The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-05-10

punished. InlS course, an army OIL
Ger said, would be parallel to a civil
court case in which the judge refused
TO punish any member of a highway
man gang excepting the leader thereof.
This happening in northern Russia
is unprecedented in the records Of
the United States army. There have
been some cases where men have re-
fused to do some minor duty or other
because of grievances on account Of
poor grub or some other temporary
evil, but so far as can be determined
no American soldier ever before re-
fused to fight, or TO follow where
their officers stood ready TO lead them.
Some Blame Pacifist Talk.
Some Washington officials are skep-
teal about the truth of the story that
bolshevik propaganda in Russia was
responsible for the trouble. If ii was
this kind of propaganda which brought
the thing to a head it succeeded, so
men here seem to think. because prior
TO their departure from the United
States some of the weak-minded and
weakened soldiers had been preyed
upon mentally by the dire and dismal
preachers of the gospel of lying down
in the face of the foe.
Ever since the news came TO Wash
ington that go American soldiers had
refused to fight, some civilians have
been showing evidences of sympathy
with the mutineers. Possibly the
poor boys didn't have any breakfast"
or Perhaps their officers had been
scolding them" or perhaps half a
dozen other things. Military men say
the excuses that have been put up
for the display are more sickenlng
than the display itself.
The wonder is today If Americans
knew in full the kind of propaganda
which certain American societies with
high-sounding titles put forth with
the object of weakening the cause OF
the United States in the war In which
1t was about to engage. These organ
izations, some of them formed for the
alleged purpose of aiding conscientious
directors, but more than suspected OF
intending TO aid the cause Of the kali
ser, tried every known means to reach
soldiers of the United States with
their "lying down" doctrines. They
printed tons of stuff nauseating to red
blooded men and tried to get it into
the camps. They hired lawyers in all
the chief cities of the United States
to become sort of wet nurses for men
who might have stomachs too weak
to retain any manhood sustenance.
War Veterans Organizing.
Coils. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., and
Bennett G. Clark, chairman and vice
chairman, respectively, of the commit
| tee appointed TO plan for an organi-
zation of the veterans of the worlds
war, are busy making arrangements
! for forthcoming caucus of soldiers
which is to be held in st. Louis In
May.
Under whatever name 1t may finally
appear, the organization Of worlds
war veterans will be inclusive of all
ranks, will be nonsectarian, nohracial,
nonsectional. and above all nonpoliti-
cal. 1t does not yet seem to be def
nitely known what the organization
will be called. Worlds War Veter-
ans" has been suggested, and in a way
1t is being used, but at the first meet
ing which was held in Paris for the
purpose of giving consideration to a
permanent body of veterans the title
The American Legion" was used.
american Legion" sounds well. and In
way Is distinctive, but Worlds War
Veterans seems to be aIl-embracing
A few days ago went to New York
to talk with Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.,
and other soldiers prominent in the
work of preparation for the new or
ganization. They are earnest in what
they are doing and they seem TO have
the sound sense viewpoint of what is
required If the thing is to be a sue.
cess. In Washington the general feel
ing is that while there will be some
troubles in the way they readily car
be overcome.
No One Branch to Dominate.
Every effort is to be made to save
the organization from the danger OF
domination by any particular branch
of the great armies the United States
raised. In other words, the belief OF
the men interested in the association
is that 1t must not be more of a Ma
tional army matter than of National
Guard matter except in so far as mere
numbers would evidence predomi
nance without suggesting domination
National army men, National Guards
men and regular army men from pri
vate to general viii be included in thu
great comradeship.
Soldiers who are interested, a,
doubtless all Of them are. in the out
come Of the st. Louis meeting and il
the general preparations for formin;
the veterans society ought not to lool
on the plan as one that has originated
in any one city in America, or that ii 1
to be controlled from any one city. II
truth this organization first was sug
gested in Paris, France, where officer
and enlisted men of the American ex
peditionary forces met, and In severa
cities of the United States where Their
were meetings of soldiers who saw
service in this country only and o
others who had returned from dut.