Richard K. Moore
On the eve of America's entry into World War I, Thomas O'Roark is struggling to come of age and overcome his sexual innocence while he seemingly has everything a young man of his time could ask for: A good job with a supportive boss, new friends, his first car, a room in town and a willing girlfriend. Then tragedy strikes.
His father dies, forcing him to give up his new found freedom and return to a life he hates under the wing of his over-protective mother. At the same time, thousands of other citizens are being denied their basic rights of free speech, press and assembly and the right to bear arms by vigilantes operating under the guise of patriotism.
A Loss of Freedom tells how Thomas and his friends strive to find their role in the turmoil of the nation's great crusade while also protecting their own freedoms. They risk their lives when they rescue a preacher, and later a school friend, from mobs trying to lynch them for speaking against the war. Thomas challenges local authorities over the jailing of his girlfriend's parents, who are being harassed because they are 'hyphenates', and confronts a sheriff who has killed his older brother, a member of the radical 'Wobblies'. He stands up for freedom of speech when at the behest of the nascent American Civil Liberties Union, he testifies in court for a neighbor who openly opposes the war.
The death of a friend in the war finally triggers Thomas' latent patriotism. He enlists in the Marines and is sent to France and the nightmare of trench warfare where he is wounded in the battle for Belleau Wood.
He then faces another decision that will affect his freedom. Should he return home where his beloved sister is near death from the influenza pandemic and his mother has been traumatized by the killing of her lover, or should he rejoin his buddies still fighting in the bloody 'war to end all wars?'
'A novelist with much passion and conviction.' 'His work is extremely appealing for its historical relevance and worthy theme.' 'His writing is solid.' That's how editors are describing the work of Richard K. Moore in his novel, A Loss of Freedom. Although this is his first novel, Mr. Moore has been writing professionally for over thirty years. He is a native of Fresno, California, where he graduated from Fresno State College with a degree in Journalism. Mr. Moore is retired and currently lives with his wife in Southern California.
Thomas bristled as he put down his cup of coffee, 'She's not fat---' He was interrupted by muffled sounds from the street outside. The babble of voices and laughter in the coffee shop was replaced with the scraping of chairs across the hardwood floor as people stood up for a better view through the hotel windows. Thomas and his friends also arose and could see a mob crowding along the sidewalk and half pulling, half dragging some hapless individual toward the middle of the street. A heavy rope was tied around his waist, and his hands were bound behind his back. He stumbled and fell to his knees as he was dragged off the curb, and someone kicked and jerked him back to an upright position. Although the mob was shouting and chanting at the victim, their words could not be heard inside the coffee shop.
Earl moved away from the table first and was followed outside by the others. From the cacophony of booing and shouting they could make out words and phrases like 'Goddamn Heinie,' or 'Get the tar and feathers' or 'String him up.' The mob had stopped moving now and formed a loose circle that filled the entire intersection. A great cheer went up as two young men broke into the center and began stripping the victim down to his skivvies.
Brad turned to one of the crowd and shouted above the noise, 'What the hell'd he do?'
'Made a speech in the park.'
'What about?'
'Bastard was speaking for Germany and knocking Wilson and America.'
As the four friends peered over the crowd, they could see the victim now had been stripped naked and was being punched and kicked by the two young men.
'Come on, this is too much,' Brad yelled as he started pushing through the mob, beckoning to his friends to follow. The foursome ran to the center of the intersection where Jack, Thomas and Earl flailed and pulled at the attackers as Brad lifted the victim to his feet. Led by Earl, they formed a flying wedge as they tried to rush him through the surprised crowd.
But the mob quickly recovered and the foursome now became the focus of its surging anger. Thomas and his friends found themselves fighting for survival, kicking and swinging wildly in an effort to break through to safety. Their struggle was finally eased as the wail of approaching police sirens momentarily distracted their attackers.
Earl was the first to make it to the perimeter. He turned toward the others, still dragging the semi-conscious victim, as Brad motioned to his friends to follow him into the hotel lobby. 'Come on, we can go out the back door. My car's in the alley,' he shouted breathlessly. Each of them was bleeding from cuts on his face and arms, and their clothing was badly torn. Brad was bleeding profusely from his nose and Thomas' eye was turning black and blue. One arm of Earl's jacket was torn completely off and he and Jack were limping.
They struggled through the still-crowded lobby, leaving a squiggly trail of blood on the polished wooden floor, stumbled into the alley and piled into Brad's Model T. He quickly set the spark and gas levers and ran to the front to crank it to life. Nothing happened. He cranked again, and the engine only coughed.
