Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 12, 1922)
20 TILE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, NOVEMBER 12, 1923 Mr Qti2en-Veieran "BY HARRY B. CR1TCHLOW. FOUR years ago this morning John Smith, typical soldier of the A. E. F., opened a pair of sleepy eyes, gazed at his surround ings In a shell-torn old French barn, stretched a t'red body, scratched some dried mud from behind his ear and wondered. There was a strange ! feeling in the air. It was something that he was not accustomed to. He! eould hear the voices of comrades who had arose at an earlier hour, but there was something lacking. Noises to which lie had become ac customed were no longer audible. The guna, strangely, were silent. Then he remembered the day pre vious an armistice had been signed,! the Germans had laid down their arms before defeat and extermina-! tlon came to them and for the first time In almost rive years there was peace in Europe. i When, shortly before 11 o'clock tng day previous, the word had been passed down the line that there had been a signing of an armistice Johm did not believe it. Like the vast majority of his comrades, he was skeptical. He had made the trip across the seas believing that it would be four years before the' war could possibly be ended. He had joined in the cry of "Heaven, Hell or Hoboken before Christmas," and knew that it was merely a matter of time untillthe boche Quit; still he did not believe that it could pos sibly occur before spring. Metz had to be taken and that would require thousands of lives, the maiming of thousands of comrades and the passage of many bloody days. . He lighted . a cigarette as the bugler blowed "Soupy-Soupy-Soup." shifted his coat, which he was using as a pillow and decided to dispense with breakfast. Well, suppose the war was over, when would he get to go home? There were2,000.090 men in France. The fastest the government had ever dispatched troops to Europe was at the rate of 200.000 a month. At that rate it would take more than six months for all to get back across the At lantic. John was sure that it would be just his luck to be in the last contingent that bid farewell to the shores of France. After all, there was little satisfaction in the news that the armistice had been signed. It means a. possible slackening up of military discipline and ..maybe more liberty, but home was a long way off. John wondered what the folks back home were doing.. Of course they had heard of the' armistice. Possibly there had been a celebra tion similar to those of a New Year's eve. Possibly a few of the boys had imbibed too freeiy and were feeling "it la the morning after." He con trasted the possible celebration with that he had experienced in the hours that had passed following the march from the front line to the destroyed town where he now: was. He recalled- the fact,, that there iiiiu ueeu nine cneenng wnen me news of the armistice had been given out. The men were too tired to cheer. Upon their deadened senses the word that the war had ended rjiade a very slight impression. Pos sibly they could get some sleep, rest their tired bodies, find a bath and eliminate the cooties, but they did not cheer. As darkness came they watched the Frenchmen in a nearby sector burning red fire and illumi nating tne skies with rockets as they drank their issue wine and ex perienced the first real joy they had known in years. .The "Frogs" al-j ways were "haywire" anyhow. - Thoughts of home came to John as Jie.lay there and smoked. Eventually he would get back to the old home iown. He knew the old friends 'would greet him with outstretched, wms. He would be a hero and would suffer none of the ostracism that would undoubtedly fall to th,e lot of the man who claimed exemp tion or did his "military duty" in the shipyards. He wondered how it would feel to get back in civilian clothes once more. His girl would he glad to see him, he knew. The joy of meeting her would compen sate him for the many hardships he had suffered in France. - Contrast John's actual homecom ing with the one he dreamed of in France as he lay there that morning following the armistice. How was he to know that: his old friends would greet him with; ..."Hello, John. Let me see. You have been away somewhere for quite a while, have you not?" 'He would find himself one of 2.000,000, just a common -man in olive drab.' The uniform was to mean nothing to the eyes that had grown accustomed to it .during the war. Gold chevrons oa either arm were to become commonplace. Wound stripes might have a sig nificance, bitt. unless the man who wore them had lost a leg or an arm or had a badly disfigured face, which would give people an opportunity to stop and stare, they would mean not a great deal. How was John to know that the mind of the American public had not been greatly disturbed by the cowardice of the men who had, for no. legitimate reason, claimed ex emption? It would have caused him some concern had he known that the term was. one that was being ap plied to any and all who wore ; uniform during the war. The man who had captured a couple of ma. chine guns and wiped out a score of Germans was to become not much more than a "buck private" in the hero ranks. From a distance of several thou sand miles John could not keep an eye on his girl. How was he to 'know that she had been going out with a flat-footed shoe clerk while he was in France and that she was to greet him with the "cold shoul der" when he returned? To John, as he lay in that billet, the future looked bright. He be lieved that promises made to the men who donned the uniform for their country's sake would be lived up to. He pinned his faith in the patriotism of his countrymen. He believed that the respect for the flag that had caused all to doff their hats as the colors went by would endure. It would have caused him some bitterness had li4 known that in four years, when columns of veter ans, in their worn and trayed uni forms were marching through the streets, men would gaze at the flag without removing their hats while others stood by and made no objec tion. John was getting: a "kick" out of the signing of the armistice as he lay there In the billet. He was com fortable, even if his present quarters had once been the bedchamber of a French peasant's horse. The lack of fighting would give him more time to sleep. , Probably the top sergeant would be a more congenial soul than he had been for a long time and would eliminate a lot of detail that had appealed to John as wholly un necessary. . .. Just then the stuffy atmosphere of John's quarters was cut with the shrill whistle of the ."top cutter." "Get out here in line, you birds," ylled the sergeant. "The war ain't over yet. Get out here and fall in line." John hastily drew on his shoes (he had slept in his breeches and shirt), wrapped his puttees, donned his coat ":.' - - . Andrew Koerner, who has 1een nominated for adjutant of Port' land post of the Legion lor 11)23. and hat and hurried down in forma tion. "The. general says that the armis tice is not going to make any dif ference," declared the sergeant. "Probably we won't do any more fighting, but we'll drill for sis hours each day. Headquarters has mapped out an intensive training programme for the next war, so don't you birds get any funny ideas regarding rest." "Oh hell, let's go on with the war;" mumbled John as he trooped back to his horse barn to put his blankets in order. There will be another determined fight t the December meeting of the Amerjcan Legion in Portland to determine who are to be the officers of the post for 1923. At. the meeting held last Monday night nominations were made as follows: Commander, A. D. Monteith, r. Eugene Rockey and James W. Morris; vice-commander, Pat Allen, C. A. Bankhead and A. P. Rufner; adjutant, Andrew Koerner and T. E. Garbade; finance officer, Dan Upp and J. E.Llewellyn; executive committeemen, Eugene Oppenheimer, Harry B. Critchlow, John Beck with, Kenneth Cooper, G. W. Yates, Ben S. Morrow, Dr. J. G. Abele, D'. Quesenberry, J: C. Cooper, F. M. Phelps, A. T. Welch, James R. Bain, R. I. Mundell, W.'E. Kearns, Myrtle Keizer, Joseph Hammond, Martha Randall, M. W. Case, Arthfcr Murphy, H. C. Brumbaugh, Bruce Schumann, Miles McKey, A. K. Pix ler and A. T. Kurtz. ; Boy! Page the haberdasher. Here comes a "bird" with a swelled head. Glenn H. Ticer is the man In mind. He is the father of a 7-pound boy, who has a lot to live down through the fact that he has been named Glenn H. Ticer II. The youngster, who is Mr. Ticer's first, was born Thursday morning. Thousands of incidents of the world war that would have found a page in the records of previous con flicts between nations have been given obscure places in the records that date from August 1, 1914, to November 11, 1918. The sacrifice of a thousand livesito tke a given ob jective meant nothinv when great gains were to- be madl in achieving the ground sought. The sacrifice of these lives has mention, but little else, in the war history. In late 1914 the Germans had not yet learned the true value of the French 75 artillery piece. In all other artillery weapons the forces of the kaiser were more efficient than those of the French, but the little 75 was in a class by itself and was soon to so demonstrate. The Germans were pushing the French back along the Aisne river in October, 1914. To the right of Baupaume a battery of French ar tillerymen armed with the 75s were stationed. They were holding a po sition which the Germans needed in order to proceed. A detachment of 2000 Death's Head Hussars, the pride of the German cavalry, was dispatched to silence the artillery. Gallantly (and in all fairness the Boche were gallant at times) the detachment moved rap idly towards the French guns; The gunners, seeing them coming, : un hitched their horses, swung the small guns to face the enemy, and waited. " " Then, when the Germans were within a short distance of the French, each 75 spoke and the front line of the advancing horses went down a mangled mass of. men and animal flesh mixed with leather and steel. The guns spoke again and again and each time took their ter rible toll. Not one German horse man turned back, but pressed on toward those guns. It was a slaugh ter that even the most experienced of the French artillerymen had dif ficulty in witnessing-. When it ended not one of the Ger mans was alive and the field of battle was one of the most bloody the war was to know. Not a French artilleryman lost his life. In other wars this incident would have been as famous as that of the famous 600 British under Lord Cardigan in the Light Brigade charge at Bala- klava. Chaumont end of the line indicated the wood that had been held Impos sible by the French and British. "Yes, that has been taken," was the reply. "We met with no- re sistance there." "How about the trenches?" was the query. "Those, too, passed into our hands when the first wave went over," the front line man replied. "Are you sure?" "Yes, with my , glasses I can see our troops on beyond the trenches now." When the French and English of ficers were called into conference prior to the St. Mihiel drive there was one thing concerning which they were not informed. They did not know that the plans of the Germans for the St. Mihiel salient were in the hands of the Americans, that the Boche had planned a withdrawal from the sector which was to be in the nature of a 36-da programme. They did not know that the Ameri cans were to strike on the first day of their programme and find the front trenches abandoned and much artillery mired ya the mud on bad roads Where it was easily captured. - Glenn L. (Scotty) Dutton has re signed his position with the United States Veterans bureau and will leave next week for La 1 Grande where he will engage In the gen eral merchandis businss.. Dutton was one of the star backfleld men on the Oregon Agricultural college football eleven before the war. When commsioned at the Presidio ! Dutton was sent to Camp Lewis I where he was assigned to the 362di infantry. He served with that unit during-the war. ... A. B. Richeson,-formerly major of the 364th infantry, is1 responsible for the following story- of ah incident which he witnessed. Major Patterson of Philadelphia and of the 79th division had been wounded through the 3eg and had been taken to the hospital. He was on the litter Just ahead of Richeson. Two German prisoners were carry ing litters and seemed to be en tirely satisfied with their jobs. Both were big blonde men and they were well trained in litter carrying. They picked up Major Patterson and started to carry him into the tent. When the wounded Officer saw that he had two Boche as litter carriers he started to swear. He moved himself forward on the litte'r and started kicking, the German ahead with his good foot. 'Give me a gun and I'll kill one German," he said. The big Boche on the back end of the litter saw the humor of the sit uation and started to laugh. He spoke to his comrade who was the recipient of the major's gentle, but well intended kicks. The German in front looked around and saw the American .officer with teeth set en deavoring with all his might to in jure him with, a few kicks. A smile overspread his face and he seemed pleased to think that the officer. although wounded and weakened would have remaining "pep" enough to try to fight him. A motion-picture star of national fame will be the headliner at the Night in Paris" show to be given New Year's eve in the municipal auditorium, according to Pat Allen, general chairman of the commit tee of Portland voiture of les 40 liommes et 8 Chevaux, which in staging the entertainment. ; George Latimer left Thursday for Los Angeles, where he will make an effort to sign Bebe Daniels to i a contract which will bring her here ' for the American Legion's enter tainment. If Miss Daniels cannot be obtained for the show, a motion picture actress of fame will be obtained. The basement of the municipal Auditorium will be made use of in the "Night in Paris" show this year. It will be converted into a maze of French streets. Miss Josephine Dillon of the Metro Pictures corpo ration is here now and is arranging for the staging of a "Tableaux of Nations." She will also have charge of the costuming of the scores of persons who will play the part of Apaches in Latin quarter scenes. Fred Kiddle, vice-commander of the state department of the Ameri can Legion, was In Portland for a few days during the week. Kiddle is a member of the La Grande post of the legion and has been active since the organization of veterans was first started in eastern Oregon. Ben F. Dorris, "filbert king" of Lane county, put in an appearance in Portland Friday for the purpose of attending the reunion of the 91st division. Another out-of-town vet eran of the Powder river unit was Dr. W. Carlton Smith of Salem, who served as a major, in the 316th sani tary train. A reception in honor of Edward J. Elvers, who was elected national chef of les 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux at the convention in New Orleans, was held yesterday afternoon fol lowing the parade in the -Benson hotel. Approximately one-half 'of the membership of the local organi zation of the playground attended the gathering. Refreshments were served. Plans of the Americans for the taking of the St. Mihiel salient had been made by the operations section of G. H. Q. A group of officers were clustered around a series of maps in headquarters a few. days prior to September 10. 1918. Upon invitation a number of French and British officers entered the room and observed for the first time the plans. "What do you think of them?" In quired one of the Americans of the senior French officer. "It is true they look all right on paper," declared the Frenchman, "but they will not work out when put in action. You will lose many, many men here," he went on as he placed his finger on a spot repre sentative of a wood. "You will be unable to drive the Germans from that stronghold and you will be un able to take these trenches. It is impossible. We have tried -and failed." V- -.. - The senior British officer ex pressed his opinion; ,: "I agree with my comrade of the French army," he said. "The plans are not practical. The Germans have amassed too many men there, v You cannot-take those' woods -arid your men will pile up By tne nundreds before trenches that will remain In the hands of the Germans." A famous newspaper correspond-1 ent and writer whos& war stories are known all over the world was called into the conference. He gazed at the map. "All I can see - is hundreds of Americans going before those trenches; dropping- wounded and dead and then falling back to rush again. Dead men are piled high and there Is a dreadful loss of life. I do not believe the sector can be taken." A few days later the drive started. Back in Chaumont around the tables were gathered almost the same offi cers, Th telephone j-ang. It was" headquarters of the operations sc tion of the corps at, St. Mihiel. "Have you taken the woods?" was the query and the officer, at . the i Herbert Hoover Secretary of Commerce, after a' most searching inves tigation in different sections of the Uaited States, finds that the greatest. cause for industrial waste is SUB-NORMAL VISION Sub-Normal Vision, or Eye Strain, also causes waste ' IN Business and Pleasure, IN Work and Play. IN Earning and Learning. IN Everything we do. It can always be checked and generally made normal with my 'Perfect-Fitting Glasses. 25 Years' Experience 10,000 Satisfied Patients Dr. WHEAT OPTOMETRIST Eyesight Specialist Suite 207 Morgan Bldg. It is always a source of real satisfaction, when guests come, to know that your furniture reflects an atmosphere of warm wel come. It is not the amount of money you spend but the discrimination with which your furniture is selected that determines its charm. In fact, at the low prices we are now quoting on furniture of distinction and fine character, youwill find that a modest expenditure can achieve an effect of pleasing beauty when good taste and a knowledge of furniture styles go hand in . hand. Let us help you make your home ready for that time when guests come. Buy now pay next year your credit is good. Living Rooms That Welcome Guests Everv line of this living room invites you to sit down and relax in genuine comfort. It is the kind of living room furniture that not only will add distinction to your home but will give years and years of satisfactory service. The interior construction is the finest, with coil springs used throughout; while the upholstering is in beautiful velour with outside backs fully covered. It is a fine example -of the savings now. in effect. Specially priced at. Gadsbys' 0 I QO Cfl y -. v.ww.w- Davenport $08.00 upholstered In velour. Upholstered in best grade mohair $185.00. in velour Bedroom Suites at Unusual Savings In our large department devoted to bedroom suites, you will find some of the greatest values of the season! Beautiful suites in the latest period styles, in all the more desirable woods' and finishes, at the greatest savings we have offered in - many a year. The most comprehensive variety of beautiful styles in the city at prices so low they scarcely seem believable. For instance, there are wonderful suites, including such combinations as a bed, dresser, ehif- 01 0Q Cj forette and vanity dresser, etc., .at prices starting as low as VlUJiUU A Charming New Dining Room Suite IN BEAUTIFUL, TWO-TOSE WALNUT Imagine the pride any hostess would take if this euite were in her dining room on Thanksgiving Day. It is a new pattern, Tudor in design, and it includes the rectapgular table, the buffet, five side chairs and an arm chair. Finished in rich two-tone walnut. jPllil8jsjijp 1 YEAR 'ROUND GAS RANGE 4 NO SEPARATE HEATER REQUIRED i The comfort of coal or wood heat, so much desired in cold weather, Is obtained from the kitchen heater at the end of this Wedgewood Range. This enables you to enjoy the con venience of Gas Cooking at all times. Hot water coils may be installed . in the heater if desired and extra cookinpr space is provided on top. You can cook with gas and coal or wood at the same time. .Tout old stove taken as part pay ment on a WEDGEWOOD Gas Kange. WEDGEWOOD Gas Ranges are sold on liberal credit terms. Library Tables If you are looking for a library table that will har monize perfectly with your other furniture and yet great ly improve the appearance of the room, come m and see the beautiful new creations we are showing at prices start ing as low as $15.00.' Floor Lamps It will be a simple task for you to choose your new floor lamp from the comprehensive variety of new creations we are now showing. The lamp pictured is a typical exam ple with a beautiful silk shide an.'d fringe. Its price complete is $19.75. Windsor Chair A true copy of an old Colo nial model with the tradi tional lines of the real Wind sor tjrpe in mahogany with a rusn seat, mis cnarmmg chair is specially priced at only $12.50. Tea Wagons Every discriminating hostess knows the subtle touch of charm that a tea wagon adds to a dining room. This drop leaf model with wood wheels 4with rubber tires is finished in mahogany and a fine value at $35.00. 6-piece William & Mary Dining Suite Pay $7.50 Cash, Then $t..0 Weekly Even those who know Gadsbys' reputation for low prices will be surprised at this splendid value. A 45-inch Round Dining Table, in oak, with five genuine brown leather seat Chairs to match (all quite like one pictured, but table has no center leg). This outfit would cost much more elsewhere than Gadsbys' CRA 7R special price of Util An Arm Chair May Be Added for $9.75. Queen Anne Table & 5 Chairs $71.50 The very latest Queen Anne Table, either round as pictured or in the new oblong shape, and five Chairs to matoh, aW in walnut finish. Chairs have genuine blue leather seats. The set 7 I Cfl complete at Gadsbys - W' ,,ou EASY TERMS, AT GADSBYS' Day Beds Are a Great Convenience If you expect to have guests over the holidays, you will find a day bed not only adds to the attractive appearance of your living room, but it will also serve as a full size bed if needed at night. A single motion con verts it instantly. This model, made of -all steel, comes com plete with an all-cotton mat tress and a resilient set of springs. It is an extraordinary value at its low price, $29.50. bums coal ' or woodj Delivers This Heater exactly as pictured. Front rail. Full nickel band. Large nickel swing-cover top. Large mica front door. Heavy cast linings, duplex grate and ash pan. Height to top urn 37 in.; width of body 20 in.; diameter fire pot 14 in.; floor space 20x17 in.; weight 115 lbs. TERMS $1 A WEEK Complete Home Outfits This great home-furnishing institu tion is the recognized headquarters for home outfits of distinctive char acter. Thousands of homes every where in the community are fur nished with our home outfits a special better home service that has been of real assistance to the many young couples starting housekeep ing for the first time. 1 CORNER SECOND AND MORRISON STREETS Best Showing of RUGS Loivwt Prices Ealet Terms 9x12 Velvet Rugs, fringe. .3. 75 9x12 Axminster Rugs 38. S5 9x12 Tapestry Rugs 33. OO 9x12 Tapestry Rugs 29.00 9x12 Wool and Fiber Ruga 18. SO 9x12 Wool and Fiber Rugs 16.00 Smaller Rugs as cheap as 3.50 WF, HAVil ALWAYS TAKEN PARTICULAR PRIDE 1 Olll Rugs and Carpets "Whatever you buy here mntt give 70a a Hundred Cents Worth oC Value for each dollar it costs thut'n why we sell Vhittall Rugs Easy Credit Terms S50 WORTH OF Fl'R.VITCRF 3.00 CASH, 91.00 WEEK 975 WORTH OF FrRNITrRK 97.50 CASH. 91.50 WEEK 9100 WORTH OF FURNITURE 910.00 CASH, 92.00 WEEK 9125 WORTH OF FURNITURE 912.50 CASH, 92.25 WEEK 9150 WORTH OF FURNITURE 915.00 CASH. 92.50 WEEK Gadsbys' Charge No Interest.