USA > Washington > Whitman County > An Honor roll containing a pictorial record of the loyal and patriotic men from Whitman County, Washington, U.S.A., who served in the world war, 1917-1918-1919 > Part 21
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FLORENCE EVA HIGBEE-(20)
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Higbee; entered Red Cross service Oct., 1918: rank, student nurse; stationed at Camp Lewis; discharged April 10, 1919.
Page Two Hundred Three
MRS. P. CODD-(8)
Vice chairman Colfax auxiliary Red Cross society April, 1917, to Oct. 1, 1918.
MRS. R. G. CLENDENIN-(14)
Vice chairman Colfax auxiliary Red Cross society Oct., 1918-
CARRIE B. WHITE-(6)
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. D. White; entered Red Cross service from Colfax Mar. 3, 1918; rank, army nurse; trained at Camp Kearney; stationed at hase hos- pital No. 65: sailed overseas Sept. 14, 1918; returned June 11, 1919; discharged July 16, 1919.
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Red Cross Nurses and Officers
MRS. W. R. ENGLAND-(1)
Elected vice chairman Palonse Red Cross auxiliary Oct. 1918; re-elected Oct., 1919.
MRS. L. ASHENFELTER-(11)
Head of Red Cross home service division for western Whitman county.
MRS. ELEANOR WARNER-(2)
Chairman knitting department Palonse anxiliary Red Cross society.
MRS. J. A. SAYLOR-(3)
Chairman Palouse auxiliary Red Cross society May, 1917, to Oct., 1918.
MRS. ALLAN LAMPHERE-(+)
Secretary Palouse auxiliary Red Cross society Jan., 1918; holding office at time of publication.
MRS. C. H. ODERLIN-(5)
Vice chairman Palonse anxiliary Red Cross society May, 1917, to Oct., 1918; chairman Oct., 1918; holding office at time of publication.
MRS. G. A. WELDON-(6)
Vice chairman Palonse auxiliary Red Cross society Nov., 1917, to Oct., 1918; secretary Oct., 1918, to Jan., 1919,
MRS. D. M. DUDLEY-(7)
Treasurer Palonse auxiliary Red Cross society Oct., 1917 to Feb., 1918.
MRS. F. J. WILMER-(8)
Chairman Rosalia auxiliary Red Cross society.
HELEN I. McRAE-(9)
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth McRae; entered Red Cross society as nurse from Rosalia Nov., 1918; sta- tioned at Fort Wright; discharged but re-entered service Oct. 10, 1919.
ANNETTE HEGLAR-(10)
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben T. Heglar; entered Red Cross service from St. John Nov. 8, 1918; rank, hut di- rectress ; stationed at Savenay-Clisson and St. Nazaire, France; sailed overseas Nov. 2, 1918; returned Ang. 10, 1919; discharged Ang. 11, 1919.
SUSAN N. KEACH-(12)
Danghter of Dr. and Mrs. James F. Keach; entered Red Cross service from Tekoa June 1, 1918; rank, army nurse; stationed at Camp Lewis, hase hospital No. 86, base hospital No. 94, and camp hospital No. 43, France ; sailed overseas Sept. 1, 1918; returned May 27, 1919; discharged Ang. 1, 1919.
STELLA SCOTT-(13)
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Scott; entered Red Cross service from Tekoa Aug. 6, 1917; rank, navy nurse; sta- tioned at Mare Island; held on reserve list.
INEZ SCOTT-(14)
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Scott; entered Red Cross service from Tekoa Ang. 6, 1917; rank, navy nurse; stationed at Mare Island and Bremerton; held on reserve list.
MAUD WELTON-(15)
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. B. Welton; entered Red Cross service from Tekoa Sept. 4, 1918; rank, army nurse; stationed at Camp Lewis; discharged Ang. 15, 1919.
MRS. C. W. LINVILLE-(16)
Treasurer St. John auxiliary Red Cross society from date of organization until Mar., 1920.
MRS. F. P. WHETZEL-(17)
Chairman membership committee Winona auxiliary Red Cross society for year 1917.
MRS. C. A. BUTTON-(18)
Secretary Uniontown auxiliary Red Cross society from date of organization to Jan. 1, 1918; elected chairman Jan. 1. 1918, and served until Nov. 1, 1918. Deceased Nov. 1, 1918.
MRS. LOUIS EILERT-(19)
Vice chairman Winona auxiliary Red Cross society Dec., 1917, to Oct., 1918; chairman from Oct., 1918, to Oct., 1919.
MRS. J. D. PITTMAN-(20)
Treasurer Wiona auxiliary Red Cross society from Dec., 1917, to Ang., 1918.
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HOME ACTIVITIES
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Whitman County Liberty Loans
By F. J. WILMER, County Chairman.
Whitman county did its full part in men and money in the great war. Many believe that it is the last war. We trust and pray that it is. But perhaps in the years to come some arrogant people, in their pride and greed and lust for power may again attack our pacific people, and to serve as an inspiration to the sons of generations to
follow, to unite to repel the enemy, a record should be preserved of the war activities of the loyal people of Whitman county. As County Chairman in the loan campaigns, I submit the following record of the money supplied by the various communities of Whitman county in the five loan drives:
TOWN
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
FOURTH $14,700
VICTORY
TOTAL
Albion
$ 3,000
17,300
$ 10,850
$ 45,850
Colfax
$200,000
542,150
432,250
491,100
420,400
2,085,900
Colton
10,850
26,200
22,350
31,900
33,250
124,550
Elberton
4,150
11,500
11,200
12,400
8,550
47,800
Endicott
10,000
27,000
47,600
41,950
33,150
159,700
Farmington
10,000
32,700
32,250
26,050
22,500
123,500
Johnson
10,400
8,60
10,150
8,250
37,400
Garfield
29,400
55,750 8,000
8,000
11,000
11,000
38,000
LaCrosse
27,800
118,650
58,800
80,250
74,350
359,850
Lamont
10,000
33,000
23,000
21,900
9,950
97,850
Malden
7,500
24,000
23,500
22,450
20,550
98,000
Oakesdale
19,750
71,000
86,700
78,500
66,800
322,750
Palouse
18,050
65,700
102,350
105,650
90,500
382,250
Pine City
10,500
15,000
17,450
18,350
16,650
77,950
Pullman
59,050
204,700
207,600
177,600
172,350
821,300
Rosalia
72,000
152,000
105,800
113,950
100,000
544,250
St. John
23,900
60,500
66,200
76,900 *
72,850
300,350
Steptoe
3,000
9,000
11,400
10,000
9,900
43,300
Tekoa
20,600
112,350
93,750
133,800
79,650
440,150
Thornton
22,000
29,350
29,500
22,600
18,500
121,950
Uniontown
6,200
37,250
26,050
34,000
28,550
132,050
Winona
5,000
23,050
30,900
25,550
11,900
96,400
Total
$569,750
$1,672,250
$1,542,650
$1,632,750
$1,391,650
$6,809,050
This stupendous sum, nearly $200.00 per capita for the entire population of Whitman county, is eloquent testimony of the high spirit of patriotism that animated our Whitman county people during the war. Nevertheless this result could not have been obtained except for the endeavors of the
local committees in the different communities of the county and especially to the efforts of the local chairmen, whose work was so difficult and the fruits of it so signal in the victorious conclusion of the war, their names should be preserved in the annals of Whitman county. They are as follows:
TOWN
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
FOURTH
FIFTH
Albion .
J. E. Miller
J. E. Miller
J. E. Miller
J. C. Farr
Colfax.
R. F. Bigelow C. L. Mackenzie
Matt Johnson Matt Johnson
R. F. Bigelow
Colton A. B. Snider
A. B. Snider
E. N. Snider
E. N. Snider
E. N. Snider
Elberton ... R. B. Walker
R. B. Walker J. L. Montzheimer J. L. Montzheimer J. L. Montzheimer
Endicott .... M. A. Sherman M. A. Sherman
M. A. Sherman
M. A. Sherman
M. A. Sherman
Farmington W. C. Renfrew W. C. Renfrew
W. C. Renfrew
W. C. Renfrew
W. C. Renfrew
Johnson
Frank Willoughby Frank Willoughby Frank Willoughby Frank Willoughby
Garfield. .
.. I. M. McCarthy I. M. McCarthy
I. M. McCarthy
J. E. Miller
E. E. Stark
Hooper
*John McGregor
*John McGregor Ira M. Camp T. E. Damrells
Ira M. Camp
Ira M. Camp
Lamont .. B. J. Ellis B. J. Ellis
T. E. Damrells
T. E. Damrells
Malden ..... R. E. Gullick R. E. Gullick
R. E. Gullick
R. E. Gullick
R. E. Gullick
Oakesdale. . H. W. Hanford H. W. Hanford
H. W. Hanford
J. W. Martin
J. W. Martin
Palouse .... C. F. Kinzie J. P. Duke
W. F. Morrison
J. P. Duke
J. P. Duke
Pine City .. W. O. Palmer
W. O. Palmer
W. O. Palmer F. C. Forrest
W. O. Palmer
W. O. Palmer
Pullman .... F. C. Forrest
F. C. Forrest
D. F. Staley
D. F. Staley
Rosalia . . E. W. Wagner E. W. Wagner
St. John. .. Harry Terhune Harry Terhune Steptoe .... M. C. Handley Lewis Stairet Tekoa. .O. D.McKeehan O. D. McKeehan
Thornton ... Ralph Comegy Ralph Comegys Uniontown. C. W. Bean C. A. Button Winona .... Louis Eilert Louis Eilert
Louis Eilert
Louis Eilert
Louis Eilert
All honor to these men.
E. W. Wagner Harry Terhune Lewis Stairet O. D.McKeehan Ralph Comegys C. A. Button
Harry Terhune Lewis Stairet
Harry Terhune Lewis Stairet
T. H. Follet
W. M. Anderson
Ralph Comegys
Ralph Comegys
C. A. Button
C. A. Button
* Deceased.
*John McGregor
Archie McGregor
LaCrosse ... Ira M. Camp
Ira M. Camp
80,100
72,000
70,700
307,950
Hooper
Page Two Hundred Seven
E. W. Wagner
E. W. Wagner
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Home Workers of Whitman County
MRS. O. D. GRAY-(1) Secretary Garfield auxiliary Red Cross society.
H. W. TERHUNE-(11)
Chairman first, second, third and fourth Liberty Loan and Victory Loan committees, St. John.
MRS. J. M. SEAGLE-(2) Chairman Glenwood auxiliary Red Cross society.
H. M. MOFFATT-(12)
Member Liberty Loan committee, Winona.
MRS. OLVER COTA-(3)
Chairman Dusty auxiliary Red Cross society.
J. WESTON MARTIN-(4)
Chairman fourth Liberty Loan and Victory Loan com- mittees, Oakesdale.
J. C. CRANE-(5)
Chairman Four Minute Men committee, St. John.
CHARLES A. BUTTON-(6)
Chairman second, third and fourth Liberty Loan and Victory Loan drives; treasurer of Red Cross auxiliary; chairman of all war drives; chairman Four Minute Men committee, Uniontown.
J. N. PICKRELL-(7)
Member Four Minute Men committee; member Whitman county council of defense; associate member legal ad- visory board; member Colfax patriotic league.
E. W. WAGNER-(17)
Chairman first, second, third and fourth Liberty Loan and Victory Loan committees ; member Four Minute Men com- mittee, Rosalia.
E. MAGUIRE, M. D .- (18)
Red Cross physician; in service at Vancouver and Har- rington, Wash., and Troy, Idaho; Pullman.
LEWIS EILERT-(19)
Chairman first, second, third and fourth Liberty Loan and Victory Loan committees; chairman Red Cross and war relief drives, Winona.
CLIFFORD H. ABRAMS-(10)
Member Fonr Minute Men committee; secretary Red Cross drives; secretary and treasurer National Security league, Uniontown.
E. V. KUEHL- (20)
Member Liberty Loan committees, Winona.
Page Two Hundred Nine
WM. M. ANDERSON-(15)
Chairman Victory Loan committe, Tekoa.
L. L. BRUNING -- (16)
Whitman county chairman united war work campaign Nov. 11-18, 1918; Whitman county government labor agent ; chairman Colfax Red Cross membership drive 1919; local chairman Y. M. C. A. drive, Colfax.
J. D. McMANNIS-(8)
Chairman Four Minute Men committee, Tekoa.
RALPH COMEGYS-(9)
Chairman first, second, third and fourth Liberty Loan and Victory Loan committees; chairman all war drive committees, Thornton.
WALTER F. MORRISON-(13)
Member Four Minute Men committee; chairman second and third Liberty Loan committees; chairman all Red Cross and Y. M. C. A. drives; chairman local council of defense; member home service branch Red Cross society, Palonse.
H. V. CARPENTER-(14)
Director Student Army Training Corps activities, State College of Washington, Pullman.
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Home Workers of Whitman County
JOHN E. MILLER-(1)
Chairman second, third and fourth Liberty Loan com- mittees, Albion.
R. C. McCROSKEY, JR .- (11)
Member Four Minute Men committee, Garfield.
TOM LEUTY-(2)
Chairman Four Minute Men committee, Farmington.
M. A. SHERMAN-(3)
Chairman of five Liberty Loan drives, chairman Armen- ian relief and United War work campaign and director War Savings stamp drive for Endicott.
R. B. WALKER-(4)
Chairman first, second and third Liherty Loan drives and treasurer Elberton auxiliary Red Cross society.
E. N. SNIDER-(5)
Chairman second, third, fourth and fifth Liberty Loan drives and member Red Cross and other relief com- mittees, Colton.
S. A. MANRING-(6)
Chairman Four Minute Men committee, Garfield.
I. M. MCCARTHY-(7)
Chairman first, second and third Liherty Loan committees, Garfield.
E. J. BYRNE-(8)
Member Four Minute Men committee, Garfield.
J. W. ROUDEBUSH-(9)
Member Four Minute Men committee, Garfield.
E. E. STARK-(10)
Chairman Victory Loan committee, Garfield.
J. E. MILLER-(12)
Chairman fourth Liberty Loan committee and secretary local council of defense, Garfield.
A. J. SHOBE-(13)
Member district board, with headquarters at Yakima; residence, LaCrosse.
IRA M. CAMP-(14)
Chairman first, second, third and fourth Liberty Loans and Victory Loan committees, LaCrosse.
L. L. NOLIN-(15)
Chairman Four Minute Men committee, LaCrosse.
CHARLES E. FLEMING (16)
Associate member legal advisory board, Whitman coun- ty; member committee War Savings stamp drive, chair- man 1919 Salvation Army drive, member Four Minute Men committee and legal advisor home service section of Red Cross auxiliary, Rosalia.
F. J. WILMER-(17)
County chairman for all Liberty Loan and Victory Loan campaigns, Rosalia.
E. J. TRAMILL-(18)
Member Four Minute Men committee, Oakesdale.
BENSON WRIGHT-(19)
Chairman Four Minute Men committee, associate men- ber legal advisory board, secretary third, fourth and fifth Red Cross drives, president local council of de- fense and active member home service section Red Cross society, Oakesdale.
J. P. DUKE-(20)
Chairman second and third Liberty Loan and Victory Loan committees, Palouse.
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Home Workers of Whitman County
CHAS. L. MACKENZIE-(1)
County chairman War Savings stamp drive; county chair- man first Red Cross drive; member Four Minute Men committee; chairman second Liberty Loan committee; chairman county council of defense for two years; first county food administrator, Colfax.
S. M. McCROSKEY-(11)
Secretary Whitman county selective service board; sec- retary county Red Cross drives, Colfax.
B. F. MANRING-(12)
Whitman county chairman Four Minute Men committee ; first president Colfax patriotic league; first secretary Whitman county council of defense; called bankers of Whitman county together to adopt plans for raising the county's quota of first and succeeding Liberty Loans ; Colfax.
MARTIN MALONEY-(2)
Member Four Minute Men committee; member Colfax patriotic leagne; member Liberty Loan committees, Col- fax.
R. L. McCROSKEY-(3)
Chairman legal advisory board of Whitman county; member Whitman county patriotic leagne; member Four Minute Men committee; member Liberty Loan commit- tees: Colfax.
R. J. SKAIFE, M. D .- (+)
Member Whitman county selective service board; medi- cal examiner Whitman county selective service board ; member Whitman county patriotic league; member Red Cross, Liberty Loan and War Savings stamp drives, Col- fax.
W. B. PALAMOUNTAIN, M. D .- (5)
Chairman home service and civilian relief, Red Cross so- ciety ; president Colfax patriotic leagne; chairman Wbit- man county council of defense; chairman medical ad- visory board No. 2; Colfax.
S. F. SHINKLE-(6)
County chairman Junior Red Cross committee, Colfax.
MATT JOHNSON-(7)
Chairman third and fourth Liberty Loan committees, Colfax.
O. H. HORTON-(7)
Member legal advisory board; member Whitman county patriotic league; member Four Minute Men comunitee ; Colfax.
H. S. McCLURE-(9)
Chairman Whitman county selective service board, Col- fax.
R. F. BIGELOW-(10)
Chairman first Liberty Loan and Victory Loan commit- tees : member Whitman county council of defense; men- ber Colfax patriotic league; member of all committees for war relief drives; Colfax.
C. F. VOORHEES-(13)
Member Four Minute Men committee; government ap- peal agent for Whitman county; member board of in- struction on military matters; legal advisor Red Cross society, Colfax.
S. R. CLEGG-(14)
Goverment appeal agent Whitman county; member Four Minute Men committee; associate member legal advisory board, Colfax.
W. A. MITCHELL-(15)
Secretary home service department, Red Cross society, Colfax.
W. S. COOPER-(16)
Member Whitman county selective service board, Col- fax.
H. A. ELLIS-(17)
Treasurer Junior Red Cross committee; member Four Minute Men committee; Colfax.
CHAS. L. CHAMBERLIN-(18)
Associate member legal advisory board; member Four Minute Men committee : member Colfax patriotic league ; member Co. B, Washington National Guard; Colfax.
C. E. ABEGGLEM, D. O .- (19)
Medical examiner Whitman county selective service board Dec., 1917, to June, 1918; Colfax.
CHAS. R. HILL-(20)
Member Four Minute Men committee ; member American national defense society; member war activities com- mittee; Colfax.
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Home Workers of Whitman County
F. E. SANGER-(1)
Member Four Minute Men committee; associate member legal advisory board, Pullman.
W. W. FOOTE-(11)
Library director state food administration, Pullman.
D. C. DOW-(2)
Member Four Minute Men committee; associate member legal advisory board, Pullman.
M. S. JAMAR-(3)
Member Four Minute Men committee; associate member legal advisory board, Pullman; member first Liberty Loan committee, Uniontown.
A. R. METZ-(4)
Treasurer Pullman auxiliary, Red Cross society ; mem- ber Liberty Loan committees, Pullman.
THOMAS NEILL-(5)
Chairman Four Minute Men committee, Pullman ; mem- ber Liberty Loan committees; associate member legal ad- visory board.
J. N. EMERSON-(6)
Whitman county food administrator, Pullman.
MRS. AMELIA EMERSON-(7)
Deputy Whitman county food administrator, Pullman.
WM. GOODYEAR-(8)
Member Four Minute Men committee; chairman civil- ian relief committee ; county chairman second and third Red Cross drives; Pullman.
RHODA M. WHITE-(9)
State secretary college volunteer workers; appointed by Chas. Hebberd, state food administrator.
JEAN FULMER-(10)
Winner of grade school oratorical contest for War Sav- ings stamps drive, Pullman.
D. FLETCHER STALEY-(12)
Chairman fourth Liberty Loan and Victory Loan com- mittees; local food administrator, Pullman.
M. C. HANLEY-(13)
Chairman first Liberty Loan committee, Steptoe.
E. A. ARCHER, D. O .- (14)
Member Four Minute Men committeee; member secret service branch Four Minute Men, Pullman.
F. C. FORREST-(15)
Chairman first, second and third Liberty Loan commit- tees, Pullman; county fuel administrator.
HELEN L. WALMER-(16)
Employed in ordance department at Washintgon, D. C., from Sept. 9, 1918, to Dec. 31, 1918, Colfax.
EMMA FRIZZELL-(17)
Chief clerk Whitman county selective service board April 4, 1918, to Feb. 10, 1919.
OLLIS PINKLEY-(18)
Director War Savings stamp drive. Pullman district.
MARY J. O. WALTER-(19)
Chief clerk Whitman county selective service board July 2, 1917. to April 1, 1918.
C. A. ISAACS-(20)
Insspector for Students' Army Training Corps for the Northwestern states, with headquarters at Helena, Mont .; Pullman.
Page Two Hundred Fifteen
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HENNEIL
COLFAX COMPANY WASHINGTON NATIONAL GUARD
An Illustrated Review of the World War
(Copyrighted. Published by permission Buckbee-Mears Co.)
W HEN the World War ended on November 11, 1918, the armed forces of twenty-five nations of the globe had been hurling their armies against each other for more than four years in the most colossal struggle of history. After a conflict without parallel, it ended in its fifty-second month with a casualty total nearing the ten million mark.
Set off by the murder of an ordinary Austrian archduke on June 28, 1914, by a Serbian political fanatic, the conflagration which had threatened the peace of Europe for decades, was thus des- tined to emhroil the leading powers of the world in the most costly and bloody strife known to man.
After a month's diplomatic argument over the affair, Austria formally opened hostilities with her declaration of war on Serbia. General mo- bilization followed quickly in Russia; a "state of war" was almost immediately declared in Ger- many. Then on August 1 Germany declared war on Russia, following this with an ultimatum to Belgium demanding that her troops be given free passage across that country. On August 3, the Teutons included France on the list of enemies. This was fol- lowed the next day by an ultimatum to Ger- many from Great Brit- ain demanding that the neutrality of Belgium be respected. When this assurance was not granted by Emperor Wilhelm, Great Britain declared war on Ger- many. A quick succes- sion of declarations fin- ally involved the great- er share of Europe by the end of the summer.
VIEW OF THE ARGONNE FOREST.
Mad with the ruth- less spirit of conquest, the Central Powers march- ed their armies off to war in grand fashion, boast- ing that they would return by Christmas time, the conquerors of Europe. Their amazing prepara- tions for the dream of world power brought with- in their grasp the greedy ambition of the Junk- ers.
The initial successes of the German army in its advance through Belgium and toward Paris as- tounded the world. England and France reeled and staggered before the terrific onslaughts of the famous Prussian Guards and the other crack regiments of the Central Powers. Swept off her feet, the fate of France virtually hung from a thread as the invaders triumphantly swept on and on
Early in September, when they were practically within reach of Paris, the tide was turned against them in the battle of the Marne, September 6-10. French themselves attribute their good fortune at this point to the hand of the Almighty rather
than to their superior military strength at the time. This marked the enemy's point of farther- est advance.
The atrocities of the advancing Huns during the months of their early triumphs and conquest have been called infamous by conservative jour- nalists and correspondents. Suffice to say, their bloodthirsty ambition to rule and conquer the world knew no bounds, and that their acts and deeds of disgrace will forever remain one of the darkest of the many blotches brought on the Ger- man people during the European war.
Believing that the United States had no part to play in the war at that time, President Woodrow Wilson, on August 4, 1914, officially proclaimed the neutrality of the United States. The war was thus confined to Europe for many months, a struggle mainly between the two great European Alliances-the Triple Alliance composing Ger- many, Austria Hungary and Italy, against the Triple Entente, composing England, Russia and France. Italy, originally a member of the Triple Alliance, but later one of the chief powers of the Allies, did not enter the war until 1915. She declared war on all of Germany's Allies, but did not break with Ger- many herself until late in 1916. Before the war she was a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria, but severed this con- nection to fight with the Allies.
After the marvelous advances of the first year, the great battle line in Europe remained practically stationary and extended over more than three hund- Courtesy Glen Tramill red miles. The large armies of each force fought doggedly, suffered heroically and died willingly, in a mighty death- grip whose battles surpassed the most famous of previous wars for loss of life and destruction of property.
The superb armies of the Russians in the East- ern theater kept the attention of a large German force occupied and away from the Western front. This fact aided the Allies tremendously and prob- ably prevented a German peace in the second and third years of the war.
It was while France, England and Italy were staggering before the last big offensive of the enemy early in 1918 that America's force was thrown into the balance in substantial numbers.
Her declaration of war against Germany on April 6, 1917, grew out of the Central Powers' fail- ure to recognize the rights of neutrals on the high seas. Repeatedly the rights of the United States were violated, and just as repeatedly Germany re- fused to discontinue her ruthless program of sub-
Page Two Hundred Seventeen
WITH THE COLORS FROM WHITMAN COUNTY
marine warfare against the world. The sinking of the Lusitania on May 7, 1915, without warning and with the loss of 1,154 lives, 114 of whom were Americans, was regarded by a great many as just cause for a declaration of war against Germany. The President and Congress believing differently, failed to act, and it was not until more sinkings of ships bearing women and chil- dren that the United States decided to step into the breach herself.
Regarded as a mere "bluff" by her adversaries, the United States' entrance apparently failed to cause undue anxiety in Berlin. With an un- prepared democracy for another enemy in which a great many were be- lieved to have been op- posed to war, Germany had little cause for worry, she declared.
But America went to work. The act pro- duced an electrical ef- fect on her people and almost united her var- ious factions, creeds, parties and nationali- ties for one purpose- to crush Germany and her Allies. She became a workshop, with no hours, in her determination to end the European fight victoriously, and thus save democracy for the world. Every effort was bended to the cause, every penny of wealth was eagerly held ready for the call, and every atom of energy was expended in her feverish haste to redeem mankind.
FIGHTHING BILLOWS ON AN AMERICAN MAN O'WAR.
Her sons by the hundreds of thousands rushed to the colors, as their fathers did in the wars of their day, to see another victory added to the flag which had never known defeat. That the dis- tribution of soldiers throughout the land might be as nearly equitable as possible, Congress passed the Se- lective Service Act in May, 1918, the greatest mobilization machin - ery developed by any of the twenty-five Lations at war.
Naturally there were obstacles and delays. A nation's task in rising up over night to send a formidable force three thousand miles overseas to fight for world free- dom is not the kind that can be accomplished without some disorder and delay. But loyalty and union did it, and on June 26, 1917, only two months after the declaration of war, the first Amercian doughboy landed on French soil. On November 3, 1917, the Yanks had their first clash with the Germans. On January 31, 1918, a report reached America that American infantrymen were occupying first line trenches for the first time.
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