davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
SECRETARY BAKER IN FRANCE

Secretar Eaker's visit to France and
the fighting front should be reckoned
as more than happy occasion. 1t IS
a distinct contribution to the fighting
strength Of America.
The man, who. under the president
stands at the head Of our military es-
Establishment may be thoroughly COM
petent and 100 Der cent conscientious.
but were he to attempt to conduct the
terrific operations of war IN France en-
tirely from the viewpoint of a desk in
Washington, he must lack something
OF insight, Of appreciation, of sym
patty. comprehension and penetra-
ton.
BY his visit to France the secretary
of war will have acquired that all i'm
portant and indefinable something in
the situation called atmosphere He
will have seen with his eyes the
martyrdom of the French people, the
heroism of their army and the spirit
of our own boys at the front. He will
have an intimate conception OF the
character and purposes of the French
leaders. He will be equipped, as never
before. to comprehend military needs.
President Wilson wrote the secre-
tary of war in response to the original
proposal: 81 believe your trip will
add to the morale. not only of our
forces there, but OF forces here, to feel
that you are personally conversant
with all the conditions of their trans.
portation and treatment ON the other
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
WHAT LIQUOR DOES

The money that is spent in Ottum'
wa for whiskey and beer is worse
than wasted.
It is shameful that at this time,
when money is needed to help our sol
diers-your sons and brothers-who
are offering their lives to preserve law
and order and liberty in the world
that men throw away money in the
illegal purchase of liquor. Not only
do they waste their money; they
weaken their own power and eff
ficiency and their ability to earn more
money.
The man who uses his money to
help the soldiers is helping to shorten
the war. He is sharing, to some ex
tent, the burden which the soldiers
themselves have taken on their shoul
ders. He is proving his loyalty tc
them and to the government they are
protecting. The sooner the war is
ended, the sooner those boys will be
back at home with their families. The
sooner the war is ended, the more OF
them will be able to return.
Drinking liquor helps to break
down the morale at home. Drink
ing liquor helps to cut down the pur
chase OF thrift stamps and Liberty
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
LITTLE BENNY'S
NOT e 0QK
By LEE PAPE
The Park Ave. New

The Park Ave. NeNA .~-T.
Weather. Coad In places. sutdA -
your feet and the end Of your nosa
Militerry News Kumpiny B was at
tackled by tho Berks street gang
while they was drilling last Ssadday
aftirnooo, completely outwitting the
enemy by Ietreeting so quick that tho
Berks streeters dident have time to
take eny primers.
Spoarts. Last Thersday in shDoa,
dooring the drawing lessin, a,rsce took
place between Sid Hunt and L0W
Davis to see wich one Good get their
drawing Of q apple done 1eREt. Sid
Hunt won easy, but Miss Kitty mAoe
them both stay after skool to dotheif
drawings over agen, saying hey
looked moro like footballs than VI
they did IKE apples
Sissiety. Mr.. Leroy 6hnus4K has
been presented with small s6oNnoe-
case for a berthday present skymg he
can hardly wit to take . TIP suEne
place with 1t, ony he don't fxpeo 70 D.
able to go enywares ON account OF nus
presents being requested at Sod
every day.
Pome by Skinny Martin
EXSEPT FOR ACC1DQ<fS
O scrub your teeth with a hWy
stroke
And breath throo your
And sleep every mite VIM hc.wmouw
And YOUR future will b -Aeah,.~d
long.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
AGENCY

Edith Jones returned 1uedV Nm
a visit With relatives in Des M0oRMR-
Miss Hazel Candy Of B1ooGn01A ~
visiting at the home Of her sisbsr 0k3.
O. G.. ShAdford.
Ruth Warren is visiting frhsns<1n
Fremont this veeG
me Epwurfh league hesd . 0u1dna
evening.
The county fair given Friday ep1nE
under the auspices Of he senior e11Ds
was we'll attended and neat sun
realized.
MIC jesse Durbin Of O<tum~A il
visiting at the parental John ConHQy
home.
entertained at the Ed Sturgis homo
east Of town Monday evening Games
were enjoyed and refreshments were
served.
The ladies' Aid met Tuesday after
noon at the home Of Mrs. LydA Rurris.
The morning service Sunday az The
NJ. T.. church will mark the desncanun
of the service ffaS. Special services WI
be held.
srent the week end at tho n. +. Glen
ents home
MS A. M. Cuwger who has bon
quite i'll is slowly improving.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Hartley OF On
tumwa spent Wednesday with faenc1
here.
Miss Daisy Rodibaugh Of Marshall
town rs visiting at the parental VIII.
Roiihaugh home.
John Yeaser and ChAmeay Bns0
let TueAfay for busDns mp 70
points in tho south
Mrs. Allan Rough le4e Friday eG
mt Geek, NcaR~ to -vi6& h0r husoAAa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19

Bonds. Drinking liquor makes men
less efficient at time when the full
power and strength Of all Of US is
essential.
The squandering of money for ilq.
uor is a thoughtless, unconsidered act
as rule. It is one OF the very worst
outgrowths of Americas methods OF
extraya gance and improvidence. Men
who waste their money and power IN
drink do not do it deliberately nor
with a consciousness Of disloyaEy. But
this is a time when they must realize
that their duty to the fellow men as
we'll as to themselves is to preserve
their full strength and their entire re-
sources for the service OF the nat1on
and the government.
They must remember that the boot
logger could not thrive il it were not
for his patrons.
The bootlegger is an enemy OF law
and order. He is an enemy OF the
government. He is an enemy OF every
soldier under the flag. He is beneath
the contempt Of every loyal citizen.
What, then, must the bootlegser's
patron think of himself when he
realizes that his money, his loss OF ef-
f,ciency, his surrender Of earning
power, all pay tribute to this guild OF
lawless, disloyal leeches?
The time has gone by when the
man who takes drink now and
then" can say. my money is my own
to use as like: if want to spend 1t
for liquor that is my business; 1 be-
lieve in personal liberty"
The time is at hand-and It VIII be
with us until the war is ended and
our soldiers come marching home
when our money is not our own to use
as we like. Our money is the meas.
ure of our ability to serve our gov.
eminent as our soldiers are serving
it. We owe that money, and all our
power. and our lives as we'll, to the
country and the government which
protects our rights as citizens.
The man who buys liquor from the
bootlegger not only pays tribute to
him or her (for some of the most no
torious bootleggers in Ottumva are
women) but proves himself disloyal
to the soldiers who are offering their
lives for the government whose laws
the bootleggers and their patrons
violate.
Answer it yourself. to yourself. you
who take a drink now and then: ;"
Are you doing right by these boys
and the families from which they
have gone?
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
ED s1ulER, HERO
(From Saturdays Daily

(rEON1 osAlu1VAy 8 IallyD
Today's dispatches bring the vel
come information that Captain Ed.
ward Steller, commander Of G com.
pany, 1esth infantry, has been deco.
rated by the French government for
bravery and GOODNESS With his com
mand during an engagement with the
enemy.
The brief announcement means that
this Ottumwa soldier, fighting at the
head of his unit Of boys rom his home
town and county, displayed the sort of
calm Judgment and heroism that wins
praise even from the veterans along
the western front and distinguishes
the American fighters at the very be-
ginning Of their career in tho world
war.
It was tho frst engagement in
which Captain Steller and his com
pany had participated. He was
wounded slightly. as were five Of the
enlisted men Of G company. But the
local organization came through the
fight without losing man, and from
the fact that the commander Is hon
ored not only for bravery but for the
GOODNESS with which he acted under
fire, it is reasonable to presume that
his Judgment and the results Of nie
careful training enabled him to inflict
a maximum Of punishment on the
boche while sustaining minimum
amount of loss in his own ranks.
It is as Ed SteIler that Ottumwans
have known him for many years.
From boyhood he has had the afec.
ton and respect Of thousands Of his
fellows, and the honor that comes to
him is one in which the whole com.
munity feels a share. His selection
for the captaincy Of the local company
seemed a natural choice and a happy
one from the day he accepted the
commission with the almost certain
knowledge that it meant voluntary ex-
posture to the perils Of trench warfare.
He was engaged in business and
settled in the life Of the community
when he heard the call to service. He
responded with wholesome patriotism
and even before he left Ottumwa at
the head of his command he had won
the respectful devotion of every man
in the company. Parents Of boys in
|G company have felt sense of Sc
curity in the knowledge that their
sons were under the guidance Of Cap
tain Steller. And that assurance has
been justified.
He was at the head Of his command
in the fighting. He assumed equal
risk with the enlisted men and in
spired them.
In his very first encounter with the
enemy Captain Steller has made good,
as Ottumwans knew he would. The
knowledge that the fact has been
recognized by the French commander
confirms the confidence his fellow citi'
zens have had In him and justifies
their faith in the splendid morale and
fighting strength of their own soldier
unit
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19

feats and all their hopaessness. So
cialism has done more in single year
to injure the cause of democracy and
human liberty than could be repaired
in many a year. if by miracle all the
socialists in the world should, in day.
throw off their spell of idealism and
embrace the practical doctrines OF
democracy and sane government.
America and Americans will convict
themselves of lack Of good sense and
jud gment with which the world has
credited them if they fail to accept the
warning that Russia's ruin writes on
the pages of history. Socialism is
working as never before to gain foot.
hold in the United States. It has elo.
Quent pleaders; some of it's idealfstic
doctrines sound plausible and pleas.
ant; some of its devotees, calling
themselves Conservative socialists, y
gain hearing among intelligent and
loyal citizens who would not listen to
radical socialism; some of its subsid.
larry organizations win recruits by the
trick of espousing doctrines and aims
which are logical in themselves but
pave the way for socialism in its most
dangerous phases.
Americans must get the realization
that socialism is dangerous to law,
order and government-our govern.
ment. Americans must realize that the
socialism which claims a place among
political parties in the United States
lis the same socialism whose high
priests and leaders have endorsed
Lenine, Trotzky and the whole bolshev.
Xxi program of ruin, carnage, atheism.
theft and surrender. Americans must
realize that this same socialism is re
corded in opposition to the army con.
Iscription law, the sale Of Liberty Bonds
and the whole war policy of the United
States government.
Americans must cease to tolerate so
cialism, not only in national affairs but
in state, county and city affairs. So
cialism in any and all of its forms. Is
disloyal to the United States govern
ment, inimical to the Christian relig.
ion and the plant tool of kaiserism.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
THAT'S THE WORD

(From Thursdays Dally)
It remained for the state agent who
adventured into Ottumwa yesterday in
search of bootleggers to find the prop
er word to describe their establish
ments. Nuisance" that's it, ex-
actly.
Maintaining a nuisance" is the
charge this official preferred. And il
he will spend few days in Ottumwa
he will find that there are many more
nuisances being maintained Some
of them are on Main street; some are
on Church street; some are on Jeher.
son street; others are scattered about,
here and there. Some Of the nuis-
ances are the bootleggers themselves,
who amble about the streets, waiting
for their thirsty clients and exhibiting
genial spirit of camaraderie with
various officials whose sworn duty Is
to enforce the laws, including the laws
against bootlegging and nuisances.
The nuisance enterprise has been
flourishing beautifully in Ottumwa of
late. To be sure, there are occasional
setbacks, as there must be in any
business. There was the episode of
the commandeered automobiles at
of the teamster who was trusted all
in vain, to replenish the supply of
one nuisance establishment. There Is
the prominent nuisance proprietor,
too, who insists on tasting his own
wares and makes himself double
nuisance on occasions when absolute
sobriety would serve the purpose far
better. But all these disorders are in
ternal and it is extremely exasperat-
ing to find that conscientious Of
fetal who has not outgrown the old
fashioned theory that laws are writ
ten to be enforced, has bought chips
in the game.
And speaking of buying chips, there
is another department of the nuisance
business which may attract the at.
tention OF the state sleuth. Nothing
travels so rapidly as the story of an
exciting poker game, no matter how
careful the promoters may be in
selecting players who have every rea-
son to keep mum. Occasionally some
sphinx finds voice and the names Of
the devotees are noised about among
the gossips. It's awkward, sure
enough, but it's one Of the natural
outgrowths of the nuisance business.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
NO MIDDLE GROUND
(FTom Thursday's DalIyJ

(Erom Thursdays DallyD
A week ago Ottumwa's soldlers
went over the top, and even thouen
the censor DEGREES that back here al
home we must be content with only
the barest facts regarding their ex-
pIoit. we know, all of us, that they
fought bravely and did their full share
to uphold the wonderful record OF ell
Acfency which the American FORCES
under General Pershing are making.
The news which came to Ottumwa
Yesterday and through the preceding
night ended the suspense winch nao
been the lot of Ottumwans since inc
0rst linking came that the Rainbow
division was in the front line trenches.
PRAYERS of Thanksgiving rose rom
thousands of hearts in this community
when it became known that com
nanv's men had come to grips Win
the enemy. out there in No Mans
land and beyond, and had passed
through the ordeal with no loss Oh
life.
they win have other fights, ana
there will be other casualty lists, no
doubt, in which we shall hnd the
names of Ottumwa soldiers. That Is
var. But we must count ourselves no
less in the war than are those men.
Thev did not shrink nor hang back
when the whispered word was passed
.lonp the trench for them to go over.
Shall we finch, then, when we near
the clarion call to each OF us lor the
performance of the acts OF loyalty anu
natriotic service which are no less our
duty than obeyance OF orders Is tne
duty of the soldier?
utter and unflagging devotion 10
duty on the part Of Americas cltizen-
shin over here will do as much 70
shorten the war as will fearless ana
heroic service in the army on the
western front. If we fail in that de-
votion our failure cannot but serve TO
nrolong the war and increase the dan
ger to which our fighting men are
subtected. This is plain statement
I q fact, and it applies to you and 60
me and to every citizen Of America
LOYALTY to the government-and
that does not mean mere lip loyalty
is the very least any OF us can con
trihrYte to the cause for which every
member Of G company and OF Amer
ica's growing army is ohering to lay
down his life. Every man and every
woman who fails short of absolute,
active, positive loyalty is aiding the
enemy and FORGETTING the respect OF
patriotic citizens.
There are some adjectives which
have positive, comparative and super.
iative degrees Loyal" is not one OF
these. You are either loyal or dis
loyal; there is no middle ground.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19

sympathy which the people OF the
United States feel for the Russian
people at this moment when the Ger
man power has been thrust in to In
terrupt and turn back the whole
Struggle for freedom and substitute the
!! wishes of Germany for the purpose OF
the people of Russia
All Of which means exactly what it
says and was prompted by genuine
desire on the part of President VIII
son to see in Russia, eventually,
democratic form of government, free
alike from the peril of anarchy and
the threat of Prussianism.
But there is little reason to hope
that it will impress the members Of
the soviet congress favorably. 1t
must be remembered that they are the
representatives of the Russians who
were weak enough to accept the
preachments of the bolsheviki leaders
and to regard Lenine, Trotzky and
their sort as liberators instead OF the
mountebanks that they are.
German agents and propagandists.
ably assisted by the bolsheviki them
selves. have poisoned the minds Of
many Russians against America
These dupes regard our government
as one of aristocrats and are living
even now in the hope that their own
sort here in America will overthrow
our present government and join with
the Leninists in the "internat1onal"
movement which exists only in the
silly propaganda with which ignorant
Russia has been fed for so long.
This is not intended as a criticism
of President Wilson's course He has
been consistent and not at all unwise
in his efforts to keep entire faith with
the changing administrations in Rus
STA. He has kept his patience through
all the vicissitudes that have marked
Russia's steps toward ruin, and he is
merely playing out the string on the
same policy.
But it would be idle to expect sue
cess to crown his attempt to revive
in Russia the fighting spirit which
would be necessary should Germany
be expelled from the onetime empire
and the people reorganized into a race
of warriors on the side of right.
Russia's collapse must be accepted
It has been a certainty since Prince
Lvoff made his first mis-step by per-
hitting the soldiers and workingmen's
organizations to seize control OF the
armies. There never has been halt
in the nations retrogression toward
chaos since that day.
Germany must be defeated despite
the aid and strength that she will re-
ceive from Russia. And meanwhile,
here in America, there must be a
doubly vigilant guard against the in
sidious movement to import anarchy
and the bolsheviki into this country
Socialism is the key with which the
reds hope to unlock the door to
Americas ruin. And socialism must
be recognized by loyal citizens in its
true light as an enemy of government,
of law and order, of Christianity and
of America. Only when this realiza-
ton is general in America will the
danger Of anarchy and bolshevik in.
sanity disappear.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
THE RUSSIAN REPLY

President Wilson. reading the "resoiu-
lions of appreciations' which the
Russian soviet congress adopted in
reply to his message of sympathy,
doubtless wonders just what he wrote
which might serve as foundation or
an excuse for the socialistic out
pouring that is the Russians answer.
Nothing could so clearly illustrate
the twisted logic of Russia and the
Russians who just now are speaking
for their nation. Nothing could prove
SO conclusively the futility of attempt
ing to deal with the mob which calls
itself the Russian republic.
Charles Edward Russell and others
of his socialistic stripe has become
quite petulant with American news.
papers because the latter have re-
fused to take the bolshevik seriously
or to look upon them as capable of
organizing a real government. Presi
dent Wilson, through his sincere ef-
forts to bring about tardy awaken
ing in Russia unwittingly has en-
couraged these mountebanks OF
American bolshevism.
This is a good time to brush away
the cobwebs which have been obscur-
ing Americas vision of Russian at
fairs and preventing some of US from
applying the lesson of Russia to our
own country and its affairs. 1t is
worse than useless, because it is dan
gerous, to regard the bolsheviki as
anything but Just what it is-an
| anarchistic mob of opportunists, ignor.
ant for the most part but dominated
by Lenine, Trotzky end other agita
tors who have been purchased by Ger
many and financed with German gold
to conduct destructive campaign in
Russia.
They have succeeded in Russia
They have delivered that country, dis
Organized and disrupted, into the
lknisee,s-hloOd-stHine hands New. q
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19
OVER THEIR HEADS

(FrOm ThurSdayS Dally.)
"The whole heart of the people Of
this United States is with the people
of Russia in the attempt to free them.
selves forever from autocratic govern
ment and become the masters of their
own life,'' is the closing sentence in
President Wilson's cabled address 10
the soviet congress which opened in
MOSCOW today to consider the treaty
OF peace which Germany is inflicting
on Russia through the bolsheviki.
M message expresses ''the sincere
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-19

the command Of tie Germans, they
are attempting to stir up in America
and in tie countries of all the enemies
of the central powers socialbtc
movement which, if permitted to run
its course, would bring the worid to
the same utter chaos that has pre-
vailed for months in Russia.
Not only is the soviets' reply to
President Wilson the height OF I'M
pudence, but it reveals the extent To
which Germany has carried her cam
paign OF DISCRIMINATION among the
peoples with which she is at war.
Cundemming the peace terms which
Germany forced upon them as fmper'
fadstic and ruinop, the boasheviki.
under Lenme's adroit guidance, have
voted to accept those terms. which in.
cfude entire Generalization Of the
remnants of the Russian army and
navy and the utter surrender Of Rus
STA to the central powers.
Condemning the war as imperial
istic, the bolshevi6 are rushing to do
the bidding of histurye most con-
scienceless emperor.
Expressing "appreaation" of Presi
dent Wilson's message Of sympathy,
these German tools declare to the
world the conviction "of the Russian
republic" whatever <hat Is, that tho
happy time is coming when socialist
state Of society shah be established all
over the world, including America.
Their gratitude for his assurance-of
good wishes n expressed in their pre-.
diction that the government Of which
he is the head win be aznuug the next
to fan.
Their resolution is m insult to
President Wilson and an insult to
America. It is a studied insult, which
could not have been conceived by any
but Prussian intellect. It is, in fact,
an open confession that Russia, as rep
resented by the bolshevfh, is more
compulsory under the sway Of German
domination than is Germany itself.