Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-06-26
JNo. A. FoRDE WRITES.
Well Known Locust Man Writes
Article on Sedit.on

we Will Sdlu luis pdltlc, luS ldT
est in history, and we might lose it,
lose it by sedition. We weaken our
strength and our cause by casting
side glances and giving seditious
mouth against our administration
1t must be stopped. This is no time
for talking politics and ripping
up old grudges. We now live for
only one determination, for one
purpose, to fight this battle out to
the last. The American soldier must
do that and ne will do it. But we
must leave him alone and not Of
fend him by seditious talk against
our government. The American
soldier is now our government. That
is what he stands for and fights for.
His aim is of one single purpose,
to sacrifice his life, If
needed to stand by his admin
istration, our President and our
government. This is a poor selected
moment for one who has a son or
two sons now fighting on the Flan-
ders line to go and shake his fist "a
gainst our administra ton. We can
never win a single battle, nor a
single victory, by constantly harun-
ging the administration, for what
has been wrong. He must be in
variably classed among our seducers,
whose vanity and jealousness has
killed and molested his true patri-
otisim and loyalty to his country
The American soldier on both
sides of the Atlantic, whether in
camp here at home, or on the banks
of the Marne, is now our administra-
ton and our government and our
nation and our republic. They, and
they know it, are given the task,
and it might be hard one, to save
this world for democracy. Let us
not talk seditiously at this time.
Not now while our boys are filling
the gaps in the divisions Of bleeding
France. Let us lay down politics
and take up arms in this great
struggle. Don't you know that every
civilized country in the world are
turning their eyes on the American
soldier, and to our administration.
You must fight as hard for. them
as they do for you, or else this
battle will prove to be disastrous
failure.
If you insult the chief executive
and the government you insult the
boys and the flag they represent.
We have come to the parting Of old
ways and traditions. This is the
laying off of party politics and Did
customs.
At this time in our history new
era is facing Us as never before.
1t is to survive now, or perish for
ever. 1t is neither mouth nor
words we want from seducers, but
loyal men to fight If you have a
fist to strike, shake it in the face
of the tyrant You, who are con-
stantly belittling our demonstrations
over in France, may go over there
and judge for yourself. Probably
you think you can look it all over
in one day You cannot look it
over in one week, nor two weeks.
You will find out over there villa,
the American push and ingenui,J
stands for You will see what our
engineers and our machines have
erected in period of year, or
even six months. You would find
supply derots and warehouses, if
strung out in a line that would
reach over 200 miles; docks and
harbors and storehouses and huge
| lifting cranes, hundreds of miles OF
railroad built, all done by the
American soldier and American
capital. You would come home
again a changed man, with all the
| belittleness taken out of you and
the best of it ALL your ignorance
Since we entered into this wal
France has been a veritable anthil
of American workers and integrity
night and day without hitch OF
stop, that has surprised both the
English and French people. They
say over there that the American
soldier comes with dash"
Though / hate to express 1t this
way, there is a certain bull-dogged'
ness in our American soldier, how
ever well bred gentleman. This
characteristic has been found every
where among our soldiers, wher
ordered to action. But this is not
ALL They have won the respect
among nations, even among theil
enemy, that they are of a typical
moral good standing and displinari'
ans. There, we will say, is where
he has got his best strength to fight