Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1918 — DON’T KNOW AMERICANS. [ARTICLE]

DON’T KNOW AMERICANS.

German papers are gloating over the sinking of the TusCania, expressing the conviction that the incident “must unfailingly dampen the spirits Of Americans.’’ If evidence were wanted that Germany is lamentably ignorant of American character the above is sufficient. Americans are the last race on earth to be given to crying over spilt milk. 'Probably no nation in history has grown to commanding influence in the world over greater opposition than has the United States. Opposition is the bread of life to our people, and your red-blooded American has a mild contempt for any occupation that contains none of the elements of danger or chance. If proof were wanted to refute the insinuation of the Teutons that we would blanch at the dangers from their submarines, it is found in the fact that before the ink was hardly dry on the papers in this country giving the news of the sinking of the- Tuscania, enlistments in all branches had jumped to records never reached before. Thousands are flocking to every branch of the service, many with the avowed purpose of avenging the heroes so shamelessly butchered. Germany is due for a very rude awakening, as to the real American character. She is due to discover that our aversion to war does not cover a craven heart, but arises rather from a national sense of justice and right. She is also due to learn that when that sense of justice and right 'has been flagrantly abused and insulted, there is no hesitation on our part to resort to the weapons of force so dear to the German heart. Germany, however, is merely whistling to keep up her courage. She sees her doom when our troops reach Europe in force.

The farmer who in these times would feed wheat to hogs, is an altogether new specimen of animal that we have not yet classified. Of all the utterly incomprehensible beings that this war has brought to public notice, he is easily the limit. If not an avowed friend of the kaiser, he must be simply an animal in the form of a man, wijh a gizzard where there should be a heart. . It is so long since we have had our eye on Uncle Carranza that the old gink may be up to all sorts of devilment down there.