The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-06-20
TO END THE WAR QUICKLY.

1T is your war: it is for yOM to
win the war SO the editors of the
country have been writing for months
to pass, hut many people, strangely
enough. give little thought to the strug-
gle 1t is not here in America, they
cannot see for themselves the black
ened. SCARED and devastated fields of
battle and the dead lying maSsed there
on. Then, to them the war Is some
where else. not here. not for them to
in any wise engage in. but if this ma
ton must step in to restore the balance
and win the war for banded Christian
humanity matched against trained
brute force and barbaric tactics. then
let the Army and Navy do it.
Don't tie misguided, friend.
We are not going to attempt here to
tell you what you should and must do.
That would he too tedious, and tire
some to YOU perhaps. for the duty Of
all has been clearly pointed out many
times There is not Il loyal newspaper
publisher in the land. he his paper ever
so small and poor. who has not devoted
column after column to this same sub
ject. Plant foodstuffs. support all
worthy war causes, lend of your funds
your own wants has been their text
for weeks upon weeks.
At the time this is written the draft
age limit is still twenty-One to thirty
one years of age. But Il change in the
limit has several times been suggested
in Congress. No doubt that will come,
and sooll--it least in some degree.
Some want all of the ages from eigl-
teen to forty-fve years included. The
first draft is said to have included ten
million men. Since that time. now Il
year ago upward of 100000 have be-
come of age. From this vast number
there will lie found let us say from six
to seven million men fit for military
service. TO add to this number those
of the ages from eighteen to twenty
one and thirty-one to forty five years
would mean easily six to seven million
more. An army of twelve to fourteen
million men.
And what does that mean! Why so
many men: More than any one other
thing should the change in draft age
limit come it will mean determine
ton Oh the part of the President to end
the war as quickly as possible. But
there is another viewpoint. and it Is
not far-fetched. To SO nearly strip the
country OF its young men who are fit
would mean Il serious blow to agricul-
tural pursuits as well as to all branches
of commerce \ general reimbursement
of things would have to follow. and II
would not come so easy as this first re
adjustment we have passed through
There would lie fewer men left to fill
the places. In il word. the war wOult
lie ! rought nearer home, it would iii
tighter its seriousness and its great
menace would he more keenly realized
and perhaps that is the reason sec
ond in turn for this suggested change
in draft age limit.
Anyway. reader, it means that you
and all OF us, will have to get busy
with war measures every
day that will result in helping the
cause and in shortening the war
There is food for thought Take it fol
what ii is worth. lbU, better than any
ono else, know your own duties of the
hour in th; caamitouS time It is the
season to Put aside in as far aus posi-
lie personal pursuits and with II good
will aud stron. determination embrace
those others that have been suggested