The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-06-20
AFTER WAR ENDEg/
WHAT WILL We Do
SOLDIERS IN FRANCE SPECULATE
ON CONDITIONS AT HOME
AFTER THE WAR
AUTOCRATS Of ALL KINDS UNPOPULAR
Public Opinion Among Our Soldiers
Shows Their First Thought To Be
To Lick Kaiser Thoroughly
By II. c. EVANS
Copyright 1919

really think of it?
This is the question | have been
trying to answer every day as l min
gle with our soldiers. You may think
there are as many opinions as there
are soldiers, but not so. There's a
psychology in public opinion. There
are instances where thousands of men,
without conference, or publicity, or
transmission Of intelligence, have done
the same thing at the same time. 1t
is quite evident that there is forming
a public opinion over here among
our soldiers.
Public opinion is to a nation, a COM
munity or a group of men what con-
science is to the individual. No par
ticular number of men will long asso-
ciate together without mutual under
standings, without meeting of minds.
When Frenchmen under Lafayette
went to America and fought for de-
mocracy they became so obsessed with
the idea that they came home and
democratiZed France.
In fighting to overthrow the military
monarchy of Germany, the Russians
overthrow their own military mon
archy. No army ever fought on for.
eign soil that didn't return home with
new ideas and new ideals. What new
Impressions will our men receive over
here that they will take home with
them, and what will be the effect on
our government?
There are various ways of express
ing public opinion. The usual method
with us at home is by the ballot. We
determine what public opinion is by
majority vote. Over here it must be
arrived at in a different way. Many
opportunities are afforded 10 interpret
our boys personally and collectively.
| have asked the question that intro
duces this article of a thousand men
actually put the question direct to
that many men. "What do you really
think of it?" and pressed them to an
answer. Combining the answers of
two-thirds of them into what may be
called a composite answer, l would
say it was:
We've got to whip the kaiser"
You get this same answer in the
most popular song among them, And
We Won't Go Home Till It's Over
over There" The public speaker gets
it from them collectively, but the
thing they cheer the loudest and long
est is the fat statement that we will
lick the Germans. So that's the pub
lie opinion" among our men in France.
of our nation along industrial lines for
the reason that We do not know wheth.
er or not we will be compelled to main
tain militarism as a fixed policy. One
thing is certain, unless Germany is dis
armed. and tied up by treaties that can
be enforced, treaties more durable
thar scraps OF paper. all other nations
must adopt compulsory military SER
vice and continue the training of SOL
diers, the manufacture of cannon and
battleships and munitions. If Ger
many is not disarmed we will have to
stand armed against her. II we must
compel orr boys to give W years of
their lives to military training it will
mean two million men constantly with
drawn from business channels at an
important productive period of their
lives. 1t is a stupendous question and
until settled one can hardly make an
intelligent guess at our future.
1t is too early to determine the
changes that will come in our mems
attitude relative to industrial ques-
tions when they return home. That
they will be radical and will have tre-
mendous influence on our politics and
national life goes without question.
Two years ago l wrote The Capital
from Stockholm relative to the new
viewpoint of the British soldier. That
article included an interview with a
British soldier, and here's another
along the same line:
1--WE soldiers don't believe that the
world will have much use for very rich
men after the war, though there aren't
many professional socialists among us.
We mean however, to see that we get
our rights, and If the door Is shut in
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