Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-04-03
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!. THE AMERICAN SOLDIER. 30
Observation-Disclosures


The soldier is Il necessary md dis
tinct character in every age and
every civilization. In the earliest rec
ords we have Of any peoples We find
among them the soldier--in war to
fight, in peace to watch; in war to
labor. in peace to wait. lie was
produced for distinct purpose and
laborcd for Il definite end. The sol
sibilitics imposed by the nation or
the tribe.
America has reached the point in
this war where the hard iOlts begin.
Our boys are in the iirst-line trnchcs.
facing the Germans. 1t becomes
more apparent every day that this
war is going to be settled with the
sword Bloody days are ahead for
the American troops. Our soldiers
know exactly what is ahead for
them. and they are ready to take
what comes. We are told that the
best soldiers that ever fought on any
front were the Canadians; and our
boys are the same sort OF stock, the
same sort OF men, the same sort OF
fighters; and we are not surprised
that tx first big raid by picked Ger
man "shockers" was beaten. But if
we must lose the flower OF our man
hood in this great battle for freedom.
let us never forget the legacy OF
splcndor they leave to the younger
generation. y generation soon
passes; Il lifetime is very brief. SO
think the young American soldiers
OF our army will be ever sealed to
us as the greatest heroes.
This is great chance. too, to elu-
cidate the essence OF patriotism--the
great thought that country-native
land--.comes before self and family.
1t is a fine time to teach the boys that
they are, first Of all. defenders, and
that before they can defend the lives
they cherish, the homes they love, or
even their wives and children, they
must be defenders of their native
land. There are many young men at
this time who have not fully under
stood why they were called to fight
in this war in Europe. We can point
the men Of to-day to this standing OBJ
legation Of true manhood, and make
them understand that the people are
the government. They will suddenly
recognize themselves as men in the
loftiest sense Of the term-as per-
sonal defenders Of honor, home and
the loved ones. At this time there is
no consideration Of property or place.
This is an opportunity for us to take
serious thought OF the stuff that
heroes are made Of; how much SIM
pie manhood counts, and that physi-
cal perfection is demanded Of SOL
dicr. These are not times when we
can think Of what is easiest; these
are days when we are called upon to
do the hard things in life, and to do
them like men and women. Our army
is now out on a hard. grim job, and
the United States knows it. But no
nations soldiers are so we'll fed, so
we'll clothed and so we'll cared for as
our soldiers. Already they are the
envy Of all the French and English
soldiers. Gen. Pershing says there
Is limit to the wisdom Of hoy
much extra is good for soldier.
lie says the cheerful letters they get
from home constitute the biggest and
most helpful "bit" we can do. Let
them feel that the women Of their
homes are standing back Of them
strongly and couragcously.
Americans are noticeable every
where, and these, instead Of asking
about the expected German drive, in
quirc how things are going at home.
And it is evident bore that the war
must mean just as much to a village
in America as to a village in France.
There is an endless cnain from the
towns to every American home. It
runs through Gen. Pershing's Office
across the Atlantic to the seaboard.
The more I read Of this war the
more | realize what is ahead for
America before victorious peace
comes. America must set her face
as flint, and be prepared to accept
with grim determination whatever
comes in the way Of t-hacks-.-be-
cause every army has its setbacks,
no matter how superior 1t may be.