The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-22
On the Trail
of the Huns

what has been done and what the con-
dition is in the conquered countries
now under the heel of the Hun. Anyone
who treasures free Institutions and the
lights of humanity so painfully wrung
! from the ages should just as soon see
the world turned over to the rattle
snakes and mad dogs as to German
| domination, which would set the clock
| OF progress back to the middle ages
with the added horrors Of scientific
brutality
| The United States is in this war 70
protect the institutions we established
! when the staunch hearts and clear
minds of the Revolution proclaimed the
Declaration of Independence. We have
been the sworn enemy Of Prussianism
ever since, and potentially we have
been at war with her. even though
we did awaken rather tardily to tho
fact. The sinking of the Lusitania was
more than sufficient provocation, but
! we can find justification in this, that
| by trying to steer a neutral course
the United States forced the brute to
completely unmask so there was no
question as to German intentions and
| pretentions.
The people have responded in true
American fashion to the cause with
Yankee determination to put 1t over"
Ihere Is some boastfulness. to be sure
but a little banal spread eagle is not
reprehensiblc in such a crisis for we
have reason to feel proud of the fac.
that practically all our fighting In the
mast has hcpn FOR he ,,,In irJ,
eminent by the consent Of the gov
erned, which is the essence in reality OF
President Wilson's peace terms. Again.
as compared to European countries,
we are old in the development of demo-
cratic institutions.
The boys that are going abroad
realize this is not a holiday excursion.
They look upon it as simply plain duty
TO champion such a cause: they hope
that the people at home do not mis-
take sentiment for real patriotism. 1t
Is easy and well to cheer when the
pand plays and the boys march by
with unfurlcd flags, but the real ties.
lies in whether those that cheered SO
enthusiastically stand unflinchinElv
When their pocketsbooks and appetites
are touched. 1t will call for continual
nnd greater sacrifices as the war goes
on.
The man who loafs on n war pro
duction job; the farmer who does not
produce the maximum of needed war
products women who are idle that
might do Red Cross work-all such
are allies of the kaiser just to the ex.
tent they are not doing their best to
help. All must realize that modern
warfare involves the whole industrial
resources of a nation modelled against
those of another and that the soldiers
are the advance agents operating the
war material and civilian population
has provided. Their failure to provide
1t makes them responsible for the dis
aster that would come to their own
men. Just as much credit therefore.
should be given to real war workers
skilled and unskilled in civilian Itfa
as to the soldier. Those in educational
work are directly contributing, for
they are training and conserving 4
responsible and intelligent citizenry for
the reconstruction work so important
that is to follow. AS we defeat
the attempt to refeudalizc the world
Wv ''etth Va PioSltSS lilpN tS FORWARD
many decades. Governments have
learned to do many things that were
thought utopian in the extreme before
the war. We can never 20 back to the
wastetul go as you please ways" of
anto-belliim days. The discipline OF
useful service will be a most fitting
substitute for the old 'laissez faire"
idea of everybody for himself and the
devil take the hindermost" The task
That looms up large for the teacher Is
to help build up an authentic Amer
icanism through wise Interpretation of
our past mistakes. The paradox of in.
diNidual liberty and freedom as with
drawal of restraint will continue, but
VIII be more clearly defined. Russia
right now is II sad but superb en-
ample of freedom interpreted as with
draWal of restraint.
Our negligence in the past has beca
largely in tho way of material off
cheney, but one thing stands out re-
splendent, and that is that the indl-
Nldaul morale of the soldiers of France,
England and America counts far more
in results than all the boosted ma
terial efficiency of Germany. In three
|eArs these countries have outstrippcd
Germany at her own gamc--hcr spe-
Cialty for over half century past.
The Marine, Nerdun and the attempt
At Calais can indicate but one thing:
that those who are trained to unthink-
ing obedience and worship the God of
material things are doomed tofailure
against those with reasoned discipline.
nigh individual morale, and much less
OF material efficiency. The Germans
have been highly efficient in scen-
| tlflc harbarism directed against holp-
! less and dcfcnseless peoples. but they
| have shown up very inefficient against
! the French and English with every ad-
vantage in war equipment up to a few
months ago.
y hard fight is just ahead, but the
governing heads of Germany cannot
| hut see the hand writing on the wall
| IN their laundering attempts to force n
compromise peace.
One final consideration: the con-
i"sScd alien in America is not near
tho enemy as those who, under tho
Suise OF citizenship, profess loyalty
and talk ComDrOmisT pnnCr and die