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Show THE ZEPHYR MARCH 1991 PAGE 18 how the war began B.J. Eardley by June 28, 1914, Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand Is assassinated. Although the assassination takes place In the remoteness of Europe, Moab residents can read of the death of the Austrian crown prince In the July 3 edition of the Grand Valiev Times. The news article links the assassination of the Archduke with a curse against Ferdinands uncle, Franz Joseph, the Emperor of Austria. The death of Ferdinand, Joseph's heir, Is listed as another event In a curse which was placed on Franz Joseph by a Hungarian countess whose son has been executed for participation In the Hungarian revolution. The curse, the reader Is told, has entwined the life of Franz Joseph with a string of tragedies. He has lost a wife to assassination, a son to suicide and his brother, Maxlmllllan, In an execution In Mexico. The article doesn't mention that Archduke Ferdinand's assassin Is a Serbian. It doesnt relate that Austria Is accusing the Serbian government of attempting to overthrow the Austrlan-Hungarlmonarchy. The news story doesnt discuss the tensions among the various nationalities of Europe. There Is no account of the significance of the alliances of European powers that are competing for new economic resources, new regions to colonize, and new overseas bases to supply their ships. The article doesnt mention that the formation of these alliances will make It difficult to keep a conflict between Serbia and Austria from Inflating Into a large general war. The article on the death of the Austrian Archduke Is no preparation for a world war. By the first of August, however, Americans read that Serbia has Indeed declared y. war on Russia has responded to a request for aid by Its Serbian ally and In of Germany, support Austria, has declared war on Russia, France and Belgium. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson reminds Americans of the Importance of neutrality while Moabs On an To meet the demand for food by the U.S. and the ravished allies In Europe, Congress gains control of food distribution. In Moab 24 men enlist In the "Soldiers of the Soil campaign to raise beans and com for their country. Some young men, like the Meador brothers of Moab, have already enlisted In Americas fighting army. But, the U.S. knows that Its small volunteer army Is not capable of meeting the demands of a war In Europe. By the end of April, 1918, Congress passes a bill to raise an army by selective draft. The Grand In Westwater County Assessor Is charged with determining the names of men age 1. In men are targeted Moab 50 and Cisco 41 men are Identified; In Elgin 12 men are noted, and for the draft. Many of Grand County's young men have .never seen the country outside of southeastern Utah. They have never been on a train, or lived In a city, or boarded a transport ship, or marched Into a war front James Foy of Castleton Is the first Grand County boy to be drafted. He Is the first to appear for his physical, and the first to be accepted by the Selective Service. James leaves from Thompsons In November, 1917. Joining him are two Moab boys: Levi Taylor and Brig Larsen. Brig Is an only son. His parents and two of his sisters travel east with him. They the army will let Brig come home to help his father run their cattle ranch. hope 21-3- Austria-Hungar- Funenl of Janus W. Foy. first Moab sarvlco man to:. In World War I. Dwwntur IS, f ,17. Ides Theatre Invites residents to view "actual scenes of the countries, armies and engagements of the Great War In Europe shown In MOVING PICTURES. Every Saturday extra charge. the safety of the draped walls of the community movie theatre, America watches the war In Europe. The U.S. considers Itself relatively free from entangling political Interests and alliances In Europe. Yet, even Moab feels the first effects of the war. Through the pages of the Times. Consolidated Ores, which holds uranium Interests In the Pack Creek and Cane Springs uranium camps, announces that France has canceled all orders of uranium. By November of 1914, Consolidated Ores proclaims the uranium business dead night No From In Moab. Staying with private families outside the training camps, Brigs sisters hear the sounds of the trains coming In at night to take away another line of uniforms. The girls run to the station and gather up letters that the soldiers have quickly penned to loved ones, letting them know that their soldier Is destined for Europe. The young girls have to buy postage for most of the letters. They dont mind. They're doing their part The army doesnt let Brig come home. Essie Is the only Larsen daughter who rides and she Is the one that will try to take her brothers place on the ranch. Essie Is 12 years old when Brig enters the army. Conditions In the U.S. army training camps are overcrowded. Food Is poor. Medical care Is limited. have a cold, writes Brig, "and It seems like I never can get rid of It" James Foy, Grand Countys first draftee, writes: "My cold Is about all right We got another 'shot In the arm' for typhoid fever. My arm was a little sore this morning but I drilled all right James' next letter Is not so encouraging. "You see, he says, "my lungs have always been troublesome...tell all my friends and relatives helloand good-by- e.. Less than a week after his transfer from Camp Lewis to a horse detail at Newport News, Virginia, James Foy becomes the first Grand County soldier to die while In service to his country. On December 21, 1917, the life of James Foy Is claimed by pneumonia. In Moab, the entire town mourns the loss, and learns that there Is more to fear from the war than death on the 1 Three years later, Japan, Turkey, Portugal, San Marino, Bulgaria and Romania have Joined In a conflict which military experts are calling "the most fatal armed conflict In the history of the world. Although the United States has maintained Its neutrality, hundreds of Americans have been killed as the result of German attacks on U.S. merchant ships. President Wilson speaks out against offenses directed against citizens, but there Is no resolution. Unrestricted submarine warfare on U.S. ships continues. The U.S. also experiences terrorism, largely directed towards munitions factories. In February, 1917, President Wilson severs political ties with Germany. The Utah Legislature formally gives Wilson a vote of support as the U.S. citizenry rallies behind the president On April 2, 1917, Wilson ultimately appeals to the U.S. Congress to recognize the existence of a state of war with Germany. On April 6, 1917, Wilson signs Congresss resolution: "Therefore be It resolved that a state of war exists between the Imperial German Government and the Government of the people of the United States. Not quite three years after the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the United States enters Into Its first world war. Unaware at press time that war has been declared, Grand Valiev Times editor, LL devotes his April 6, 1917 editorial to the subject of the (Mperis front page news: a Taylor, to campaign develop the river road east of Moab. The proposed development Is encouraged as "a good canyon drive for the recreation of local people as well as a great drawing card for sightseeing motorists. Residents are Invited to Join the voluntary effort and bring pick axes, shovels, fishing poles, frying pans and edibles and make the campaign part of regular family outings. A week later, the spirit of the river road campaign has targeted a much larger Issue - America at war. The war fills the national news section of the Times. It crowds the columns of the front page with highlights of "Moabs Soldier Boys and flows Into the bold lines of merchant advertising as residents are encouraged to stock up at pre-w-ar prices: "...flour and sugar have both Jumjed $1.00 per hundred In 10 days, says Cooper Martin Mercantile. non-combat- ant . battlefield. In France, pneumonia takes Its second son from Grand County, young Phillip Campbell from Picture Gallery (In the Dolores Triangle.) By February of 1918, 34 Grand County men are In service to their country, the equivalent of one serviceman for every 20 residents. By the end of 1917, Cuba, Panama, Greece, Slam, Liberia, China, and Brazil have declared war on Germany. The U.S. government has taken over control of food production and distribution, the railroad, the telegraph, and the telephone, and the regulation of the use of gasoline. American schools stop offering courses In German language and literature. Grand county's fertile soil continues to provide fruit, com, and beans for the war effort, but shortages continue. The U.S. government encourages a "war diet of wheatless and meatless days. Moab tries to comply. During the winter, the area receives an economic boost when the U.S. government purchases from 1000-15tons of uranium from local mines. "Never In the history of the camotlte Industry has the demand for radium bearing ore been greater, says the Times. At the Ides Theatre, a new war movie, "War on Three Fronts", shows film footage shot almost entirely within enemy fire: "trench warfare, airplanes, submarines, artillery duels and fighting." In January, 1918, President Wilson announces his Fourteen Points as a for but the war continues. In order to raise money for the mounting cost of the peace, war, the 00 hand-to-ha- nd |
