The Webster Echo

SWAT THE SLACKER
WHEREVER FOUND

It is strange indeed that at this
time when our nation is bending
every energy to protect our peo-
ple, their honor, interests and lib-
erty, property and lives, there are
some among us who are small
enough through political prejudice,
ignorance, viciousness, or a lack
of conception to obstruct its ef-
forts in innumerable ways. Some
by circulating among the unthink-
ing and uninformed that this na-
tion entered the war at the instig-
ation of the rich; that its burdens
are borne by the poor; that we
had no business going to war; that
it is the result of politics; that the
rich man's son will be exempt
from military service; and a thous-
and other nasty blighting untruths
too numerous to mention.

Some are even advising that the
pledge cards for food conservation
should not be signed; that it is
only a method of getting the
names of the women of America
that they may be drafted into Red
Cross service; that the signing of
them will be followed by demand
for payment of money into the
treasury for the support of the
red cross and other auxiliaries
of the war.

This is our war, not of our choice
or election, but none the less ours.
We had no alternative. It was
forced upon us by defiance of our
international law, destruction of
the property and lives of our citi-
zens, and after repeated and pa-
tient protests. Millions of the
people of Europe are being mur-
dered in unprecedented savagery,
their women outraged and children
most barbarously and cruelly
treated by the German alliance,
and if we withhold aid in such a
time and cowardly hide behind
some imaginary excuse, let us no
longer hypocritically support the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, the basic
principle of which is a stinging
condemnation and blighting re-
buke of such diabolic practices.

Let us look the naked facts in
the face and measure up to a
MAN'S duty under the galling
conditions. The man who will
sit about his shop, office, store or
fireside and counsel opposition to
the efforts of his government, when
its honor, perpetuity and ultimate
existence is at stake; the women
who will withhold the full measure
of aid, sympathy and co-operation
under existing circumstances, are
guilty of nothing less than treason
in some form or type, and is un-
worthy of the patronage of his
fellowmen. And to tolerate such
hypocrisy is to prolong the war
and multiply its cost both in mon-
ey and human life.

The clergy, the business man,
the farmer, the laborer and every
type of well balanced, even minded
men, who have any interest in
their government and the preser-
vation of human life, are standing
regardless of political affiliation,
solidly behind this nation in its
efforts for the overthrow of mili-
tarism. It is only the narrow
minded, short-sighted, unthinking
element that puts barriers in the
way, and the good people who do
understand the magnitude and
the seriousness of the situation
should make it so warm for this
type of slacker that he cannot
longer have the respect or toler-
ation of his neighbors until he
shall have been thoroughly smok-
ed out, and comes out like a man
in full loyal support of the govern-
ment in its every step for the
overthrow of Germany's military
tactics, and a permanent, lasting
peace for all the peoples of the
world.

Let every man, woman and
child in Webster Co. feel himself
a duly constituted committee to
severely wrap the "slacker" where-
ever he makes his appearance and
in whatever form, until he comes to
a consciousness of his duty, and
takes his place in society along
with his fellowmen for the com-
mon good of humanity.