Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1918 — THE BLOOD CALL [ARTICLE]

THE BLOOD CALL

There is no finer sight in this old world than perfect blood loyalty—families bound by ties-of blood, cemented into one compact band to promote and defend the interests of the whole. The hour has struck when this call is ringing clear and loud above all others in the ears of the American people. Every city, every town, every hamlet and every community in the land has given of its best beloved blood to swell the expeditionary -forces on the battlefields of France. These men have gone to fight OUR battles. They have affered their all in OUR service. The blood tie holds them firmly to the task which they are dedicated to. We have the word of the commanders that their sacrifice is complete—that the blood loyalty is perfect. But is theirs to be the only dem-

onstration of the power of blood loyalty? What man worthy the name, if he has a friend fighting his battles, will not back him up and support him to the limit of his power? Is the sacrifice to be out of all proportion to the gratitude of the beneficiary? These thousands, these hundreds

of thousands, who have gone, are going, and w«ho are yet to go—flesh of our flesh and blood of our blood —are appealing to us through every affection of the human heart for SUPPORT, for SUSTENANCE, for CO-OPERATION, for POWER. These WE must furnish or their sacrifice will have been in vain. But we Americans, need to be told that the very essence off blood loyalty is SACRIFICE. Not only a professed willingness to sacrifice “if necessary,’’ but real sacrifice—the total subordinating of our interests to theirs. Coming down to grim realities, the success or failure of our sons ‘over yonder" will depend on whether or not we at home will sacrifice to the tune of twenty billions of dollars yearly. There is absolutely no other way. This is the amount that congress has slotted to the task, and it mustuALL come from, the people, and that over and above ' their own necessary expenditures. Armies are not fed and clothed and armed and equipped with ammunition simply by proclamation or by •appropriations.” These can only authorize the necessary expenditures, the concrete supplies must come from OUR labors and OUR savings and OUR sacrifices. I Mothers, fathers, sisters., brothers, friends of our soldier boys, are we beedingo. the blood call? Are we ! not only “willing,’’ but DO we respond with every throb of our hearts’ blood to every call? Or are we by our lethargy and indifference and selfishness manufacturing German bullets for their breasts—for, get it right, that is the inevitable result if we fail in our response to the call.