Norwich bulletin., 1920-02-21
COL. BUXTON ON THE NEW AMERICA


 subject of government,
 }. The Legion proposes to be interested in measures which it believes will af- feet the general well being of com munity or nation, but not in disputes for party. advantage.
 Z Neither does the Legion intend that any individual member shall exploit his comrades for the benefit of any personal political ambitions. Hence 'a clause in the national constitution which provides that no member shall hold office in the Legion and. an cleo tive saladier public office at the same time.
 This. Of course, does not prevent any. officer in the legion from exercis- ing his full rights as citizen and raising his individual voice outside the post for any man or policy that pleas es him. In fact, the egiLon hopes he will do just this-without stint and at all hours.
 Section III. Article 2 says: Each member shall perform his full duty as a. cl>een according to his own con- science and uSderstanding"
 Justice is Soldiers Demand.
 Fortunately for the finest army in Europe at that date, somebody saw the light and the schedule was rad ically changed to a more reasonable plan which recognized that winter was on and the armistice signed A desire for justice is the most passionate yearning of the human heart. No- where is injustice more keenly felt than in disciplined armies. Justice is the first essential of successful leader ship. Kindness is arppreciated>Na and adds more personal loyalty. The. most effective leaders have both quail ities, but if there is to be but one, the soldier will choose justice. The re- sentiments in most cases are super ficial and will fade entirely with the passage of time. but the soldier sense of justice, will, believe, remain in definitely in the reconstructed civil ian.
 IL is evident today in the direct questioning look which the ex-soldier gives his former able bodied associate who evaded the uniform when the day of testing came. The man who claim ed. q dependency that did not really get a bombproof job or the unskilled young man who wormed himself into some alleged essential industry to es- cape the role of fighting male in the outer ring will find the soldiers mem eCy long and his words short.
 This feeling is at the bottom of the attitude of the American Legion posts toward the Jack Dempseys of profess sional pugilisn, some of the profes- sional ball players and all those who i1oasted superior physical powers in days of peace and let some flat chest ed. round -shouldered boy carry for him a heavy pack all the long kilo- nneterS of France.
 Draft slackers.
 The Associated Press yesterday an- nounced that the records of the war department reveal the names of 17S,- 9f1 wilful draft slackers on the books Of the adjutant general. It will be a. matter of somewhat belated satisfac- tion to the soldier, sailor and marine to know that vigorous prosecution is promised for the most fragrant of these people who slzulked behind fel- low Americans and compelled them to carry a double load.
 All these slackers are, no doubt, on all occasions very noisy about their rights. Their obligations, however, seem. to have been taken less serious ly. They are worthless trash clutter ing the national garret. It would be simple justice to deprive them of the vote they have dishonored. But nothing brings a greater sense of righteous anger in the breast of the . former service man than the officia attitude toward the conscientious oh. iector whose religious scruples slunn. hered through the peaceful years ant hlossonled into a holy flame on oI i about April ,, 1917.
 Many an honest Quaker stood up t he shot at for the security of his wom 1 en and the institutions of a countr7 which had sheltered the faith of hi 1 fathers.
 Some members in good standing il the Church of Christ and Christian 1 Union went out to leave their bodie | tangled in the wire because they coult
 not in the last analysis picture tn, l Supreme Figure who whipped tn 1 money changers from the temple turn
 tng passivelv aside while liberty per 1 ished and French and Belgian womel and children were torn from thei l homes to be enslaved.
 One elder in this church was
 member of my battalion. His nam
 was Alvin c. York. He told me be
 fore we sailed that the Bible sai
 Blessed are the peacemakers," an therefore he was glad to go and hel
 make peace in the only way the Ger man emperor could understand Tn | partly naturaTized alien who with
 drew his first papers was bad enougl
 His VOWS of American loyalty fe
 away from him like a cloak and lei
 him bare for the averted eyes of hi
 neighihors. He was one of us while i
 meant more money and an escap
 from oldsworld obligations. But whe
 It meant hardship and sacrifice hi
 promises proved pitifully insincere. 1 BUC the fake rplioi0T1iCf C01fOh
 sanctuary for his miserable body be hind an altar that knew not his voic
 and bowed his craven knees where hi hypocritical soul had never knelt. H was convicted by due process of Ia1
 and soiourned as the guest of the gov
 ernment e.t eLavenworth and Funstol , Official orders directed that he n q treated with kindly consideration
 and at the close of the war he wa given back pay, bonus and an hon orable discharge.
 l know of a lieutenant in one of tf [ combat divisions who volunteered z l the outbreak of the war, performe valuable service in the training perio and played an honorable part in fou l long months Of continuous duty i
 daily contact with the enemy. Or F day in the last offensive, worn out an with shattered nerves. his mora cracked and his body refused to carr him forward through an enemy bal l rage. He was sentenced to a diShor orable discharge and five years , Leavenworth.
 . Battle discipline is rigid in its star wards and this officer faltered Il tS 3 last tragic moment of his hithert g blameless career. He paid a bittt
 price and has know wished ever