The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-05-02
Deplores Partisan Criticism.
A %, sorsl Letter from Brig. Gen. Hatch,
Formerly of Liberty.

The following letter will interest many
friends and acquaintance OF Brig. Gen
Hatch now in command of the 158th In
fantrv Brigade at Camp Mead near Balti-
more. His father, Enos Hatch, now liv-
ing at Citypoint, is a Civil war veteran
and the sister to whom the letter is ad-
dressed is Mrs. l.. F. Sukeforth OF Lib
erty. Gen. Hatch writes:
Camp Meade, Maryland,
April Is, 1918.
My Dear Sister:
we are living in mighty days. History
is being made-history which is to de-
termine whether the world is to be free
and filled with love, humanity and prog
ress or whether it is to revert into state
of sayaeery and filled with hatred, brut-
atty and infamy.
Do YOU ever review your general his
torv2 Do YOU ever read of the period,
thousand wears and more ago, when the
civilization of the ancient world was
crushed and almost destroyed; and the
world lapsed into the period known as
''The Dark AgesY" Have you observed
that the people who now threaten the
civilization of the world are the descend
ants of those who well nigh destroyed it,
in that period at the commencement of
The Dark Ages? How much we have all
read of the wonderful progress in arts,
sciences and literature made by the Gree
ians and Romans; and then, beginning
with the fifth century, there came out of
central Europe the Goths, the Visigoths,
and other Germanic tribes, who poured
over Italy, overthrew the Roman En-
pire, pushed into ancient France, and
turned the world away from civilization,
and towards ignorance, superstltutlon,
war and pillage. Soon after the first on
slaught, there followed Attila, known IN
history distinctively as The Hun, by
whose order men, women and children
were ruthlessly killed,-a demon who
boasted that the grass never grew where
his war horses feet had trod.
For nearly four years, the world has
witnessed another scourge from the mod
ern Huns, who have repeated and dupE-
Gated every act of outrage, savagery and
infamy, perpetrated by their ancestors.
Today, the liberty Glowing nations are ar
rayed against the modern Huns, and the
greatest war in the history of mankind is
raging to determine whether the world is
to be made safe for democracy and hu-
manlty.
In such times, what sane American
can be other than on the side of human
ity? Who can be other than an ardent
supporter OF our country under the guld
ing direction OF our President? In the
past year, | have observed and felt a
great outpouring of American spirit. On
the whole, it has been wonderfully in
spring. America is united in purpose as
it has never been before in her history.
There are spots which are alien; and
there are individuals with foolish and
mistaken minds. Some sincere, perhaps,
but impractical; and others who are
simply base traitors, whose hearts are
black with infamy.
You, in New England, are particularly
free from these despicable persons. If
one individual can be found there, they
are so few as to be negligible. The
southern States, the States. of the old
confederacy, filled generally with people
of honest American ideals, are likewise,
particularly free of traitors The great
western States, too, are generally free
from the pollution of treason. Only in
the larger cities, are to be found few
misguided, unreasonable, foolish paci-
fists, and few more wretched creatures
who have betrayed Americas noble gen
erosity and welcome, and who are liter
ally biting the hands that have been
feeding them. But, altogether, their
numbers are pleasingly few; and they
are capable of accomplishing only the In
famous, miserable and dastardly work of
their class
A few weeks ago, had the pleasure of
listening to an address by Ex-Presdent
Taft,to the officers of this camp. 1t was
a wonderful address. On the whole,
believe that it was the most mastery ar
raignment of the German autocracy that
| have ever heard or read. | had heard
Mr.. Taft speak before; and had only mild
ly esteemed him as an orator. But this
occasion seemed exactly suited to his
talent.
He took up every contention of the
German statesmen, and of our pro-Ger-
mans at home, and tore them into shreds.
He pointed out so clearly and dispassion-
ately the rules of International law as
recognized from time mmemorial by all
civilized nations; and to which, by treaty
and conventions, Germany herself has
been pledged, every one of which she has
violated with brazen ruthlessness. He
recalled Admiral Symmes of the Confed-
crate ships Shenandoah and Alabama, to
illustrate one rule Admiral Symmes
captured and sank more then 140 mer-
chant ships of the north. In his official
report, he referred with satisfaction to
the fact that so carefully had the rules of
international law been observed that not
a single life had been lost in the destruc-
ton of these ships Mr.. Taft's eloquence
rose to the plane of Webster or Clay.
had the pleasure, few days ago, of
hearing President Wilson deliver his
speech at Baltimore; and had, also, the
pleasure and privilege of meeting both
him and Mrs. Wilson, and speaking few
words with them. His speech has since
been read by all English speaking people.
It is masterpiece of clearness and dis
passionate reasoning. 1t is simply unan-
swerable. With his other speeches and
letters, dealing with Germany's aggres-
sion, it will be placed in history as one OF
the ablest documents that American
craftsmanship has ever produced. AS
surely as the future follows the present,
history will place Wilson with Washing
ton and Lincoln, and proclaim them in
comparably America S greatest presidents.
Ex-Governor Gouldsborough introduced
the President in short but wonderful
speech. A Republican himself, he intro
duced the President as the foremost
man of all this world" and declared that
there were no longer Republicans or Dem
ocrats, but only Americans or traitors.
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