser and his allies are simply devilish.
He must answer in history to the kill
ing of thousands of innocent women
and children. He has broken every
international law and every rule of
warfare; he has bombarded hospitals
and undefended cities, sunk Red Cross
ships on errands of mercy; he has de-
stroyed cathedrals and priceless treas
ures of art that can never be replaced;
he has made slaves Of his prisoners !;
he has tried to get us into war with
Japan; his emmissaries have blown up
our ships, burned our factories and
fired our forests. He knows no mercy
or honor. The most charitable view
to take of this bIood-thirsty tyrant
is that he is crazy.
zone thing is certain" continued Un-
Gle Dan, with great emphasis. "Qur
liberty, the safety of our homes and
our country, and the security of the
world demand the speedy and abso-
lutte overthrow of the kaiser and
crushing out once and forever the
reign of Prussian brutality"
"How about the German people,"
said Billie.
Uncle Dan replied: 1.-THE splendid
German people were happy. thrifty,
prosperous and contenteG. They have
been tricked into war and made to
suffer the tortures Of the damned !:
they have been cruelty and systematic
ally deceived. God grant that the real
facts may get to them. and If they do,
Lord help the kaiser!"
"Of course the allies will win," said
Mrs. Graham.
Probably So" said Uncle Dan. "But
If we are to win, we must go the limit.
We must check the awful destruction to
shipping by the German submarines,
or we may not be able to get food and
supplies to our own men and to our al
lies; we must also put hundreds of
thousands, and perhaps millions, of
hrst-class soldiers In the battle line.
"Food is the first consideration" Un-
Gle Dan continued. "No army can hold
out against hunger. 1t has been said
that food will win the war, and this Is
largely true. Hence the importance
of the farm in the war plans Of our
country"
Mrs. Graham interrupted by saying:
In view Of the importance Of farming,
don't you think, Daniel, that the farm
ers ought to be exempted from war
serviceY
"No, q thousand times no." said On
Gle Dan, striking the table SO hard to
emphasize his protest that he tipped
over a vase Of flowers. 1--WE must
have no class legislation. The duty to
serve is the common duty of all, and
no class must be relieved of this oh.
legation. The question of exemption
must be personal one and decided by
the facts surrounding each case. In
no other way can we have q square
deal. and to insure this, it is the duty
of congress to pass Immediately the
Chamberlain bill, or some such meas
ure, which Is fair to all classes. 1t
would settle all these questions and
do it fairly. Safety now and safety
hereafter demands such legislation,
and let me suggest that you and your
friends get busy with your congress
man and senators and urge them to
prompt action.
'It is time for us to realize that we
are not living In q fools paradise;
that this great country of ours cost
oceans of blood and treasure and II Is
only due to the loyalty, sacrifice and