The Springfield herald., 1918-05-10
"Go ON OR
co UNDER"
~ Ross [. Hammond

N1ts fthHnIuOuO wac . u0IHpoi " = Psss
Of fourteen who went to europe In oct9
ber and returned about December l. CO
this number ten were mombers Of Con
ish. French % and Belgium Government
, much OF the time and were escorted ., o.
Representatives % i've of these G0yesnmentbs COY nrs abow "
many other official courtesies: Mr.. Ham
mond is publisher Of the Daily and Iri
filing f many Sups pSbfic IL % speaRins ensasement @
At the present time.)
Premier Lloyd George never coinet
. truer epigram than that I'VE mus
20 on or go under"
How the war is "going oh" can bt
understood. even In part. only By
those who have been near to it. which
privilege l recently had. That 1t Is
the most colossal tragedy In human
history is proved by a glance at any
phase of It,
Americas part In the struggle is be
Ing performed because America can
not avoid it. Autocracy Is running
amuck and we stand in It's road
Either 1t stalks triumphant over al
that we have been taught TO hold
sacred and dear Or we and those with
US slay the dragon from whose red
jaws blood is dripping. We and II
cannot live in the world together.
have seen Engldnd. France and
Belgium battling with the beast Now
ny own country Is sending It's men
Into the fray and the effort and the
sacrifices that are being made abroad
will soon be witnessed herr We may
not see here the actual fighting. Let
US hope not. But we cannot escape
the other appalling features.
England is vindicating her tradi.
tions and her ideals. She Is not fight
ing for territorial expansion. This Is
by no means as vital or essential to
her as is proof Of the binding nature
Of her compacts. The preservation
Of Belgian neutrality drew her into
the struggle. For this her soldiers
are battling and her great navy is
steamed up ready for the master
stroke; for this her women are work
ing in field and factory and are pour.
ing out their merciful ministrations
In innumerable hospitals.
France Is making the great sacri-
flee. Paris. which sets the styles for
the world. Is wearing black as a sym
Dol Of sorrow, and the world is adopt.
ing 1t. for all the world is mourning
But Paris and France. though in tears.
ass not without hope. They are look.
ing eagerly forward to victory, when
The invading Huns are driven from
French soil and the lost provinces Of
Alsece and Lorraine will be restored
to- Hair rightful owners. The coming
AshL. American troops has siven
neN Seouess: with una ] lied
n MI stn1es- Nm AalAtas=AAA-1A-ka In.
tven to- oeneRl Pershing and tHis 81
peditionary force. 1t will beN mighty
task for the United States to measure
up to French expectations.
Riding as recently did up and
Gown the whole battle front in France
and Flanders, saw much Of the suf
I'fering France has heroically endured
Her ruined cities and towns. her de-
vastated territory. her dead soldiers.
her outraged women, her tortured
children, all cry out for vengeance.
Every reported atrocity Of the Ger
man army is true, and very much
more. l got much evidence from eye
witnesses of unspeakable barbarities.
All the waters Of the seven seas can
never wash away the foul stains.
In Belgium, at q reception given by
King Albert, asked Ambassador
Brand Whitlock what word could be
taken back to the people Of America.
He said: at Is difficult to put it In
word. but this Is to be said of the
Germans: they disregard every senti-
ment Of honor and integrity, every
thing we hold sacred and dear. They
have violated with utter impunity
every agreement l have ever made
with them" TIE conclusion from
this and flood of. other like testi-
mony is that I'VE must go on or go
under" No compromise or settlement
with the Hohenzolierns will be more
than "a scrap Of paper" The United
States has one supreme duty at this
hour. That Is to furnish the money
and the man power to defeat the arch
enemy of liberty and Of the peace Of
The world.