The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-03-22
need PATRIOTISM
TO WIN THE WAR
"Wake Up, American Should Be
Slogan of People of
United States.
TEXAS AVIATOR IN WARNING
o~epreclates Patronizing Air OF Som,
Americans New to War-Boasts
Offered Friends In France,
Who Understand.

Austin, Tex.-Sergt. III. Clyde Balls
icy Is the first Texan to return from
France as a hero of the flying service
or the Lafayette E~scadrille, of which
he Is a member. Young Balsley's
home Is In San Antonio, and he is a
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 a height of
1000 feet to an altitude OF 1000 feet,
when he managed to right his airplane
and land safely behind the French
lines. He spent three years In the
flying service.
Patriotism Must Be Aroused.
wake up, America 70 should be the
slogan Of the people of the United
States. Sergeant Balsley said while
here. ut Is SO terribly necessary
n right now-that the whole country
be filed with patriotism. 1t must
feel that on 1t, and 1t alone. rests the
outcome of this war. Until that time
l do not believe Americas best efforts
a be put forth. For while no me-,
think. would want to take one iota
OF c~heerfulness OF happiness away
from u soldiers. still we who are at
the. front-the allies and the French
feel that Americans are too cocksure
too full of braggadocio. Confidence
Is all right, but a man who does not
measure the enemy's resistance and
take into account that he is fighting
to the death, may stand to lose vast
odds just because of his s~hortslghted-
ness"
Balsley spoke of bombing Germany
with American airplanes.
"Of course, 1t will take time. From
the French viewpoint 1t will be 1910
before Americans can really go In In
great forces, because she must get her
planes built and transported, and 1t
takes time, time. time. We really
think that In 1918 America will only
be able to take charge of some Sec
lions Of the front, and that 1t VII be
two years before she can really make
herself felt In the real struggle"
OF German atrocities, Balsley would
not speak.
II feel as though I never want to
shake hands with one of them again."
he declared. 'In the whole world
there Is only n / regard highly. and
he Ii In San Antonio; and because |
felt he was SC different ! have hunted
him up. But only those who have
actually known the and
cruelty Of their methods over there
can understand what a terrible thing
their disregard of every principle of
right means"
Balsley has many souvenirs of the
w%ar-several bayonets, a cap taken
from q German prisoner. some shells,
q German artillery belt, etc. In a
worn bit Of cloth he carries the shell
which, bursting, shattered his thigh.
The nurse gave 1t to me after the
operation" he explained.
In e~nlarging upon the American at
atude as viewed from the foreign
standpoint Balsley went into details.
Attitude Misunderstood.
II speak of American b~raggadocio
as ] have seen It In France and in
Paris and as I have seer 1t from the
French angle. So many of the boys
who have gone over have more or less
adopted the attitude of WELL, we're
sorry for you Trenches, but you
don't know how to fight. Now that
we've come over werl show you a
thing or two OF course we that
have been born and reared in Amer
lea understand that attitude. War
II so new to this great peaceful coun-
try that even after these years of the
struggle 1t Is impossible for us to
realize how big a thing and how ter
nbls q thing we are up against. We
are like a big overgrown boy trust
ing to his large muscle and cheerful
ness against a prize fighter whose
methods he knows absolutely nothing
about, and therefore he cannot know
how strenuous an adversary he has
to underestimate his strength and to
p~atrOnixe others who seek to caution
him against the fighter. The French
do not understand this at all and are
Inclined to resent 1t. This, to my
mind, Is one of the unfortunate facts
20 far of our going over and / be-
lieve our officials when they come to
realize, will try to eradicate the spirit
and put rs on more of a 'comrade-
ship basis towards those who have
suffered so much and whom we have
gone out to help"
Lad In the Ranks.