The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-03-20
'Wake Up, America!' Should Be.
Slogan OF People Of
United states. u \.
TEXAS AVIATOR IN WARNING
Oepreclakes, Patronlxlng Air Of Some
Americans New TO War--6oasts
/ Offered Friends In France, v: h
Is, Who Understand. II

Austin, TeX.-SerGt. II. Clyde BalS-
10y IL the first Texan to return from
France as q hero Of the flying service
Of the Lafayette Escadrille, Of which
hs Is q member. Young Balsley's
home Is in San Antonio, and he is
former student Of the University Of
Texas. He came to Austin a few days
ago upon invitation from his old-time
friends in the university to relate his
experiences. He Is home on con-
valescent leave, having Just recovered
from wounds received when attacked
by a flock Of German. airmen. He fell
with his machine from q height Of
$4,000 feet to an altitude Of q 900 feet,
when he managed to right his airplane
and land safely behind the French
lines. He spent three years in the
flying service. ~ ss]ss. <. ssysl. {. !. .,5
= Patriotism Must Be Aroused.
''Wake, up, America r. should be the
slogan Of the people Of the United
States, Sergeant Balsley said while
here. 1T IL 50 terribly necessary
and right now+-that the whole country
be filed with patriotism. It must
feel that on It; and 1t alone, rests the
outcome Of this war. Until that time
I do not believe Americas best efforts
can be put forth. For while no one,
I think, would want to take one iota
Of cheerfulness or happiness away
from our soldiers, still we who are at
the front-the allies and the French.
feel that Americans are too cocksure
too full Of braggadocio. Confidence
H. all right, but a man who does not
measure the enemy's resistance and
take. into account that he Is lighting
to the death, may stand to lose vast
odds just because Of his shortsighted-
ness" q 's. I.+4 =.sEf~ =.
Balsley spoke Of bombing Germany
with American airplanes. ~ss-. as
~"Of course, it will take time. From
the French viewpoint it will be 1919
before Americans can really 60 in in
great forces, because she must get her
planes built and transported. and It
takes time, time. time. We really
think that in 1918 America will only
be able to take charge Of some sec
tons Of the front. and that It will be
two years before she can really make
herself felt In the real struggle" 3,
y. y OF. German atrocities, Balsley would
not speak. s.. ~.
.Tsfeel as though never want to
shake hands with one Of them again."
he declared. In the whole world
there is only one regard highly, and
he is in San Antonio; and because
felt he was so different have hunted
him up. But only those who have
actually known the meanness and
cruelty Of their methods over there
can understand what terrible thing
their disregard Of every principle Of
right means" -. -. = : -. 81
*%eBalsley has many souvenirs of the
.war.-several bayonets, cap, taken
from a German prisoner, some shells
q German artillery belt, etc. In. q
worn bit Of cloth he carries the shell
which, bursting, shattered his thigh.
1.-The nurse gave it to me after the
operation" he explained. s. >2e,'
In enlarging upon the American at
titude as viewed from the foreign
standpoint Balsley went into details
- Attitude Misunderstood.
." .'"I speak Of American braggadocit
as I have seen 1t in France and IL
Paris and as have seen 1t from thu
French angle. So many of the boy
who have gone over have more or les
adopted the attitude Of We'll, weir
5 sorry for you Trenches, but yo1
don't know how to fight. Now tina
we've come over we'll show you
thing or two OF course we tina
have been born and reared in Amer
lea understand that attitude. Wa
. Is so new to this great peaceful coun
try that even after. these years Of tn
struggle It., is impossible for us t
realize how big thing and how ter
rible thing we are up. against. W.
are like big overgrown boy trust
ing to his large muscle and cheerful
ness against prize fighter who's
methods he knows absolutely nothini
about, and therefore he cannot know
how strenuous an adversary he ha