The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1918-03-20

TO OUR SOLDIER BOYS

TO OUR SOLDIER BOYS }
Sometimes we wonder, we who +,
4 are left at home, whether or not /,
our boys relaize the void that )
X their departure has left in our (,
X community, and more than that, J
X the aching voids in the homes? )
4 And then we go on to wonder If ;
X we ourselves, appreciate, not i,
what we have lost, but of what ,
X you have SO bravely surrendered }
for our sakes?
And from these thoughts the i,
X mind projects itself into the fu- ,
X ture and we in thought follow you ,
X as you go to meet the ominous
y force that is menacing humanity
X that force that would make of J
X you and us mere chattels and }
X pawns on it's chess board. We
X see that force arrogant in it's )
X strength, insolent in it's might
x and defiant of right and justice.
X We see it riding down opposition
x with a ruthless stride and brush !
X ing aside human rights as it !
X would straws that impeded it's \
= progress. And we wonder how,
4 when the great test comes, you, \
X our joy and our pride, will meet \
X it. 4
X But the thought does not pro- \
X gress as far as a doubt, for \
X following fast upon it come a
X thoughts of you as we know you 4
X heart to heart. We know you to \
X be born without fear, standing \
X unafraid before God and man; \
X men of clean lives and clear con- \
X sciences, whose deep-seated con- \
X seriousness of the business and \
X righteousness of their cause will 4
X nerve their arms to the fiber of ?
X steel. We know you for men who \
X would prefer death to dishonor, y
X and in whom the yellow is noted \
x ly absent. And our hearts are at y
X rest. We can proceed with the \
X less weighty duties that devolve y
X upon US, secure in the knowledge =
4 that the honor of our homes and \
X country is safe in your hands. \
x But we cannot but WONDER. \
X boys, if you fully sense the great, y
X the noble thing that you are do \
X ing? Do you relaiae that you x
X are making history-and history x
X such as has never before been X
X written? That is the task you x
X have set yourselves. You have \
X gone to meet a crisis in world y
K history before which all pre- X
X vious crisis pale to meager pro- y
K portions. You are actors in the X
X greatest drama of the human x
X race, and on your actions hangs X
X the destiny of world. We :"
X would not seek to awe you by cit \
X ing the tremendousness of the X
X task before you, but rather to X
X set before you the golden reward =
X that shall call forth in you all =
X of manhood that has come down x
X to you from line of ancestors =
X who have never known either \
X defeat or dishonor.
X These are not mere sentimental X
X musings, dear boys, but they are y
X the truths that impress them X
X selves upon all our minds as we x
X view the mighty problems that X
X the world must solve, and in the y
X solving of which you will repre- x
X sent your people, your homes, =
X your country and your God.
X And when your task is complet- X
X ed and you return to US in the =
X triumph of righteous victory, =
X we trust to have sufficient ap- X
X probation to give you that well X
X come that you will so richly mer- X
X it. We hope to be able to show X
X to you that we are not ungrateful X
X for your service and your sacri- X
X flee.
X And at this point we pause to X
X wonder what will be our feel X
II ings if we shall fail in the tasks X
X that confront US, and WI chout the X
X faithful performance of which X
4 your work will be doubly difficult. X
X And the desire is born that a X
X united prayer shall go up from X
X your hearts that we be given X
X grace to perform our part of the X
X great work. n
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X