The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-01
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

creased taxes, taking about an early lpeace.
 I am not afraid of what the army In the trenches is going to do, for I know 1t will uphold the traditions of the Amer
 ican soldier; but the army at home is
 the one that is giving me doubts. A 1 famous English soldier recently said that whenever he felt depressed he made it
 a rule to go to the front, which at once
 set him up again.
 l This caused an Englishman with bit ] Of indignation, backed by sense of hu-
 nor, to think it would be a good thing taken out in patches into mo mans land" and be given few whiffs of poisoned air and a shower of shot. He thought that they might be willing If allowed to re- turn to their homes to do less peace talking and contribute more in money
 and service to make it easier for the
 men who were fighting for them Some where in France" to end the war | A visit to the front would be a won derful place for tonic of patriotism. am afraid that it is the only tonic that could put backbone into the com fortable rich and the indifferent poor criticize those who are at the head of the government and grouch when they are called upon to help carry on the war.
 Now I believe that 90 per cent of tho people are loyal and mean to see Ger | many beaten,s but it's up to them to not only turn up the alien enemy, but to show up in true colors every man in their community who is shirking war ob- 1 ligations The man who can give and serve in some capacity at home but who dodges his responsibility is not one whit ! better than the one of military age who strives to hide behind some trivial ex- cuse. and is dubbed stacker The front is dependable; it's the base halts because of the slow movement of the political army. Our danger is that the soldiers will be held in the back ground while the politician occupies the foreground. President Wilson has rung a clear note in his great speech setting forth the needs of declaring war on Aus tria. I hope Congress will back him to the limit, and I confidently expect it to do so, but just wait for the yelps of the disgruntled, the little cotere of dema- gogues who are happy to play in the Kaisers backyard and call it "pacfi- cism."
 Germany, for more than a year, has been doing everything in her power to add to the number of the peace hun gering groups and so she has sent out bait after bait to catch the tribe of suck ers who. without knowing it. are but scuttlefish in the nets of the Prussians to muddy the waters while the militar- ists carry out their underhand war of frightfulness. Germany's peace offen- sive" is her great trump card to fool the credulous, who in spite of all her iDtrigues still believe in the honor of Germania, who has prostituted justice so long and flouted international law and morality until the verest babe ought to know that she is playing the harlot to enrich her lord and master, Emperor William.
 I hope the wrath of the American peo- pie will be let loose on the little group of well advertised pacificists who cloak their love of publicity beneath a peace banner and hope by appealing to the maudlin the selfish to urge our long patient, but now thoroughly aroused President to get out of the war by some back door if pos sible and leave in the lurch our allies, who have long fought bloody battles to preserve their lives as nations and to not perish from the face of the earth "1'he peace -at-any price apostles" led by half-dozen or more discredited states men, are less-dangerous because they act in the open and are under surveillance than are the silent forces behind them WHo merely use lHciu dS l1elT mOutn- pieces while they plan and plot to nullify every effort of the United States to make due preparation for war that will end only when Germany is licked
 
 We must meet Germany's peace of- fensive' in thorough and painstaking manner. The government Is working through the "four-minute men," When you see them and hear them, take off your hats, for they are doing their bit. It's no pleasant or easy task to be sand wiched in between vaudeville stunts or the changed reels to try in a few words to tell an audience seeking amusement the Reason we are at war with Ger many which is the topic they are ex- pected to drive home to the nation this month of December I have done my share here in Birmingham, but am being called all over the state. Last Sunday | spoke on the subject to a great crowd l at Eufaula. Sunday night, by special ! request, I go to Sylacauga to speak on l the same topic to the Baptists. Meth l odists and Presbyterians who will hold !! a union service. I state this to show | that the churches are waking up to the | need of having part in awakening pub 1 lie sentiment.
 The propaganda must go on in this l country until eyerv svharftn who Shripl.S |