The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-06-10
THE VICTORY LOAN.
Written by Virgil Derrick of the
Little Mountain High School.

AS the murderer secretly and
quietly makes his plans to take his
victim secretly and unaware so did
Germany from 1870 prepare to
strike the fatal blow at civilization,
run rough shod by force of arms
over the balance of the civilized
world. For forty years she had made
this preparation, but 1914 was des-
tined to be the fateful year, the year
recorded in history as the beginning
of the greatest, bloodiest and most
uncalled for war ever known to a
human mind. She marched her well
trained soldiers through defenseless
Belgium, destroying everything with
in their pathway. Continuing this
march into France she committed un-
heard of atrocities, murdered de-
fenseless women and children, de-
stroyed civilian property, she still
marched successfully on. Not being
satisfied with these outrages she dot
ted the high seas with sneaking sub
marines to destroy property of every
description. Thus putting to the bot
tom of the ocean innocent women
and children and destroying private
property of yearly every nation up
on the globe. This continued for
several years. The United States
composed of peaceful people, guild
ed and directed by the most fair
minded peace loving champion OF
civilizasion, Woodrow Wilson, watch
ed theirs improvements with great in
terest. But on that fateful night
when the Lusitania was sent to the
bottom of the ocean by the torpedo
of Gtrinan submarine President
Wilson'S patience was exhausted and
he decided to uphold the honor and
integrity Of this great country OF
ours. He called together the con-
gress Of the United States and asked
them to avenge. the cruel death OF
their countrymen who went down
with the Lusitania. Congress met
and on the sixth Of April, nineteen
hundred and seventeen, decided to
uphold the honor of the United
States by declaring war against
Germany. Every effort was then
put forth to martial our forces and
train our boys to meet the emerg-
ency and defend the rights of their
country. Within a year we had equip
ped an army of two million men and
had placed over million in France
and Belgium. Germany made light
of our raw material and unframed
soldiers but history has never re-
corded a more inspiring act Of hero
ism and bravery than that which was
shown by the brave boys of America.
They marched through the impregn-
able Hindenburg line and drove the
cruel German hordes back, step by
step until the once victorious Ger
man legions were driven from their
entertainments. 1t was then that the
kaiser and the leaders Of the Ger
man forces saw that it was useless
to make any further fight, that the
brave American boys had outclassed
them in every conceivable way and
that the victory was lost to Ger
many. America won the fight, civil
ization was saved, the atrocities and
cruelties of an invading army had
been stilled, justice and right had
prevailed, France and Belgium had
been. freed. America had cast her
die for right and the all wise provi-
dence was with her. The raising OF
this immense army took an enorm-
GUS sum of meney. Our boys were
provided with insurance so that their
dependent .ones might not. want In
case of their death, the cripple and
lame were provided for. Every COM
fort and convenience was given to
the boys. who risked their lives fo1
humanity and their. country. A mil
lion of these boys are still across the
SEAS, 1t takes money to keep them
there, to properly care for them, and
to bring them back to their loved