The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-08-23
AMERICA ! WAR RECORD

I
army SO thoroughly armed and equip
ped, and transported thousands of
miles across dangerous seas, as the
American army now fighting IN
France. 1t may sound like Boosting
to say it. but it is the most wonder
full achievement of all the ages. Our
WAR with Germany began on April I,
1917 At that time. a little more than
one year and a quarter ago, we had
scarcely the nucleus of an army Our
regular army of less than 100000
men was scattered from the Rio
Grande to the Philippines; our sup
ply of trained officers may have been
sufficient for our little army, but it
was totally inadequate for such armies
as had been battling in Europe for two
and a half years, we had no stored
supply of munitions, they were yet
in the making: we had not even a
united people, for our land was In
tested with hundreds of German spies
and propagandists who we're doing
their best to induce our people to keep
out Of the war. and they had a GER
tain amount of retirement influence.
Back of il all was the fact that we did
not want war as a people and submit
ted patiently and forbearingly to in
suits aud outrages. which the kaiser
heaped upon Us until they became
un1earable. and we we're finally driy.
en- into the war SO wonder that the
kaiser laughed contemptuously at our
entrance into The war, and declared
that we were negligible 0uantitv 80
Tie believed his trained millions
would be able 10 end the SIGHT in his
favor before America could raise.
arm and equip force that would De
AN element to be reckoned with in
the contest Pinuiae his faith to the
methods Of autocracy. he was uatur-
ally disposed TO underestimate the
power of q democratic government.
however rich and powerful it might
be On paper. to bring its great force
to bear unitedly on a fight fer prin-
ciples, three thousand miles from
home. Herein the kaiser make mis-
take, as he has so often done before
but TINS time 1t was a fatal mistake.
There are those who believe that he
welcomed our entrance into the war
&C SWING nun d" excuse lot demand
iile q INDUSTRIOUS indemnify "hen ms
'l0qS 'r"iieS 'noui" nave con
q',0' Gu n1ui 0pe' AuoVHer great mis-
lane
IN less than year and half We
nave raised armed and equipped an
army OF Two million men, have sent
million anu a half OF them across
Tue seas IN dehance or the kalser's
Sinking plratlcal U-DOats, and three
hundred thousand Of them have done
thelr full share IN contributing to the
worst defeat which the Prussians
nave known since the war began. His
very oesI troops were sent against
Tue ups tart americans ana were cut
- pieces ana me earth streWn with
'nelF 0ioouy corpSe5. soon tnae into r.
NO H'''lloN OF urea dyy for tn '.,4:oIe
WIN Ell - A~-.Il De in Europe
auother million back home ready
to go if need be.
And such an army as it is. Never
has an army been raised so rapidly.
trained SO thoroughly and completely.
eouinned 50 efficiently as the Ameri.
can army now in Europe. It is an
object lesson Of the most convincing
kind 70 tboeA who have refused to be.
ueva that a democracy could make
war Never before has an armv been
50 cared for nhvsicaIlv morally and
mentally rs the American army A