The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1918-02-15
The IuScANlA

THE TUscANlA
4 Shocking and horrible as it is, the
American people must steel them
selves to such disasters as that which
befell the great troop ship on the
North coast of Ireland when scores
Of the bravest young men Of the land
were sent by the assassin's weapon
to the bottom Of the sea. The coward
ly. lurbing, murderous submarine is
going to obtain many victims. In
spite Of every possible precaution the
assassin always has a chance to get
In his nefarious work. This is prob
ably not the first great disaster or
the greatest that will overtake our
troop ships. 1t is altogether likely
that many other ships will go to the
bottom and hundreds of our brave lads
will find untimely graves, but it is the
fortune Of war.
Il This Is war and war In its most
diabolical form. 1t is more than war,
1t IL murder. But these very attacks
make more necessary than ever be.
fore courage and fortitude and de-
termination upon the part Of the
American people and the peoples OF
all the other civilized nations of the
world to carry this war through to a
successful conclusion, regardless OF
the cost. Civilization must be safe.
guarded, humanity must be protected
and assassination on the high seas
must be punished and ended for all
time. The murderous, mad German
power must be crushed and until it
Is there Is no safety for man, or WON
an or child upon this globe. Ger
many has run amuck, 1t is q wild
beast at large and must be ruthlessly
destroyed 4
There should be no faltering now
The American people, the people OF
our glorious allies must with renewed
zeal pursue the path Of duty. It is
going to be hard. There are before
10 many, many months and may be
years of suffering, but the prize we
seek will be worth all the cost and
more besides. Life would not be worth
living II victory does not crown the
efforts of civilization in this great
contest. Every time there is the
slightest slackening of American eff
fort due to the German propaganda OF
an early peace, the German military
power wins the equivalent of vic
tory. The sooner our people realize
the strength, the brutality, the de-
termination and the power Of the foe
with whom they are engaged in NOR
tai combat, the sooner victory will
be won. No half hearted measures
are going to prove effective. Only a
thorough conservation to the task
that Is before us will attain the de
sired results. There must be no di
visions, no play for partisan advantage
no effort to exploit personal ambi
lions and no carping criticism of those
who are in authority. All these
things merely impeded the nations
preparations for war, discourage the
people of America and bring renewed
hope and courage to the enemy.
Four features stand out above the
sad news of the sinking of the trans
port Tuscania with American troops
aboard.
The loss of some of our men at sea
was inevitable in transporting an
army Of thousands across a submarine
infested ocean.
The stealthy thrust of the German
U.boat, sending to a watery grave an
unknown number of American sol
diers, has brought more closely home
to the people of this land the reality
that they are engaged in war.
The heroic rescue Of the great ma
jority OF the troops. crew and pas.
sengers aboard the Inflated ship was
a heartening demonstration Of the
protection that is thrown around the
transports, as well as of the courage
OF British and American seamen.
The intimatiOn that Germany had