< I • ; . .
rrz:l ZIbe Hlbemarle ©beecve^li^E’
Vol. 8, No. 34._EDENTON~ NORTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, AUGP8T 24, 1917. ^ ^bucrintinnr «l no .
THE WAR AND OUR
DUTY.
Judge W. M. Bond, In The
Court House at Raeiord,
N. C., Said As Follows:
It may be well to speak of ex
isting conditions. Fate hat
brought us face to face with a
distressing situation. After out
■ government was constructed, and
our independence had been won,
by success in the Revolution our
Nation began its career
The war of 181*2 was fought
'with England ami terminated.
About a quarter century later
we had war with Mexico. That
ended by establishing American
sovereignty to the banks of the
Rio Grande' In 1861 we had the
war between the States. It clos
ed by a settlement of the slavery
question and denial of the right
of the southern states to secede
from the Union m> 1886. From
then until our trouble with Spam
a few years ago which ended in
liberation of the isle ol Cuba, the
pearl of the Caribbean sea, from
Spanish cruelty, we had peace
until a few months ago. The
weapons used in those contests
were playthings compared with
present day methods of destruc
tion.
The framers of this govern
ment believed in America for
Americana, and fancied, that
with 80OO mile* of ocean on one
aide and 10000 on the other, we
would sleep with our dreamt un
disturbed by European or Asiatic
complications, Bubmarirc per
fection has dissipated that dis
tance and furled those watery
curtains of immunity.
We stretched our arm across
the Pacific and gathered in the
Hawaiian tales, and went further
over the bosom of that mighty
sheet and acquired the Philiip
pinea.
We have fought no war with
any foreign power that waa not
to preserve the freedom of the
•cas, the great highways of na
tions, and to preserve the rights
and liberties of men. We have
fought no war with any power
thst waa provided with present
day equipment for conquest and
destruction.
Based upon the broad funda
mental doctrine that man waa
capable of self-government, and
upon the further theory that
every mao should have equality
of opportunity to enjoy the
blessings of liberty and ha(^>i
. ness, our government has never
.fired a cannon that did not echo
a devire to maintain the rights of
men to freedom and liberty.
Cutting through the heart of
Europe and crossing the Asiastic
border, for years there has exist*
ed a great government whose
. whole theory of national exist
ence has been founded upon the
so-called divine right of certain
men to rule by rea*on|of heredt- I
tary privilege. That government
is l he German Empire, and Ua
idea of ruling has ever been (hat
every man's neck should have
upon it the heel of Prussian mill
tary despotism.
Ueceatly we have been forced
into war with that great military
machine—a nation that has
dreamed only of war and conquest,
and that has builded the greatest
fighting machine the world has
ever seen. ‘ •
With ghoulish glee, as they
•poke of England’s contemptible
•
little army we have seen Get
man soldiery laugh at their sol
emo treaty to respect the integ
nty of Belgium, calling It i
"scrap of paper,” invade that
happy and historic little country
converting the sites where stooc
its splendid cities into interna
tional cemeteries, where to-day
sleep the dead soldiers of many
nations and many climes.
We have seen them become
the pirate of nations, and by the
use of under-sea boats sinking
ships and drowning non-comb*
Lant men and helpless womer
and children. We have sees
them make desolate happy coua
tries that had done them n«
wrong, and leave to starvation
their former citizens; they have
hammered down cathedrals and
colleges with their cannon—train
ed tbeia guns on Red Cross boat*
and slaughtered sleeping men,
women and children by dropping
dynamite bombs at night*— tbeii
vengeance writing cruelty that
would have brought blushes to
the cheek ol the Goth, the Van
dal and the Hun, all done while
they were marching arm in arm
with the unspeakable Turk, and
boasting ol the culture and civili
zation of the Rhine.
We have seen their representa
tives in our capitol, under the
protection ol our flag, entering
into intrigues to incite Mexico
and Japan to make war upon ui.
We have read ol then efforts to
incite to rebellion the negroes ol
the South. They drowned our
citizens while asserting their
friendship lor us. We protested,
but the outrages continued un
abated. They were making war
upon us month* before we de
clared that a state of war existed.
Staggered by their disregard of
size and sex, in their efforts to
stage a frightfulness at which bar
barians would shudder, we won
der if Atilla the Hun, the scourge
of God, would not lie dissatisfied
in his grave. If he knew how they
had surpassed him.
We are told by some it is not
our war, *nd they pretend not
to know what we are fighting for.
Only the blind should fail to see,
in this panorama of bloodshed
and slaughter, a studied effort to
float the flag of Prussian domina
tion over every capitol of the
globe.
Not an allied soldier's blood
has crimsoned the snows of the
Carpathians—not one died at
the foiu of Liege—not oae fell
at the Marne, and not one has
fallen on the fields of Belgium
and France, but whose heart's
blood flawed to preserve free
government and freedom lor
man.
8very American soldier who
dies on the battle fields of Buropc
should have floating over him
the inscription:
He died that American liberty
might live.
He died to stay the iron hand of
Prussian despotism.
Borne say, from what motive
we do not know, that we have no
right to send our soldiers to die
in Europe. Appalling as the
threatened destruction is, it it
astoundlog that American clti
sens, descendants of men whose
blood on the fields of the Revo
lution, bought the liberties w«
enjoy, should be weakening the
arms of their government, in a
state of actual war, by creating
distrust and dissension, and mak
ing utterances calculated to de
atroy loyalty and patriotism and
■ give comfort to the enemies of
their country.
If this government has 69* (he
■ power t® put its soldiers any wucre
to prevent its own destruction, we
are indeed a.weak aation, and its
constitution is a rope of‘sand.
' The suggestion would seem too
childish to merit consideration.
1 am not without sympathy for
the fathers and mothers whose
sons must go. Ghastly as may
be the reflection, I admit many
will go who will never return. I
am in a position to sympathise.
One ef my sons is in the army
and has served on the Mexican
border and elsewhere for a year.
Some morning I expect to hear
that he is gone. I have another
who will probably be drawn into
it in the near future. What their
(ate is to* be 1 cannot know I
can only waif* and hope, and
''hope's brightest robes will be
broidered with the sable fringe of
fear."
Every man who does not do
his duty strikes s blow at the
heart of the land of his birth. We
are now at war. It la too late
(or difference of opinion. The
utterances of every man should be:
“My country, my country, may
she ever be right.
But right or wrong my country."
It is no time for difference of
classes or views. Some com plain
er* say it is a rich man's war.
There has been no war in which
that statement was not made. It
was being said in England, when
the sons of wealthy men were
falling at the front, while at the
same moment workers In muni
bon factories were striking for
higher wages. Away with such
utterances. Foi better or for
worse we are in it. Except by
absolute loss of self-respect we
could not stay out.
Instead of calling it Europe's
war, in the language of Genera)
Wood, at Fayetteville, “we should
thank God that we have the
trenches of the Allies in which to
prepare for the struggle."
Let us march shield locked to
shield, every man determined to
do all he can to prevent the de
struction of American liberty,
trusting in God for_ success.
In closing upon this subject a
word as to the duty of those who
will not be sent to face the can
non and rifles of the battle field.
overy person mould produce
what he can. A starring world
appeals to us for food. He who
feeds a soldier helps to win the
war. Extravagance should be *
voided and economy practiced.
No waste should be permitted.
We must win or ruia awaits us.
Success cannot be easily attained.
A nation which boils the bodies
of its dead soldiers to extract oN
with which to run its engines,
and grinds their bones into fertil
iser cannot be easily subdued.
Bvery man whose avarice com
mands him to make commercial
warfare on those who are to goto
the front, or on the families and
dependents they, may leave,
aboAld have the eyea of censore
Hvefed upon him. We ahould
live tor die together Cries of greed
shduld fcf mleneed. The contest
is-d^Tbetween preservation of hu
man liberties or leaving to our
descendants slavery to depot ism
It is too late for sssertioa of in
dividual opinion. Who lends aid
and comfort to onr enemies in
this struggle will himself die, a
traitor to his ^ative Land and a
deserter to his-family and Mi de
scendants.
God pity the nun who standi
not by the flag of his country.
That flag, our homes, and oui
country call on ua Let us turn
no deaf ear to that call.
President Wilson showed great
patience in suffering under the
Injustices done u«. Drploring
war and deairing peace he watch
ed and waited until longer for
bearance ceased to be a virtue.
The Congress d .xla red existence
of war. The wise occupant of the
White House at once threw him
matchless energy to complete
preparation. History will wrap
wreathes of fadeless honor about
his brow. Secretary Daniels of
our State is the directing head of
our Navy. Senator Simmons is
chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee. They arc now and
have been at every step standing
side by tide with the President.
Neither has done any act to weak
en or embarrass. They have done
all in their power to help The
Old North State has grave re
sponsibilities resting upon her.
She it not ashamed of her p iat.
Let us preserve her future untar.
uiahed.
There may be some Americans
whose conduct should have a
warded to them the Kaiser s Iron
Cross for services rendered.
We should not want ft, but we
must prepare lest we meet the
fate of crucifixion upon it.
DRAFT ARMY MEWS
Have Not Reported For Ci
iplgdlm
dt the 88 registrant! in tbs
second call in Chowan county,
the following have not reported
for examination:
346 Josh Sharp
108 Hersey Nichols
199 Matthew GiUaa
889 Joseph Holley
■ 888 Lynn Bond
643 John Perry
397 Simue) Johnson
868 Riley White
788 W. & Jordan
393 F. E. Jones
838 James Nelson
601 Alik Griffin
This places these men in a bad
position. Possibly they did not
get a notice by mail to appear,
but that fact dees not excuse
them. The fact that their names
are' posted at the rnurt ho..«e
door !• sufficient notice snd is so
recognized by the lew.
The names of the 86 in the
second call who were passed
physically this week for the a,my
could not be obtained in time for
this week', paper. We hope to
publish them next week.
Three Ezcueed
Of those published last week
Who failed to report for physical
examinations in the first call,
three have been excused as fol
lows:
806 W C Hollowell. Tyner,
N C. There were two by tbe
same name at the same postoffice,
the other number being 60S. Ho.
608 was exempted. Nc 806
cams later when he learned that
he was the man and was found
physically deficient. 604 H. B.
Harrell should haye beau N. B.
Hollowell, Tyner, who was also
found physically deficient. 788,
the number which was published
blank should have bean Thomas
Deal.
i
1 ■ ■ • • » ■■■*
Tbe Progressive Farmer, and
The Albemarly Observer both
for 11.00. Address Albemarle
Observer, Eden ton, K.C.
VIEW8 OF A
PRU88IAN GIRi
(TskM from tko LlU>r»ry Dig nut Aug
**. *>y «wi«-ut.)
Her* is a letter written by i
Prussian schoolgirl to a friend ii
Switzerland The writer undoubt
edly is young. Therefore it ii
qaitc safe to assume that hei
views are reflected, and conse
quently throw t very good side*
light on the peculiar mental con
dition of the average German—
the German of Kuhwr, (or her
father ia the State Councilor of
Architecture. And if you were
not aware that Adam and Ere
were Prussians, and that the I rus
sians are the lords par excellence
of the world, and that all other
nations sic only "weeds." the
following letter, printed in The
Sooltman, will enlighten you oa
this and other interesting fact*
about Prussia:
F aampotrr-oz-ODtu,
90th July, 1916.
Mt Dbab Looms: The contents of
your last letter would have hurt
me had I not known that your
thoughts ol our glorious war rs
aulted from sheer ignorance.
You are in a country rendered
effeminate by the influence of old
fashioned ideas of liberty, g coun
try which is at least two centuries
behind ours. You areiu need of
a good dose o' Prussian culture.
It is evident that you, a Swiss
gm, witA your French symps
thies, can not understand how my
heart, the heart of a young Qer
maa girt, passionately desired this
war. Speaking of it some yeara
ago, my father said to us: “Chil
dren, Germany is getting too
small for us; we shall have to go
to France agaio in order to find
more room.'* Is it our fault if
France will not understand' that
more money and land are neces
sary for us?
And you reproach us that our
soldiers hare been eery cruel to
the Belgian rabble, and you speak
also of the destruction of Reims,
and of the burning of villages and
towns. Well, that is war. Aa
la every other undertaking, we
are past masters in the making of
war.
You have a great deal to learn
before you can come up to our
standard, and 1 oan assure you
that what has been done so far it
a mere bagatelle compared with
what will follow.
As a matter of fact, there is
but one race worthy of ruling the
world, and which has already at
tained the highest degree of civil
isslion. That race la ours, the
Prussians; for tho we Germans
in general are the lords of the
world, the Prussia* is undoubted
ly the lord par ezeeOracs among
the Germans.
All other nations, and among
them, unfortunately, the Swiss,
Sre degenerate and inferior worth.
That is why I have always been
so proud ol being a true Pm* tan.
Yesterday, again, our ptwiur
explained to os convincingly that
our Brst parents. Adam and Kwe,
were also Prussian. That is quite
easy to understand, because the
Bible te.ls us that the German
God created us all after kls own
image. If, then, all men are de
scended from Ad*m and his wife,
it follows that only Prussians, or
at least Germans, ought to exist
in the world, and that all who
pwah on and prosper ought to be
long to us. Ton must admit that
that k logic, and that la why out
motto to, • >God with ua. Got many
above everything."
You know now why wa wished
tbia war. Ia K not riumefnl that
other nations, who have no right
to existence oo earth, wUh to
i diminish our heritage? We MU
i the divine fruit, nod the ethau
are only weeds. That to why oar
i great Emperor has decided to put
an eod to all thaat iafaatkaa, and
to extirpatr the weeds. Do you
understand that now?
I remain, your school Mead;
KiTII HAMIL
(Daughter of the State
Council of Architecture.)
COMFORT MM FM
DMFTED MOW
OATESIOMTV
The Gates County Council of
Defense to malting a « to
•ecure two hundred hi
order to organise a
Chapter in the
aekiliariea have already been or
ganised and the names sent to *
headquarters for authority to pro
ceed with the work. The people
are responding wittily to this
call lor service, each ana e^er to
do hto part.
The auxiliaries will present to
each of the eighty boys dinted
Into the army a comfort bag
a testament. Fends arc now ha
>ng raised (oj this paginal A
public meeting will be bsM la
Gatcsvillc on the Slat of tbls
mouth, Friday, at that
In GatesviUe,
ami _^
Tbe tollowiag is a List of the
articles to be placed la the cam*
fort bags: Black sewt^
white sewing cotton. Mack darn
ing cotton, need las. No. C nrsitls
case, buttons, whit* aad Mack,
median size, large thimhla, Maat
pointed scissors,
•alety-pins, median rise,
round minor,
pencils, writing pad aad
opes, collapsible
tooth brash aad
j Patterns can be <
your nearest auxiliary far
bags. Auxiliaries . •
gaaised at
Hobbsville aad J
Meetings wifi beheld at ruk*
er’s Church next Sunday, Aagnat
96, morning at 11 o’clock; Bay '
age's ehursh hi the afternoon at
• o'clock, and Eeynoldaoa at
night at 6 o'clock for the parpens •
of organising auxiliaries la these
communities.
On Friday, the 91st of i^ast
a patriotic meeting will he held
in Uatesville at which tieae the
comfort begs will be presented ta
the soldiers who are drafted as *
the war. Fromiaeat speakers -
will be present.
(BpodaL)
Mr. and Mm Kphrtsn Very
hand have as their geests, *|flnii
Mattie and Kathryn Lee Webb
of Elisabeth City, N. C, Miss
Nellie Madry, Mr. sad Mrs WH- .
liam Truebiood, and Clinton Tree
blood of Winfall. If. C , Dr. Da
vid Truebiood of Columbia, Ta.,
and Mimes Margaret Lean, Once
and Hetty Truebiood of Haa^
toa, Virginia.
The Albemarle Obaarvee, The
Progressive Farmer The Tbhe
a-Week (N. I.) World, leguUr
price $100 AH $ far |B.». Ad
dress Albemarle "Inns. £4aa»
ton, I. C.