FOREWORD

IT was with some reluctance that we assumed the responsibility of compiling and publishing this record of "Burt County in the World War." The people of the county so far exceeded our fondest expectation in all war work that it impressed many of our patriotic citizens with the idea of having it put in book form, to preserve it for future generations. With that object in view we undertook the task, that Burt county's 840 soldiers might be memorialized, that Burt county's good women might pass on to their daughters of another generation, the story of their unselfish devotion in the cause of liberty, that our sons and daughters, and their children as well, may know and be proud of wonderful loyality record their ancestors in stamping out the Prussianism which early in the twentieth century threatened the liberty of the world. That the work of Burt county in the world war may be put in permanent form - that is the purpose with which this book is prepared. If there are errors or omissions it is believed that they will be overlooked with the knowledge that the task has been difficult. The data has been gathered from various sources, in many cases the information in the hands even of those actively heading the activities, has been none too accurate. We found that many of the soldier boys could not remember the company, regiment or division to which they were attached. Hence, if there have been left out the names or pictures of Burt county's patriots, who should have been given credit for their efforts, it is with the most profound sincerity that we apologize. We have used all the means at our command, we have searched all the records available, and have endeavored in every way to co-operate with the chairmen of the many war activities in an effort to make it complete. If the magnitude of the task was fully appreciated by our critics, then it is believed that criticism would be kept down to the minimum.

  There has been hardships and sorrows for all; scarcely a home in Burt county was there that was not vitally and personally interested in the war. Twenty-four soldiers of whom we obtained photos and records made the supreme sacrifice, we placed them in the memorial section in the first part of this volume, they are the men of whom the county can be proud, the men who were sacrificed as Burt county's offering on the altar of world freedom. The memory of their unselfish service will endure through the ages. As to the other boys who survived the hardships of army service, whether in this country or abroad, every man who wore the uniform, regardless of his grade or branch of service is a hero, they were all subject to the orders of the war department. Many went to France, some of them as replacement troops, and fought alongside the veterans in their terrible engagements from June to November. Many others were sorely disappointed because they were not permitted to go overseas. All of them offered their lives at their country's call, and his home county honors them for the doing. The war is won, our boys are home, or are soon coming home, the enemy was driven back beyond the Rhine; Hindenburg did not eat that boasted dinner in Paris. We all thank God that he gave the world America, American men, the best fighting men the world has ever known, who by their brave loyalty have maintained our national honor. The praise due them is written in the hearts of the men and women of Burt county, in the happy homes kept free from the menace of Hun domination, and in the bright eyes of the rising generation who shall never know the tragedy of war as witnessed by the children of Belgium.

  We have been told by some that they want to forget all about the war, to erase it from memory, to sweep it off the stage, to banish it from the lecture platform, and from the talk of the day. Everyone will agree that there are some features about the world war that should be forgotten, but there are other features that shall not be forgotten as long as we remain an honorable people. We shall not forget the sacrifices of that war, the voluntary sacrifice of those who faced death and wounding for their cause, of those who gave almost their last dollar to support their defenders at the front, of those who suffered want during the anxious months. These things we shall not forget. They are marks of human nobility, a nobility able to shine above even so thick a cloud as that of war.

  Neither should the patriotism backed by the liberality of Burt county people be forgotten. It was a remarkable evidence of true loyality. The total Liberty Loan subscriptions amounted to $2,819,550.00, an average per capita of $216.00 for every man, woman and child in Burt county, according to the last census. The total war savings stamps bought in this county up to May 1, 1919, amounted to $366,235.00, an average per capita purchase of $28.00 for every man, woman and child in this county. The total donations to the American Red Cross chapters aggregate $150,000.00, an average of over $11.50 per capita for every man, woman and child in Burt county.

  The total contributions for war purposes in 1917, 1918 and 1919, including the last Liberty loan drive, aggregate $3,500,000.00, that is an average per capita of over $269.00 for every man, woman and child in this county. That record should not be forgotten, it is not excelled by any county in the United States of equal population. On the basis of population Burt county ranked first in Nebraska in the Red Cross and W. S. S. drives, and Nebraska had the highest rank of any state in the union.

  The citizens of Burt county have the best of reasons to feel proud of their county and state for the part it played in winning the world war.

  Nebraska in proportion to population, sent more soldiers and sailors to the service than any other state. The total last September was 40,500 men, that is aside from the medical corps and Red Cross enlistments.

  Nebraska's war drives totaled $264,760,639. The total state quota for all war purposes was $230,353,670, giving the state an over subscription of $34,406,969, or approximately 15 per cent over and above the amount asked of Nebraska. In addition to the foregoing excellent showing, Nebraska was almost 100 per cent on food conservation pledges, and ranks first in contributions to all war activities. Nebraska ranked first in Red Cross membership, in proportion to population, it had a total of 585,156. The first Red Cross drive for funds in Nebraska in 1917 totaled $1,020,812. During the 1918 drive, the state with a quota of $800,000, gave $2,300,000, which was over 250 per cent above requirement. We used 13,000 as the basis of population in Burt county, while the last census figures are 12,726. The same census gave Nebraska a population of 1,192,214, that gives an average per capita war work contribution of over $22.00 for every man, woman and child in the state.

  Too much credit cannot be given the patriotic men and women of this county, not alone those who subscribed the money, diverting it from their business and their needs and pleasures, but particularly to those, in every town and precinct, who made it their duty to see to it, that Burt county's quota was subscribed - and generously over-subscribed in each and every drive.

  Burt county's achievement if proposed in advance of accomplishment, would have staggered the imaginations of the most courageous, they would pronounce it

impossible. But it has been demonstrated in the lexicon of patriotism, there is no such word as impossible. What is patriotism? It is the love of country, love of the homeland, the willingness to strive and sacrifice and suffer for it, to make it safe, to make it better, to make the homes in it safer and happier. It was necessary for Burt county and all Nebraska to raise this vast sum of money to save our country and the world from a great menace - the Kaiser and his brutal army.

  It afforded us much pleasure to record the grand achievements of our county and state, but it is with no less pride that we briefly enumerate a few of the wonderful things accomplished by the United States during its participation in the world war. April 6, 1917, when we entered the war, our total armed forces, in army and navy aggregated 293,438 men; on November 11, 1918, when the war was won, our total armed forces were 4,339,047 men. They had been armed, trained, equipped, housed, fed, and more than two million had been transported across the seas.

  Not only that, but in those few months we had sent to France 943 locomotives, 13,147 freight cars, and constructed 843 miles of standard guage (sic) railroad track, and built 23 million square feet of warehouses to hold our supplies. We had 197 warships at the beginning of the war, at the close we had 2,003, we had armed 2,500 merchant ships, we increased our shipyards from 61 to more than 200.

  The cost of the war in wealth and resources to all the world has been tremendous. To the United States it has been about 24 trillions in 18 months. If it were not for the noble lives that have been sacrificed, the winning of the war might be counted cheap at the price.

  Our latest data from the war department under date of August 26, 1919, says: "Best information obtainable by the general staff, places the total battle deaths at 7,450,200. The American deaths from all causes is estimated at 77,422, and total casualities are placed at 291,732."

  American casualities during the forty-seven day Meuse-Argonne offensive, aggregate 120,000 men. The toll that we paid in the Argonne forest was terrible, because that was conceded by all military leaders to be the most difficult part of the German line, as it was the most vital. The Germans aided by the nature of the country, also massed 47 of their best divisions for its defense, and they fought desperately to prevent the Americans from breaking through, but our boys went through, although 20,000 of them were killed in the attempt. More than one-third of the casualities to the American army Accurred in the Meuse-Argonne offensive.

  The German losses from figures published at Berlin May 18, 1919 was 2,050,460 dead, 4,207,028 wounded and 615,922 taken prisoners, a total of 6,872,410. That was the penality (sic) paid by Germany for its attempt to dominate the world by force of arms. It was on the fourth anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania that the German delegates stood with bowed heads waiting to hear an outraged world pronounce its judgment against their country.

  Gone is the German arrogance that flaunted its advertised warning to Americans to not take passage on the Lusitania. Gone is the German military spirit which faith in might instead of right must rule the world.

  When impartial historians have analyzed the features of the world war for future generations, there will undoubtedly appear a distinct relation between the destruction of that great ocean liner on one May 7th, and the presentation of the peace terms on another. If that torpedo had never been sent on its wicked murderous journey, in violation of all laws of civilized nations, if the under-sea campaign of ruthlessness had not been developed, the chances are that America would not have entered the war. Who shall say what might or might not be the result.

  No one will know how distinctly that thought owes its origin to the fate of the Lusitania, if the hundreds who perished with her could speak, they would probably construe it as an inevitable decree of the law of compensation, that the German delegates should be standing with bowed heads at Versailles waiting to receive the sentence of a world court on the fourth anniversary.

  Too much praise cannot be given to the Burt county boys who entered the service of their country, it was the rank and file who won the war. American soldiers and American sailors have never failed the country, when the country called upon them. They went in the hundreds and thousands into the war just closed. They went to die for the great cause of freedom and civilization. They went at their country's bidding and because their country summoned them to service. We were late in entering the war, no preparation was made as ought to have been made for the great conflict, which experienced far-seeing statesmen could see was surely coming, but our brave boys went without adequate training or equipment and turned the wavering scale. It was done by the American soldiers, the American sailors and the loyal spirit and energy of the American people. They over-rode all obstacles and shortcomings on the part of the administration or of congress, and gave to their country the first place in the great victory. It was the first time that the United States was ever called upon to rescue the civilized world. Did it fail? On the contrary, it succeeded, largely and nobly, by heroism and bravery of our army and navy, and the patriotism of our people. When the emergency came we met it and we were able to meet it because we had built upon this continent, under our own distinctive American policy, the greatest and most powerful nation in the world. The one great element of our strength was that we had always held aloof from European quarrels, that we had no selfish interests to serve. We made great sacrifices, we won a great victory.

  All hail the American soldier and sailor who turned the tide of war, and brought peace to a suffering world. We have tears for the dead, sympathy for the maimed. May we all remember the sacrifice of our soldiers, that they may live in memory after this generation has passed away.