The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1919-11-22
From New Orleans Times-Picayune
"Armistice DayW

in the striker fields of France, mer-
cifuI grasses and flaming peoples hide
the rusted tangle Of wire, the great
craters, the broken, battered trench
es, and-the rows upon rows of tiny
crosses, topped with helmets of the
dead
Twelve months! But still, despite
the fact that on these stricken fields
the sweet trill of the lark has replaced
, the ceaseless thunder Of guns, the
memory Of that other day in 1918
stirs the hearts of those who, even at
the last moment, heard the order for
the last charge.
Bright and clear the sun rose in
France on long lines of armed men.
From the sands of Belgian shores,
across the Verdun plains and the
forests of the Argonne, blue-clad
French and Belgians, khaki-garbed
British and Americans, tensely wait
ed the last Zero hour" Here and
there the duh boom of heavy firing
sounded.
The sharp whistles of officers
shrilled Garry onP' The boys in
battle blue and tan were over the
top for the last time in the greatest
war the old world has ever seen.
Here and there on that great front,
oncoming waves-bluish grey-fog-
like and dense-swept down across
4'No Mans Land" Hastily adjusting
snoot-like masks, men continued,
their advance across the shell-torn
fields.
Here and there high-flung hand.
Here a throat-instantly swelling
grasped in agony. The rat-tat of
machine guns; the hum Of countless
bullets. The groans of stricken men.
And then
The deadly hush, emphasized by
piercing shrieks of the wounded!
The great war-save for the actual
signing of the treaties of peace
was ended.
The Year-of 'Peaeep
Twelve months! A year has fled
since that day. Nature has covered
with kindly mantle the hideous scars
of war. But
England, France and Italy-all
have concluded their arguments.
Their rulers have decreed that peace
shall reign once more. The United
States-the senate still debates. The
people-have they, too, forgotten the
ties that must forever bind America
to those nations that stood beside our
own on stricken fields of France and
Flanders?
Yes, "Armistice DayP
Proudly will American homes
flaunt their starred service flags.
Thousands upon thousands will show
upon the white fields the blue, five
pointed emblem of fathers or sons
patriotism and service. Hundreds
upon hundreds, too, will show gold
en- star against that field of white
Hundreds of families will bow then
heads in prayer this morning for dear
ones resting now beneath the flaming
peoples in FLANDERS Fields"
But-will countless other homes
rejoice. nay, on Bonded knees give
thanks?
Thanks for the preservation OF
homes and firesides! For smiling
women and laughing. children, SAFE
and unframed! Thanks for ageC
parents, well and comfortable
Thanks for families, united in peace
and sanctity!
But-will countless other home
rejoice, nay, on Bonded knees Civ
thanks?
Thanks for the preservation o
homes and firesides! For smiling ~o
men and laughing children, safe ant
unframed! Thanks for aged parents
well and comfortable! Thanks TO
families, united in peace and sanctity
Will the nation halt for one brie
moment to give undying thanks t
other nations, that, for over two lon
years, stood like bulwarks agains
the Hunnish hordes, saving not alon
the world for democracy, but Amer
cas- very shores from invasion an
American homes from the grasp O
the savage Boche?
Few realize here that, as early a
1918, Germany had secretly planne
her operations against the Unite
States. The "place in the sum-"
has been learned, would, it is saiC
have included much of the Atlanti
coast of the United States. AM
meanwhile, as declaration of war fo
lowed declaration, the United Stats
seemingly slept on.
What Went Before
Early in August, Austria had d,
clared war upon little Serbia in 191'
Followed chickering's between nation
and then
The civilized world stood aghast
the rape of Belgium began.
Down through the little duchy {
Luxembourg poured the hordes Of Jul
kerdom. Down to the very boundal
of the tiny Belgian kingdom. An
there the little army of devoted me
the subjects Of King Albert-stoO'
a thin grim wall of blue opposing tt