Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-07-26
DICK NORMAN
GIVES ADVICE
breaches Sermon on Reason VS.,
Sentiment in Winning the
War-German Strength is
Due to Wise Propaganda.

Dick Norman, who is in Jail here
awaiting trial for bootlegging, has
suddenly seen the light, the evil of
his past performances having just
dawncd upon him. Mormon contrib
utes the following article to this pa
per this week:
Reason w. Sentiment in Winning the
War.
In order to bring success and vic
tory to the German sword, Germany
has, since the very inception of the
war, stopped to sordid political tricks
that would bring the blush of shame
to the cheek of the most INSCRIPTIONS
ward-heeler. Her present foot-hold
in Russia Is due not so much to the
crushing force OF the German SWORD
as to the political propaganda that
lodged and found root in the childish
mind of the plastic Russian peasant.
All those who have made II close,
analytical study Of the war, and its
progress, are agreed that the Ger
man successes on all fronts have bee,,
| due, in large measure, to the prop
aganda they have so industriousiy
and insiduously spread. All sane mind
ed men know that logic and reason
will contribute wonderfully more to-
wards the success of allied arms than
sentiment, yet the average American
resents any efforts made to consid-
er other phases or aspects of the
war than the purely military and
physical, lie feels sure that Intense
feeling will do more to win the war
than any amount of cold-bloodcd
wantthought. He rcscnts "talk
He wants "uction."
Is that n rather childish attitude?
Is it not rather dangerous attitude?
Does it not play directly into the
hands of II wiley foe who is using
intelligence to gain every one of his
ends, whose every effective action re-
suits from crystalzed thought?
"Ttnlk,' from tho press or other
sources is going to play It's part in
citizen should let slip an opportuni-
ty collar and corner his npathetic
neighbor and preach to him the just
ness Of the allied cause. So, "talk"
all you please and ns much rs you
can, but be careful and sure that YOU
"talls" right.
We have seen that Mr., Bryan's cx-
pnnsive statement about million
men springing to arms between sun
rise and sunset belonged TO the dream
world in which sentimentalsts live
To put our present army on the field
of Flanders has required much more
time than Mr.. Bryan would have us
believe. Mr.. Bryan's cmotionalism did
not draft, equip, transport, and train
the splendid army wo now have in
France. We must not bark to the
idealist of Mr.. Bryan's type and
thereby permit logic to become the
slave of sentiment. To "rcmember
the Lusitania" sounds good, but does
it help decide whether it is wise for
junction to "stop talk and get on
with war" contributes nothing tow
ards answering the question as TO
whether or not the government should
take over the telephone and telegraph
lines. Yet the duration, even the
success, perhaps-of the war mny
eventually depend on these and kim
dred decisions.
This war is not war of savages
or immature children. 1t is war
of mature, highly intellectual and
civilized men. We must resort to ev-
cry means within the pale of civili-
zation to crush the loathsome, mol-
strous foe that confronts US. We
see that the success of Germany on
the Eastern front was not the result
of military power resulting from pa
triotic feeling, but Of political cam
paign directed by infinitely cold
blooded calm and Unconditional intelli-
gence. So, let us, too, replace senti-
ment with logic. Let us no longer
spread and lend weight TO that old
thread-bare mill-dewed yarn about
the "poor, stolid German peasant
being driven by his military mas
ters. Though not his military COM
manders equal in intelligence, he at
least equals, if not surpasses him, in
barbarity, brutality and inhumanity.
VINO dares say the Hun common
soldier abhors pillage and plumber! If
so, why did the German high COM
mand promise it's soldiers n tthc be-
ginning of the "big" offensive the
privilege Of plundcring Paris as a
reward? Because it knew the char
acter and nature of its soldiers, knew
the bait to dangie before their eyes.
Let us discontinue drawing n line Of
demarkation between the German
people and the German military
clique. Our boys are on the muddy,
blood fields of France, so let
US at home stop waxing sloppy and
sentimental over the "poor German
people," and do all the talking and
whatever else we can to help our
boys "bring home the bacon"
DICK NORMAN.
Tazewell County Jail, July "a.
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