Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-14
CALLS SITUATION
CRITICAL FOR Us
DR.. w. Z. Taylor In Patriotic AdAr.,.
Says Huns Have Best Of War
Argument Up TO Present


That Americans are still inclined n
doubt the seriousness OF the dsn,.-
which confronts this nation and tb.,
the European war situation today /.
more favorable to the Germans than
to the allies we're assertions which DR.
w. E. Taylor made in a stirring ma.
riOtic address before members Of ~.
Moline Rotary club yesterday at MON
II feel that today there is a ten.
dency, either because the wish !,
father to the thought or because Of
lack OF information, to minimize taa
danger that confronts orr
nation" said the speaker. II do mot
wish to be regarded as being an alarm.
ist, or pessimist. I am neither
am filled with spirit of Americanism
as deep as can exist in the heart d
any American citizen. do not want
to deceive myself, nor camouaass
you.
We are in grim war. We do mt
seem to appreciate that our govern.
ment4s being given the acid test Strin
the situation Of all generalities ana
face the cold facts.
Three and one-half years ago Ger
many was surrounded on all sides
with an iron band of enemies, viz.
Servia. Rumania. Italy. Russia, Bel.
GUM, France and Poland. Since then
Servta has been invaded, her men
her children starved and
her women ravished. Servia now he
longs to Germany. The Rumanians
have been driven from their country
to the last soul, and their possessions
confiscated. Rumania belongs to Ger
many now. Most of Belgium-the
Hover OF the west-was CONQUERED.
and is now a German possession.
Northern France met a similar fate.
Poland was invaded, her population
scattered to starve and Germany DOM
mates the country. Italy made 4 IT,
tanic struggle. but her second army
was captured and all advancement
made In two years was lost in a single
week. Her stores of food, guns and
ammuniu Onwere captured. Today
famine prevails in Italy and Germany
rules q good portion of that splendid
country. And now comes the stagger.
ing fact that Russia, with her army
OF twelve million men, has crumblel
and has made peace; has demobilized
her fighting hosts. The morning paper
tells US that Germany and Russia ara
at peace with commercial relations e.
This means that as soon
as engineers can repair railways, the
mighty warehouses filled with Russian
grains-the accumulation OF three
years-will be available for Germanys
use.
"Austria-H Hungary. Turkey and Bull
garia are not and have never been al.
lies, but are vassals Of Germany; and
now Russia Is vassal her people
are enslaved and fate may turn her
guns against her former allies.
Germany has had two lines to de-
fend. but now has one. All Of her
known resources, her man power, her
mighty guns, will be concentrated on
the western front. and the war will be
lost or won on French and Flanders
soil. Today Germany is victor. Ger
many will ask no quarter; will show
no mercy. Kill and destroy is her
THE fate Of France and England,
the fate OF our own country, the fate
or democracy, the fate of civilization
throughout the world, is in the hands
Of our allies and the American SOL
iiers. After three years of bloody war
our allies are worn and weary, hence
from now until the end of the struggle
the burden falls upon US, upon Ameri-
can soldiers who have never known
defeat.
will the American people rise II
meet this awful emergency? Will the
Americans back the American SOL
dlers to meet the hords of savage Huns
and destroy them-whether they be
hive hundred thousand or five million
as they would destroy us, and save
the government of the people, by the
people and for the people, or will We
slumber until We become vassals of
the kaiser!
The American soldiers, through
VICTORY, maze this government nun
bred and forty-two years ago. Ameri-
can soldiers saved this government Of
ours fifty-six years ago and have
faith that the American spirit will
arouse and again save the government
Of Washington and Lincoln"
In closing he said:
We must remember that our enemy
IS not divided. The war machine. the
kaiser. Prussianism and the German
people are one. We cannot eliminate
one any more than we can separate
he bite of mad dog from the dogs
blood. We cannot stop until torn Bel
sium and France are repaired; until
democracy is safe; and until the last
ear stain Of the Lusitania is wipeI
away" !.