Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-04-03

his war message-and in his public
utterances.
hot rage seized Corwin; and he
laughed, scoffingly. War! The idea
was monstrous. Why declare war on
Germany? Why, indeed? Miller was
right; Roberts was right. The Presi-
dent was making terrible blunder.
The jingoes and war-profiteers were
agitating this thing, and they had
won the President to their side. It
wasn't question Of patriotism. for
Germany had not threatened to invade
America; and the surest and quickest
way to convince the President and the
world that the great body of the Amer.
ican people could not be fooled by
such buncombe was to refuse to
finance such war
When Molly King, Corwin's stenog-
rapher, came in a few minutes later,
her face was flushed, her eyes were
bright and there was an air of sup
pressed excitement in her manner.
She went Immediately to her desk;
but instantly wheeled in her chair and
faced Corwin.
did you hear the news, Mr.. Cor
win? America will declare war on
Germany"
Corwin grinned cynically at her.
"Bosh!" he said. why should Amer
lea interfere?"
The girl gasped and stared at Cor
win in amazement. Then, when she
saw Corwin was in earnest, she raised
her chin defiantly.
Because America is America, Mr..
Corwin," she returned, coldly. IF
America did not go in, now! I should
never be able to look another foreign
er in the eyes!"
She fiounced around in her chair
and began to bang the keys of her
typewriter with a viciousness that
startled Corwin. The girls sturdy
patriotism was in striking contrast to
his own feelings, and for long time
he sat, watching her, oppressed with
sensation of guilt-of something
shameful and clandestine and m.
worthy.
CHAPTER III
CORWIN was astonished to discover
~ that most of his friends were
either opposed to war with Germany
or were lukewarm toward it. So he
gathered that it was not a popular
war. His own feelings had not
changed-except that his convictions
had deepened. When the poison Of
distrust of the President and his off,
cial family had got into his veins it
had changed him overnight.
It was easy to pick flaws in every
public utterance of the President;
the mistakes Of the men appointed to
responsible positions were so glaring-
ly apparent that they aroused in Cor.
win grim contempt for the entire
war structure. Men were being called
to Washington in huge numbers to
take charge Of various departments
newly created. IL seemed to Corwt,
that these men were chosen, not be-
cause Of their especial fitness, but be.
cause they were influential in politics.
Corwin foresaw many opportunities
for graft, and he had no doubt that
the entire war-organization would be
honeycombed with it. So. as the days
fed and he continued to nurse his dis
trust, he observed with sardonic sat.
isfaction that ineficiency was to reign
in Falltown. For one morning Gary
Miller told him that the Central Lib
erty Loan Committee of the district
had appointed Bernard Dillon chair.
man of the Falltown Committee.
Corwin flushed angrily. He and Dill
lon were not friendly. He knew of no
good reason why Dillon should not
have the appointment, and he could
not have denied that Dillon was hon.
est. But he disliked the man, and was
convinced that there were more capa.
BILE men in Falltown.
He saw Miller looking keenly at
misunderstanding
WELL" laughed Miller; 'I suppose
they could have done better. Not that
don't like Dillon. It's nothing rer
sonal. you understand; but he's fel
low that a man can't warm to-" Mil
ler's voice grew grave. "The loan is
to be two billion. They can't raise It!
Why, it's more money than the Gov
ernment ever spent in two years. II
didn't cost much more than that to
finance the Civil War. And they talk
Of spending that amount within few
months!"
Miller was not the only resident Of
Falltown to express his convictions
During the days that followed the talk
with the banker, Corwin hearkened
much to the voice Of discomfort.
The fault-finder was omnipresent;
his voice was raised in the office, the
factory; in the groups that formed or
the street corners; there was an un
dercurrent of dissatisfaction which
created savage Joy in Corwin's heart
For he considered the dissatisfaction
to be directed at the party in power
It was an expression of distrust. prt