YoungstownskeÌ SlovenskeÌ noviny = Youngstown Slovak news. (Youngstown, Ohio) 1910-1940, 1932-02-26

w we're were 'a,'s.st already pr'a'ns them
selves with great accomp-
hshments and still greater his
tories; with great riches and still
greater conquests;. with walled
cities, galleries of art and temples
of learning; this America OF
ours was only "a wilderness and
battle ground Of savage men ant
savage beasts. Oh, how proud Were
those other peoples! But, when they
spoke about their accomplishment
and of their successes, it was usually
a sad story for some other people
whom they had maltreated. Most o.
their stories sounded like tales OF
piracy.
There are no such tales in the
American history. There is no blood
shed in it, of which we should bt
ashamed. When America sacrificed
hefs men in the Revolutionary war
the principle for which she Tough.
was so noble, that it alone invigoratet
the shattered frames; Of her un
trained, unequipped and hungry sol
diers sufficiently to be able to stane
in the line of action for months at {
time. And the same idealisnl ane
nobility of purpose characterized th'
terrific efforts and struggles of the
Civil War.
In the World War, America was
Just as great. Millions of American
bows crossed the ocean to bring tnat
old sinner, Europe, to its sense. The
blood of hundreds of thousands OF
Americas best men was shed to save
the cradle of civilization from ex-
termination, brought about by its
own loss of balance. In her supreme
sacrifice, to reach Europe in time
America with sorrow, packed hel
men like cattle in great ocean liners
and sent them through the submarine
ridden waters to be butchered and re-
duced to wretchedness But Americas
conscience was clear-we had nc
selfish purpose in it, America hae
done what God would want her tc
do.
To be strong, but just; to be inde-
pendent, but love all mankind; to be
rich, but kind: these virtues were un-
known to European governments
consequently, when they were moi
only pronounced, but also practically
demonstrated by America, they TOOK
European peoples by storm. They
greeted her representative, President
Wilson like a new Messiah, anc
looked upon him as upon thei,
saviour.
Were their expectations and hopes
fulfilled?
During the world war, many Croa.
tian patriots managed to escape from
their enslaved country, and scatter
themselves in various European capi'
tails to plead the just cause of Croa-
tian freedom before the Allied gov,
ernments. They did not want to see
the dawn of new era, with then
mother-country, Croatia, still in the
clutches Of the enemy.
Several hundred-thousands o.
Croatian, Slovenian and Serbian i'm
migrants to this country followed II
the footsteps of those patriotic lead
ers, and helped them immense
ly, both morally and financially. WheI
America entered the war, they con
Quoted the propaganda for the jus1
cause of the Croatian freedom from
general office situated right in thu
shadow Of the White House
To prove that this propaganda was
not only fancy Of few idealists o.
professional propagandists, Croatiar
patriots called attention to the fact
/ that the conditions in the Hapsburs
Monarchy were SO deplorable tina
Croatian soldiers in the Austro-Hun
farian army gave themselves up Il
tie Russianse whenever they had th'
opportunity. and immediately forme'
their own divisions under Russian
protection to fight against the Cent
raj powers
Croatians in America behaved jus
4 - nObiy. and many Of them volun
4 seered to serve under. the Serbial
/ flag On the Saloniki front, even pc
fofe America entered the War. Whel
that happened. thousands Of croat'