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Page 8 TO hl laasWT^-rroarl H 3 Mji I® iml ll ifi UJfi oj Blffl M buwfc® BOT® I s \# \\ V \L* \ •<* i JlTli |! h ,u S’ i;i | ili; J £ffl 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