Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1922-03-03
THE BON US AND THE FIGHT.
ING MAN.

(by One of the Four Million, in Mag
azine Section New York Times)
Yes, 1 was one of the four mil
lion. 1t is not pertinent to the dis.
cussion that l was fortunate enough
70 go overseas and to have been
awarded the Distinguished Servic.
Cross for. gallantry in action and to
nave returned homo with a whole
skin. l did not volunteer immediate
~ war was declared; nor for that
matter did 95 per cent. of NV "bud-
dies" went and they went becausr
we had to. The draft act raised TIL,
American armies and it is lon,.
way from the plain truth for th..
great majority Of us to pretend or
ooast that patriotism did it. Patrio-
tism made it possible for us to
march away smiling, but patriotism
sent mighty few Of us to the train
ng camps. The draft act started us
IN our way.
1t was summons that left no
choice. You were to become q SOL
der or Stacker and that was the
crux OF the whole business. 1t is
talking moonshine nonsense for the
run OF us to say that we might M.
stead have got job in shipyard
or IN some other industrial plant
job ut fancy wages. In fact. we
held on to the job we had and gam
bled on the draft getting us, or s.s.
the net caught us before we were
set to receive it. Every veteran
knows i'll his heart of hearts TINT
this is the truth applicable to nine
out of every ten that served, and
that any other assumption is pose
and camouflage.
l was born in Uncle Sans house.
Regardless of the means by which
it was accomplished, Uncle Sam fed
clothed, educated and protected me.
had an equal opportunity with all
the others in that house to make
good and to earn my share of the
rewards he bestowed quite lnvishly
upon his family. was and nm very
deeply in debt to him; so much so M
fact that 1 feel little bit ashamed
that l should have stood by and seen
Uncle Sam attacked and not kon,
Immediately to his aid.
The pride l feel because finally
fought for him is not ut the flood
and never can be. for the very ca
cellent reason that 1 kept in the
background until Uncle Sam camu
and pulled mo into the light, gave
me arms and equipment and com
mandcd me to fight. He went into
the war because there was no othe.-
honorable thing to do. So did we.
Now that the war is over and ".
are rid of the danger that confront
I'd us l cannot, with honor, lend my
aye" to the chorus of voices thnt
are endcavoring by all known means
from persuasion to threats, to send
this smiling and benevolent old gen
tlenan into the bankruptcy courl oil
the hands Of receiver. l refuse t.,
carry the burden of additional self.
reproach by joining any holu-up
gang, regardless of the disguise
that cloaks their purpose. The lact
that John Doe worked in shipyaro
for $40 day is none of my bust
ness. John Doe, if he is not enrn,,v
devoid of sensibiity, would be glad
to trade places with me today. The
war has left me far richer legacy
than he can ever hope for.
There is note of sadness in this
"bonus" agitation. 1t Is primarily |
our effort-such an obvious effort
to "kid" ourselves into believing that |
dole of cash will solve our pres
ent problem of idleness and the ac-
companying lack of the where-with-
al to eat and sleep comfortably. 1t
will help for a little while, very
little while. But what then? We will |
be more disinclined to get out and
hustle than ever, and the stage hav-
ing been set for the initial perform
ance of Patriotism Has Its Price u
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