The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-05-09
SAYS THE CITADEL
RANKS WITH BEST
FURNISHING MANY EFFICIENT
ARMY OFFICERS.
Lieut.. David "WhO Died the Death
of Soldier and a Hero" and
Was IA Citadel Man."

The Citadel and institutions like it
are the backbone of Americas mill
tary fabric today" according to an
editorial in the Ottumwa, Iowa,
Courier, of April "a. ''If more Amer
lean cities had citadels and if Amer
ica had universal military training
law, America would be able to work
out her destiny among the nations
OF histo y with far more security.
far more success and far more of her
days peaceful ones" The article was
inspired by an account of the death
of Lieut.. John H. David, of Dillon.
1t was captioned "A Citadel Man."
and reads in full as follows:
Daniel c. Roper. Jr, son of the
United States internal revenue COM
missioner, is one of the many thous-
ands of American soldie whose OBJ
servations, experiences and service
records constitute unassailable argu-
ments for universal military training.
Yesterdays dispatches carried a por-
tion of ii letter from young Roper
sent TO his father from France. Thus
ne wrote:
You will be proud TO know of
the case OF South Carolina man,
OF DR.. David. near Dillon. s. C. He
was overwhelmed by the boche but he
had pile of human flesh in front
OF him. He fought like tiger,
accounted for seven boches with his
pistol and then was fighting with
an enemy rifle when struck from be-
hind. My friend was a Citadel man
and fine officer"
Almost in the center OF Charleston
S. c., the home State of the Ropers,
stands an imposing structure, walled
and lowered and extending over sew
eral squares. Inside is an immense
parade ground, and surrounding this
are barracks and recreation rooms.
auditoriums and the va led parapner-
MALTA of a military school, This is
the South Carolina Military Academy,
one of the finest schools for soldiers
in America and an institution
with which many of the fond
est traditions of the Southland are
connected.
To the world it presents its full
name, but South Carolinians desig-
nate the school, its plant and its
whole sto y of brave men and true.
as the Citadel
A Citadel man in South Carolina
is all that West Point man is in
the army, but he is much more. West
Point is a wonderful military school;
so is the Citadel. But the Citadel
iS. hn~ IL,
Cardinals pride, its soldiers are the
flower OF South Carolina's manhood,
and the gray-haired generations of
Citadel graduates are among South
Cardinals foremost men.
Thus, when Lieut.. Roper writes
that his friend, who died the glor-
ious death of soldier and hero. was
"a Citadel man, your South Carolin-
ian knows all about him that it is
necessary to know.
Tradition and sentiment go deep
er down into the heart of the old
South than they do in our Middle
West. 1t is necessary to understand
this to read into young I.oper's trib-
ute all that his father could find
there.
The Citadel and schools like it
are all too few in America. But
they are the backbone of Americas s
military fabric today. A Citadel man,
or West Point man, or graduate
OF some of the other institutions
where education is no. education un-
less it includes the science of nation
al defense, can be found in many an
important post of honor and RESPONSE
bility in the big army which the
United States is getting together un-
der the urge Of necessity and men
ance.
Soldiers cannot be made overnight;
we have learned that in the past year
by hard experience. But if more
American cities had citadels, and if
the American government had a uni
vcrsal military training law. America
would be able to work out her des-
tiny among the nations of history
With far more security. far more. sue
cess and far more of her days peace
ful ones.
Wars will occur while the world
lasts. This will be by no means the
last war. America must defend her
self in the future, perhaps more
than in the past. Military training is
the oniy safeguard on which she can
depend