The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1918-10-04

WIZ 1A11 Ntes'N -. f-rr'Nrfs -
river to travel 45O miles further to
Nome were they had been summoned
for physical examination in the draft.
Later he saw them at Nome and they
were. the happiest young men he had
ever met. They had heard the news
across the snow capped, silent noun
tains where telegraph wires have
never been strung and the postal SER
vice is maintained along toctuous
paths, but when the call came they
responded with the obedience OF
patriots
Summoned to Washington by the
Department Of Justice, Mr.. Smiser
said that he returned through Alaska
and everywhere found the people of
that dominion heart and soul into the
war and ready to- give their last pos.
session and their lives for the cause
of human liberties. They expressed
to him the feeling of brotherhood in
the strife. This spirit, he said, is un-
iversal, whether one travels in the far
north or in the south. From the east
to the west there is one great cry that
the kaiser "must be canned" /.
Mr.. Smiser then paid beautiful
tribute to the heroic mothers who
have given their sons to the cause OF
freedom. He said:
How my heart went out for those
who had lost their sons. read with
deepest interest and concern every
description of the honors shown to
the memory of the brave young await
or, the first from Columbia to lose his
life in the war. When | read the
encomiums heaped upon his name, |
said, He has not died in vain!' His
spirit still lives to stir the hearts OF
hundreds, aye, thousands to a sterner
resolve to forever crush from earth
| the spirit of the accursed Hun.
a"And so again when recently in
Washington City | heard of the loss
of another noble and brave young
life, who was the hope, the pride, the
JOY of his devoted parents, i made,
as know others did, deeper, firmer
and more complete determination
that | would reconsecrate my pro-
perty, my services and, If need be,
my life to the further prosecution
OF this war. So went to my wife,
always my councillor, and taking her
hand | said, We must do something
more than we have DONE Then to-
gether we went to the Red Cross head
| quarters in Washington and enrolled
for overseas service, and Ii our hopes
are realized we expect in few
months to be giving actual service
over there. This we did, for
thought, how small and Insignificant
Is this life as we often live it, and
how sordid and selfish it is to live
for self alone. 4
These young lives do not perish in
vain. Their brave spirits go forth
unafraid to meet their God, and in
His own appointed ways He will give
recompense and reward to them.
Truly they are heroes, but to my
mind they are not the only heroes.
Indeed, the noblest, highest and truest
heroism is to me typified in the at
titude of the devoted womanhood of
this land, the mothers of those boys.
She who has given her only son, her
joy, her pride, here hope for the fu-
ture, aye, her very life. and for whom
she would gladly give her life, and
yet has seen him sacrificed to the
relentless fury of the Hun and has
known that she has looked upon his
brave young face and clasped his
manly form to her bosom for the last
time, has not despaired nor repined
in sack-cloth and ashes, but with
heroic courage has clothed her sor-
rows in deeds Of mercy and has gone
forth in the world with stronger
resolve and more loving heart to
send some joy and gladness to the
hearts of others who suffer and starve
in the far away land over there. She
approaches my idea of the divine
she g. emplifies divinity. And so
| when | stood in the presence of one
such brave spirit who had so suffered
and yet had faltered not, who had
yelled her own deep sorrow In strong
er and firmer determination to do
what she could to help alleviate the
suffering of other mothers and OF
starving children, when | saw on her
calm face an angelic smile while she
told me of the work she was doing
| stood uncovered in her presence, for
had learned new lesson in devo-
ton, lesson which it was worth the
long trip from Alaska to have learn
ed. And l said in my heart, The
Master is not far away felt that
with my outstretched hands / could
almost touch the hem of his gar