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Trench and Camp
Published weekly at the National canton
ments for the soldiers of the United States.
National
Room 504, Pulitzer Building,
New York City
ADVISORY BOARD OF CO-OPERATING
PUBLISHERS •
JOHN STEWART BRYAN, Chairman.
II C. Adler, Chattanooga Times.
C. 11. Al-en. Montgomery Advertiser.
P. T. Anderson. Macon Telegraph.
F. S. Baker, Tacoma Tribune.
W. W. Bull, Columbia State.
John Stewart Bryan, Richmond News-
Leader.
Harry Chandler, Los Angeles Times.
Amon C. Carter, Fort Worth Star Tele
gram.
Elmer Clarke, Little Rock Arkansas
Democrat.
Gardner Cowles, Des Moines Register.
R. A. Crothers. San Francisco Bulletin.
Charles S. Diehl, San Antonio Light.
E. K. Gaylord, Oklahoma City Oklaho
man.
F. P. Glass. Birmingham News.
Bruce Haldeman, Louisville Courier-
Journal.
Clark Howell, Atlanta Constitution.
James Kerney, Trenton Times.
Victor F. Lawson, The Chicago Daily
Nows.
Charles E. Marsh. Waco Morning News.
Frank P. MacLennan, Topeka State Jour
nal.
A. L. Millor, Battle Creek Enquirer-News
D. D. Moore, New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Fleming Newbold, Washington Evening
Star.
Gough J. Pa’mer, Houston Post.
Bowdre Phlnizy, Augusta Herald.
Don C. Seitz, New York World.
Rudolph C. Siegling, Charleston News and
Courier.
H. D. Slater, El Paso Herald.
W. P. Sullivan. Charlotte Observer.
James M. Thomson, New Orleans Item.
Published under the auspices of the Na
tional War Work Council of the Y. M. C. A.
of the United States with the co-operation
of the papers above named.
Distributed free to the soldiers In the
National Camps and Cantonments.
A NEW TRADITION
At a meeting in one of the large
National Guard camps the other Sun
day evening a brilliant preacher, with
a national reputation for eloquence,
was the speaker. He was no longer
eloquent—instead he was uncouth.
His finely turned phrases had given
place to a torrent of slang. Almost
at times he was on the ragged edge of
profanity. »
But he was highly pleased with him
self. Leaving the building in com
pany with a chaplain he said in sub
stance, “I think I am able to appeal to
men.”
Then the chaplain’s turn came. He
wanted to know why the speaker had
assumed, because the men wore uni
forms, that they were debased; why
he had descendedjfrom the heights he
trod at home to the level of the gut
ter; why the speaker could not un
derstand that the uniform was a mark
of distinction instead cf disgrace;
and, in fine, why so many speakers
assumed that soldiers necessarily were
bestial.
_ The sneaker attempted an explana
tion. But the chaplain cut him short
with the statement that if he had been
, preaching from his own pulpit he
■ would not have dreamed of address
ing these same men in the manner
itb.at had characterized the talk just
' given.
j At first the speaker would not ad
mit that he had erred. He spoke of
the crimes that had always been as
sociated- with the soldiery, he told of
the misdoings that always characteriz
ied the grouping of men. But the
chaplain insisted that the American
soldier was a man very “different from
the traditional soldier. Because he
was different, said the chaplain, he
would not pillage and assault. Briefly
the American soldier was a man taken
from homes just as good as that from
which the preacher came. It was very
early in his military experience for all
the home training to be dissipated.
The ta'k cf the speaker and the
chaplain was interesting for another
reason, than for its purely personal
concern. It reflected an opinion that
was well established in the minds of
many: As soon as a man donned a
uniform he necessarily became de
based. Some of the large cities near
camps and cantonments, while proud
cf their own men, because they knew
them and sending them off with cheer
ing and with weeping, dreaded the ar
rival of those scheduled to train in
t the vicinity—but only because they
did not know them.
For weeks after the -troops began to
arrive and it was seen that they were
just as worthy of trust and esteem as
were the boys that had been drafted
or that had gone with the local Na-
“ ✓"XUR object is, of course, to win the war, and we shall not slacken or suffer ourselves to be diverted until it is won.
a na fi on we cre united in spirit and intention. I pay little heed to those who tell me otherwise.
* They do not touch the heart of anything. They may safely be left to strut their uneasy hour and be for
gotten. * * . *
“A supreme moment in history has come. The eyes of the people have been opened and they see. * The hand of
God is laid upon the nations. He will show them favor, I devoutly believe, only if they rise to the clear freights of His
own justice and merqy.”— Excerpts from President Wilson’s message to Congress in which he asked for a declaration of war against
Austria-Hungary.
TRENCH AND CAMr
tional Guard troops, the townspeople
doubted their discovery. But now the
behavior of the soldiers has firmly
fixed their place in popular under
standing.
Cities and towns are proud of the
proximity cf the camps and canton
ments.
The behavior of the American sol
diers at home augurs well for their
restraint abroad.
It has made a new tradition for the
soldiery.
A HERO IN SILHOUETTE
A great arsenal was threatened.
Flames already had destroyed a build
ing. One explosion followed another.
Beneath the feet of those on the
arsenal grounds was enough explosive
to destroy a city.
On guard at the arsenal were raw
troops. They were young men who
had voluntarily enlisted for service in
the National Guard. Only a negli
gible percentage could boast any mili
tary experience.
Yet they rose to the demands of
that midnight alarm. They formed
fire lines and prepared for the work
of prevention and rescue.
Thousands of civilians, men and
women employed in the arsenal build
ings, hurried from their places to the
grounds, and into the city streets.
They saw flames leaning high above
the tallest buildings. They saw a
quick flash,here, another there. They
heard heraids of impending doom, the
explosion that came with greater fre
quency.
The raw troops went on unconcern
edly. The danger was just as great
for them, greater in fact. The one
thing to do was to save the magazines.
If those preat storehouses went up,
ruin would be complete.
Cool and collected the Commandant
of the arsenal viewed the firefighters
as they worked. He was a well dis
ciplined man. Every suggestion he
made was the result cf a quick but
careful survey. So completely in pos
session of himself was this army
trained man that he was overhead to
remark, “We had planned to tear
down thnt ruined building. If we can
confine the flames the fire will prove
a blessing instead of a disaster. It
will actually save money to the gov
ernment.”
Looking up at the building he spoke
of, the Commandant saw a sheet of
flame. Silhouetted against it was the
figure of a soldier.
It w-is a National Guard private.
Witl ' is bare hands the soldier was
picking burning brands from the roof
of the magazine: and he was kicking
away cinders. Also he was directing
by gesture—for his voice could not be
heard—the streams of water so that
the walls would not become over
heated.
Beneath him lurked death—not
alone for him, but for his comrades
and for thousands of others, perhaps.
The magazine was saved. Disaster
was averted.
Some of the young man’s comrades
were eye-witnesses of his bravery.
Few cutside the regiment know the
story. But the Commandant of the
arsenal has told the authorities in
Washington and it may be that this
young hero will wear one of the
world’s most coveted military medals.
Vet he never saw a battle line.
Those of the soldiery who are left
to serve in this country may believe
that the tasks to be done here are not
worth-while. They may resent the
fact that they are not chosen to be
on the battlefront. Let the lesson of
this hero, now only in silhouette but
soon to be completely identified, teach
that our tasks and duties are what we
make them and that there is oppor
tunity for real and worth-while serv
ice no matter where we are.
1
PATRIOTIC HAWAII
Hawaii has furnished a remarkable
example of patriotism. She has con
tributed more than twice her quota
of volunteers for the army and navy
and asks that credit for them be
waived so that more of her 26,33 7
eligibles for selective service may be
taken into the National Army.
. SEND IT HOME
Trench and Camp contains the
news, gossip, chatter and humor of
the camp in which you are living. Do
you know anything else that would
be more acceptable to the members
of your family? Seat this paper
heme. _
CANTONMENT TYPES
THE MISPLACED PRIVATE
r
YOU know the Misplaced Private. He is a relative of the fellow who,
when in civil life, knew how to run the office better than the boss.
He should be a general or a colonel, but by some oversight of the
War Department he is wasting away in the ranks. He says so himself.
Or, if ho doesn’t admit it openly, everything he does and says implies that
he is a big calibre gun, being wastefully used as a side arm. Every thing
is a grave mistake. This fellow has intimate,'first-hand dope that it is.
If he were only where he thinks he should be —at the top—there would
bo improvements everywhere, in everything. He would shatter into bits
the scheme of things entire and remold it nearer to his heart’s desire. The
food would be different, the plan of training would be changed, the dis
cipline would be revised, the equipment would be of another sort.
For The Misplaced Private never agrees. He always has something
better, not for any other reason than that it’s his own—his idea, his
opinion, his little, single-track notion. His ideal is himself, exalted, lofty,
superior.
What a blessing that he is Misplaced, and not where he thinks he
should be. His sort will always -fee lower than self-esteemed worth de
serves, according to his estimate. That assurance delivers us from the
menace of The Misplaced Private.
The Listening Post
Soldiers in the various camps and cantonments are requested to send
the latest camp stories to the main office of Trench and Camp for publica
tion in its columns. Address your contributions to Room 504 Pulitzer
Building, New York City.
Following are some stories that are
told by soldiers about actual experi
ences in the field:
WEARY
A company commander, in charge
of negro troops, became deeply sym
pathetic for them after four hours of
intensive drilling. Standing in front
of his men he made this statement:
“I don’t want to be too hard on you.
I will excuse from this afternoon’s
drill any men who do not want to go
out, but this will not happen every
afternoon. I am doing it because I
don’t want to drive you too hard at
the start. Let those who don’t want
to go out step forward one pace.”
Instantly every man except one
stepped forward.
The captain looked at his troops
and thought that among them there
was one at least who bad the mak
ings of an exceptional soldier. Look
ing at the lone man, he said: "John
son, how does it happen you don’t
step forward?”
The answer was drawled back:
‘Boss, ah’s jus’ too tired.”
HE REMEMBERED
The same company commander
went out one night to find out how
the guard duty was being done. Sud
denly a deep voice rang out calling,
"Halt! Who’s dere?”
“Friend,” was the response.
"Advance, friend, and be reor
ganized,” was the answer.
Going to the sentry who had chal
lenged, the captain—after establish
ing his identity—said: "What are
your general orders?”
The colored soldier, hesitated a
moment, then he said: "You know,
boss, das funny, but ah knew dem
ver’ well when ah started out but ah’s
jus’ clean forgot.” Then he paused
a long lime impressively. Suddenly
he drew himself up to his full height.
"Yes, boss, ah know. You walk your
post in a military manner and you
take everything in sight.”
THEY SAILED AWAY
long tour of guard duty
of one of the Eastern regiments, a
sentinel was stationed on a lone
bridge. It was his first time on guard
and soon he found himself seeing
things at night.
An intruder came nonchalantly
along despite the challenge. The
sentry challenged again but no at
tention was paid to his warning ex
cept that the position of the cigar
ette smoked by the approaching fig
ure showed that his head was held
high in the air. Angered by this
defiance, the sentry fired a shot.
Telling of it, wide-eyed, when the
corporal of the guard had arrived,
he said: "The man and the cigarette
just sailed over the river.” The cor
poral said:
“The next time you see a lightning
bug, you will fire no shots or we will
know the reason why.”
“LEST WE FORGET’’
A young man in one of the West
■ern regiments committeed some
minor infraction of the regulations
Dec. 19, 1917.
for which he was ordered to do
kitchen police duty. Writing home
to his mother he remarked casually
that he was now doing kitchen police.
His fond parent wrote back: "My
son, do not let your sudden climb to
authority make you forget that you
were once a private yourself.
SEE CANVASMASTER
In the Middle West there is a sol
dier so fat that all his friends wonder
how he ever passed the surgeoii, but
he prides himself on the fact he is
as hard as nails and says that no
medical board could ever find fault
with him. Several weeks ago he sent
a cotton uniform to the laundry. It
came back with the curt comment:
“We do not launder tents.”
MEDICOS PUZZLED
There is another story of a fat
soldier. He was suffering from ap
pendicitis—or thought he was—and
presented himself to a surgeon at
sick call. The surgeon had become
very tired of seeing men who were
trying to evade drills, and, calling
over to his Major, he said, in loud
tones: “Fat man thinks he’s got ap
pendicitis. Shall we operate or
blast?” The soldier suddenly was
cured, or reported that he was, and
did his drill uncomplainingly.
A REAL SKIRMISH LINE
The old joke about a yard of skir
mish line took a peculiar turn in one
of the National Guard regiments. A
recruit appeared at the tent of a
company commander and, presenting
another®captain’s compliments, re
quested one yard of skirmish line.
The company commander hesitated a
momeitt and then had an inspiration,
for in his tent was a pet snake meas
uring about one-half yard. Carefully
wrapping it up, he sent it to the prac
tical joker with his regrets that he
could only supply one-half yard.
The joker, thinking the captain
had devised some new turn to the
camp humor, gleefully opened the
package containing the snake and let
out one unholy yell. His ideas of
humor no longer included victimizing
recruits.
15,000 NURSES NOW ENROLLED
Fifteen thousand nurses have al
ready been enrolled by the American
Red Cross, many of whom have vol
unteered for war service, according
to a statement made public at Red
Cross headquarters. About 2,000
have already been sent to Europe.
It is estimated that the present reg
istered force is sufficient to care for
an army of a million and a half, and
approximately a thousand nurses are
being added monthly.
BIKES FOR COURIERS
Uncle Sam has bought 10,00 0
bicycles to be used by army messen
gers and couriers. Each “wheel” is
to be equipped with an attachment in
which the khaki-clad rider may carry
a rifle. The machines are designed
to carry 200 pounds of rider and 50
pounds of equipment