The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-16
With Other Editors
An Honor From France.
louisville Courier-Journal).


The services Of Henry watterson to the
cause Of civilization-not merely the cause of
France, or that of the allies-durng the World
war were % definite and % great and 20 Wide
ly known that hardly anyone in contact with
International affairs will fail to understand the
appropriateness Of his being decorated by the
French government
In August 1914, Mr.. Wattreson believed
it probable that the Germans would reach
Paris before FROST" and SO expressed himself.
But for the accomplishment of the miraculous
by the English and French, after the immo-
.ation Of Belgium whose gallant effort slightly
tmpeded the German advance. the kaiser would
have reached Paris before frost.
Mr.. Watterson. who had been in Germany
frequently and knew a great deal about the
German military establishment. and militaris-
tic aims. knew also the meaning Of the war lin
90 before itsmeaning was understood generally,
in America At the wars beginning when
many Americans mistakenly sympathized with
Germany, Mr.. Watterson recognized tho Teu-
tonic clan as an effort Of the royal houses of
Germany and Austria Hungary to create in
the 10th century another Holy Roman empire
The cry, "To He'll with the Hohenzollern
ana the Hapsburg." its rudeness somewhat
shocking to the sensibilites Of many readers,
was raised by Mr.. watterson. sept. 3, 1914, and
, soon rang out in European capitals, where his
editorials in The Courier-Journal were reprint
ed in many tongues. He continued his battle
cry throughout the war. After the power of
the Hohenzollerns and the Hapsburgs had been
broken he was guest Of honor at banquet
In New York, where al one end OF the ban
quet hall hung an electric sign, ITO He'll with
the HohenSollern" and at tho other end of the
hall an electric sign, ITO Hen with the Haps-
burg" Among the baqnueters were sundry
prominent American citizens Of German line
the war and who had agreed early, and cor
daily. with Mr.. Watterson.
When the Pulitzer School Of Journalism
awarded prizes, in June, 1s17-America had
been in the war since April-Henry Watterson
received the $500 prize for the best editorial
articles written during the war, the test of
excellence being "clearness Of style, moral
purpose. sound reasoning and power to indu-
ence the public in the right direction" The
two articles upon which the award was made
were published April 7. 1917. and April 10, 1917.
In the first Vac Victis," Mr.. Watterson said:
We may feel with the woman's heart
Of Rankin Of Montana, yet repudiate with
manly disdain the sentimental scruples
of Kitchen Of North Carolina 80
From the beginning the issue was not
less ours than that of the countries first
engaged. . . A mad German emperor.
claiming partnership with God, elsvates
the standard Of the right divine and bids
the world to worship or to die,
The second editorial, war Has Its
Compeasations" was an arrAgnment Of paci-
lists. then opposing President Wilson's wa,
program
When the selective draft was proposed, and
Champ Clark Of Missouri speaker Of the house
Of representatives. declared that there was lit
tie difference between q convict and q con-
script Mr.. Watterson wrote an editorial de-
claring that Mr. Clark favored the use Of IN
OK cart in the age Of the automobile. The
editorial. read in congress. was IN argument
for tho selectivs draft which DR.. Talcott Will
liams Of the Pulitzer School Of Journal sub
sequently declared had much to do with
swinging the middle west" for the draft
Throughout the war Mr.. Watterson's sdi-
torials were published widely In Europe and
after the armistice the French government r.
Quested Of The Courier Journal copy Of eaeh
Of his war editorials for preservation in the
War museum - = part Of the archives Of the
government Of France"
without norid exaggeration II may be said
that NO single individual other than . general
At tho front o. minister Of state aiding In
directing operations. Old more than Hea1y
wsttersoa for the caass ct civilisaAea between
1914 and the armistics IN 1911,