Sons of Men, Evansville's War Record

<^^:))^^^;fp''}:-, '^^•:v:^f -îl :f^«(.M;. »':'.' !.' m. E g>ons of ên EVANSVILLE'S WAR RECORD COMPILED BY H EIMAN BLATT LLUSTRATED PUBLISHED BY ABE P, MADISON BOOK TITLE BY C. W. SEELEY ^6 îozi yi%^,^5 Copyright 1920 by ABE P. MADISON SEP -I 1^20 ©Ci.A576347 TO THE REVERENT MEMORY OF THE GOLD STARS Preface Now that the war has been over for more than a yea)- and a half, com- munities as well as individuals are asked, "What have you done to help?" The fi^htinj? has been over lonj? enouj^h for the recorder of its events to obtain historical perspective and authenticity, but the events of the war are still indelibly impressed on the minds of all so as to prive an accurate and vivid account of this soul stirring period of American history. The title of the book, "Sons of Men," has special reference to the first chapter of this book, "The Gold Stars." The time and painstaking work devoted to this chapter were out of all proportion to any similar quantity of material in the volume. With few exceptions every Gold Star family was interviewed. The material was obtained from the parents, often the mother, and included not only biographical data that the parents could give, but also Government reports, telegrams, personal letters from eyewitnesses such as officers, comrades. Red Cross nur.ses and chaplains. In some cases the material was very ^cant and limited, and this fact will explain the dif- ferent lengths and variety of detail of the biographies. So many of Evansville's Gold Stars who were in active service abroad belonged to the Thirtieth Division (Old Hickory) that the experiences of the Lucky Five are a history of the military career of more than five plucky Evansville soldiers. The events described in this narrative also furnish an idea of the military maneuvers of the American forces during the drive on the Hindenburg Line. The preparation of the second chapter was tedious and laborious. Some of the returned heroes went through gruesome experiences. Their baptism by fire would merit a description as a recognition of valor as well as for its fire would merit a description as a recognition of valor as Avell as for its fabulous exploits. Other returned soldiers went through many hardships, although they were not in the trenches; and all were in the service of their Country. The least that could be done was to have this Honor Roll, which recognizes their part in the war. The names in the first two chapters are arrange<J alphabetically for obvious reasons. SONS OF MEN The material for the other chapters was obtained by interviews with leaders in the various war organizations and activities, and from official documents both from the Government and local committees. In an early announcement which was made when this work was first begun, it was stated that this volume would contain five chapters. As this work was continued the plans were modified. Accordingly, the material was rearranged so as to bring out all of the war activities. No pains were spared in compiling and verifying material. The slight- est doubt about a fact was put to the severest test of investigation. It would be ungrateful if no acknowledgements were made to many Evansville people whose help made this work possible. First should be mentioned the parents and relatives of the Gold Stars, who generously fur- nished biographical data and photographs for this work. Much help was received from the files of the Evansville Courier, Evansville Journal, and Evansville Press. Special acknowledgement for suggestions and material must be made to Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Funkhouser, Mr. John J. Nolan, Mr. Louis A. Kramer, Mr. Charles W. Seeley, Mrs. E. M. Bush and Mr. Joseph Lythgoe. THE PUBLISHER. Evansville, Ind., July, 1920. ) 1 CONTENTS Chapter Page Democracy 15 I President Wilson's Address 17 ( Necessity of War Against Germany The Gold Stars 27 Biographies of the Gold Stars 28 II Honor Roll 194 III The War Mothers 239 IV Organizing for Victory 254 The Local Boards 255 The Legal Advisory Board 256 Conservation of Food and Fuel 258 The Speaker's Bureau 259 V The Liberty Loan 26 VI The Red Cross 266 VII The American Legion 289 VIII The Welcome HomeCelebration 307 Democracy * "What is this democracy for which we have paid with the lives of our sons? "It is for one thing a society whose members are healthfully knit together like a living body. It is a society, therefore, in which every member participates in the labor and pain and also in the enjoyment and opportunities. It is a society in which Lucifer, son of the Morn- * ing, autocrat in government or in business, is cast down to hell. * Not anarchistic license for men, not socialistic suppression of men, but free co-operation of men—always more and finer co-operation of always freer men— that is democracy." * Quoted from the "Gold Stars" by President William Lowe Bryan of Indiana University. CHAPTER I Necessili] of VJar Against Qermdng President Wilson's Address to Congress, April 2, 1917 I have called the Congress into extraordinary session because there are serious, very serious, choices of policy to be made, and made immediately, which it was neither right nor constitutionally permissible that I should assume the responsibility of making. On the third of February last I officially laid before you the extraordinary announcement of the Imperial German Government that on and after the first day of February it was its purpose to put aside all restraint of law or of humanity and use its submarines to sink every vessel that sought to approach either the ports of Great Britain and Ireland or the western coasts of Europe or any of the ports con- trolled by the enemies of Germany within the Mediterranean. That had seemed to be the object of the German submarine warfare earlier in the war, but since April of last year the Imperial Government had somewhat restrained the commanders of its undersea craft in con- formity with its promise then given to us that passenger boats should not be sunk and that due warning would be given to all other vessels which its submarines might seek to destroy, when no resistance was offered or escape attempted, and care taken that their crews were given at least a fair chance to save their lives in their open boats. The precautions taken were meagre and haphazard enough, as was proved in distressing instance after instance in the progress of the 17 SONS OF MEN cruel and unmanly business, but a certain degree of restraint was observed. The new policy has swept every restriction aside. Vessels of every kind, whatever their flag, their character, their cargo, their destination, their errand, have been ruthlessly sent to the bottom without warning and without thought of help or mercy for those on board, the vessels of friendly neutrals along with those of belligerents. Even hospital ships and ships carrying relief to the sorely bereaved and stricken people of Belgium, though the latter were provided with safe conduct through the prescribed areas by the German Govern- ment itself and were distinguished by unmistakable marks of identity, have been sunk with the same reckless lack of compassion or of prin- ciple. I was for a little while unable to believe that such things would in fact be done by any government that had hitherto subscribed to the human practices of civilized nations. International law had its origin in the attempt to set up some law which would be respected and observed upon the seas, where no nation had right of dominion and where lay the free highways of the world. By stage after stage has that law been built up, with meagre enough results, indeed, after all was accomplished that could, be accomplished, but always with a clear view, at least, of what the heart and conscience of mankind demanded. This minimum of right the German Govern- ment has swept aside under the plea of retaliation and necessity and because it had no weapons which it could use at sea except these which it is impossible to employ as it is employing them without throwing to the winds all scruples of humanity or of respect for the world. I am not now thinking of the loss of property involved, immense and serious as that is, but only of the wanton and wholesale destruction of the lives of non-combatants, men, women and children, engaged in pursuits which have always, even in the darkest periods of modern history, been deemed innocent and legitimate. Property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be. The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind. 18 PRES. WILSON'S ADDRESS TOCONGRESS It is a war against all nations. American ships have been sunk, American lives taken, in ways which it has stirred us very deeply to learn of, but the ships and people of other neutral and friendly nations have been sunk and overwhelmed in the waters in the same way. There has been no discrimination. The challenge is to all mankind. Each nation must decide for itself how it will meet it. The choice we make for ourselves must be made with a moderation of counsel and a temperateness of judgment befitting our character and our motives as a nation. We must put excited feeling away. Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the physical might of the nation, but only the vindication of right, of human right, of which we are only a single champion.

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