The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-03-26
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction in
Europe Follow the Great
World War?
MEN CHANGED BY BATTLE
Soldiers Have Learned What Can Be
Accomplished by tho Use of Force,
SternIy and Efficiently
Applied.
Article TX
Ru FRANK coMEREoRp.

Making soldier out of civilian
does more than change the clothes he
wears. 1t changes the man. Men
who had never owned a revolver
| or rifle, who had never even shot one
| off. who had never killed anything In
| their lives, were given firearms. They
we're drilled, taught to shoot, taught
to kill. The education was thorough
and scientific. They learned to look
down the sight Of a rifle, pick out a
| human heart for target, fire ana
eagerly watch for the man to fall.
They were trained to rush madly at
a wall of human beings and drive bay
onets into mems heads and bowels,
Many of these men few years be-
fore would have tainted in stock
wards where cattle were being killed.
For four years they have been In
human slaughterhOuse, not only as
SPECTATORS, but as part of the place.
1t steeed these men. Many Of them
contracted the undertaker's point OF
view towards life, a fatallsm without
fear.
Experience in battle taught them
the meaning of the word force.
They discovered that the individual
was only important and efficient when
he acted in concert with great group.
Everything depended upon team work
Men learned that n group of men
working in harmony, with nerve and
rifles with fixed bayOnets, could do
wonderful things. They could take an
objective. In other words, take the
thing they wanted and needed. When
these men came back into civil life
and took Off khaki and put on over
alls, the taking off Of the khaki and
the putting on of mufti did not erase
from their minds this lesson the war
had taught them.
This lesson has borne fruit The
men look at the employer as an en-
envy. The employer thinks of them
,, as q commodity. Hatred is cordial
, The men want something. They de-
! mand It. The employer refuses
/ Their objective is to get the thing
: they want and need. The war taught
!. them there Is a way, weapon-Force
Today in Europe men reason. "if we
can't get what we want, and need. we
, must take it. We have the force.
Having grown habited to suffering, nc'
= customed to blood and death. they
look with indifference on the question
of danger. of price. They saw that
when nations could not agree they re
sorted to force. They discovered thai
victory generally went to the nation
possessing the greatest force.
= Threat Of "Dlrect Action"
In the labor movement Of Europe
e we have this idea in what Is called
e "direct action" "Direct action" /:
nothing more or less than applying
e war methods to peace conditions. 1
:; is an effort on the part Of great group!
l of working men to compel recognition
y of their demands. They seek to sc
, cure their objective by force. No al
lowance is made for the fact tina
methods justitlable in war are no
s. rish' Ill peace p~'P'1
{ 'hat war Is '''e SUPP e"'e eNp' ''''''
y of force.
M"hy ''ei, s"t - .',,uS ~. A.,
iresii III, anu 49, sl'',., .,o a,,,os 49,,
army. very pvpe ~" n'.n....s e.
ern,'en's su'e '"e We. " 49,, a,a
10 lne 'i'eN III 'ne az "''e'' w.
CUT " se' aeua'" y, , " 60 ~.
ana iresh ar 70 "a'n W. p p"
10 poor loou an. Wv. .ne sn,nn,,,,.o, 80,
nome nuns VI o.'a a as n"a,, ~ a
uiers are NV "t"e ."
MUG" DIS '"e' "'e o"' ''e
Notwithstanding the rigiu d'Sclp'h
of army lite men are trea'eo us hie'
The humblest man III the rai.kS nn
rights that must De respec'eu' in
is not always me case III civ'' III
Then, TOO Whlle III UNIFORM Tue p.
waite was mhde ihuch o. oIaSs W.
tinction was opilterateu' ne wa
D looked upon as one OF ms country
/ defenders. Since ne mas peeh demon
lied he mas neen 1oreo',eh anu ne