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About Falls City news. (Falls City, Or.) 190?-19?? | View Entire Issue (June 29, 1918)
OF CURRENT WEEK 6 D AN AMERICAN SOLHOt MIO w e n t « * Brief Resume Most Important Daily News Items. COMPILED FOR * AKllUB fillY EHPEY YOU MACHINE GUNNER,.JERY1NG IN fRATtCE---------- Events o f Noted People, Government* C 1*7 BY wwniiff tnrry and Pacific Northwest and Other Thing* Worth Knowing. Charles J. McCarthy was Tuesday inaugurated as governor of the terri tory of Hawaii, succeeding Lucius E. Pinkham. President Wilson w ill deliver a Fourth o f July address at Mount Ver- non. Va.. in connection with a cele bration in which representatives of allied nations will participate. Discontinuance of instruction In Ger man at the University of Denver was announced Wednesday. During the second semester o f this year only 50 students enrolled in the German class es. Clarence Young o f the American aviation forces, while making a flight, was compelled to descend within the Austrian lines. His comrades have assured headquarters he was not in jured. Representatives o f civic organiza tions o f Washington, Oregon and Idaho, at a conference in Seattle Mon day. adopted a plan of organization for a zone industrial commission of the war industries board. Mexican sisal growers have entered into an agreement with the food ad ministration to sell in this country 500,000 bales of this year's sisal crop at a price 3 cents a pound below that received last year. Coal dealers and distributors are prohibited in a fuel administration order from adding to the price of coal they now have on hand the freight rate increases on this commodity which became effective Tuesday. The Dublin police have seized 40,- 000 rounds o f ammunition found in a consignment of grain in the Smith- field market. It is believed the con signment formed a part of a cargo of arms and ammunition landed on the northern coast some time ago. A Washington dispatch says the en tente allies are earnestly seeking a so lution of the Russion problem— one that w ill assist President Wilson in the execution of his pledge to “ stand behind Russia"— and latest reports from Europe indicate that progress is being made. Lloyd George, in discussing the war situation Monday in the bouse of com mons, referred to the amazing organi zation which was bringing American troops to France. “ Enough Americans,” he added, “ have arrived to satisfy the allies and to disappoint and ultimately defeat our foes.” American troops on the Marne front Monday night captured the northwest ern part of Belleu Wood. The Am eri cans cleared this strategic position of all Germans, captured some prisoners and took fiv e machine guns. The Americans are now in complete posses sion o f the woods. More than 700 men of draft age were rounded up by the New York police in the Brownsville district o f Brooklyn Tuesday and questioned concerning their registration cards. The raid was prompted by local draft officers, who were disappointed in the registration of June 4. The accusation that Alonza Sargent, engineer of the empty troop tw in which crashed into the Hagenbech W allace circus sleepers near Gary, Ind., causing the death of 85 persons, was asleep at his throttle, was made Tuesday by J. McFadden, attorney for the Michigan Central railway. A proclamation issued Tuesday de clares the seaport of Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, to be a special military area. This means the same system of martial law has been applied to Tralee as has been enforced in the County Clare. Permits will be necessary for persons to enter the prescribed dis tric t The Austrians have been able to make virtually no progress against the British forces holding an important section o f the line on the Italian front, says a London dispatch Thursday. Drenching rains on the Flathead ••eservation, Montana, have saved a probable wheat crop o f 2,000,000 bush els just as farmers were gettin g ready to turn stock into their fields, accord ing to reports. Oniy five minutes were required for passage Thursday by the senate o f the annual general pension bill, carrying $220,000,000, the largest pension measure by $12,000,000 in the govern ment’s history. Austria’s grain supplies have com pletely run out and such food o f this nature as she is g ettin g is coming from what Germany has allotted to her from the Ukrainian supplies, ac cording to indications in a Copenhagen dispatch to the London Exchange T ele graph company. I 'T h e Americans in the W oevre sent their first gas against the German lines from projectors Wednesday morn ing. A German raid at Remieres Wood was repulsed. Some o f the enemy were killed and one prisoner was taken. EMPEY TAKES HIS FIRST TURN ON THE FIRING STEP OF THE TRENCH WHILE BULLETS WHIZ OVERHEAD. Synopsis.— Fired by the sinking o f the Lusitania, with the loss o f American lives. Arthur Guy Kmpey, an American living In Jersey City, goes to England and enlists as a private In the British army. A fter a short experience as a recruiting officer In Loudon, he fs seut to train ing quarters In France, where he first hears the sound o f big gun* and makes the acquaintance o f “ cooties." A fter a brief period o f training Empey’s company is sent lit o the front-line trenches. C H A PTE R V. Mud, Rats and Sheila. I must have slept for two or three hours, not the refreshing kind that re sults from clean sheets and soft pil lows, but the sleep that comes from cold, wet and sheer exhaustion. Suddenly, the earth seemed to shake and a thunderclap burst In my ears. I opened my eyes— I was splashed all over with sticky mud, and men were picking themselves up from the bottom o f the trench. The parapet on my left had toppled into the trench, completely blocking it with a wall o f tossed-up earth. The man on my left lay still. I rubbed the mud from my face, and an awful sight met my gaze— his bead was smashed to a pulp, and his steel helmet was full o f brains and blood. A German “ Minnie” (trench mortar) had exploded In the next traverse. Men were digging into the soft mass o f mud in a frenzy o f haste. Stretcher-bear ers came up the trench on the double. A fter a few minutes o f digging, three still, muddy forms on stretchers were carried down the communication trench to the rear. Soon they would be resting “ somewhere in France," with a little wooden cross over their heads. They had done their bit fo r king and country, had died without firing a shot, but their services were appreciated, nevertheless. Later on, I found out their names. They belonged to our draft. I was dazed and motionless. Sud denly a shovel w ts pushed Into my hands, and a roush but kindly voice s a id : “ Here, my lad, lend a band clearing the trench, but keep your head down, and look out fo r snipers. One o f the Fritz’s Is a daisy, and he'll get yon If you’re not careful.” Lying on my belly on the bottom of the trench, I filled sandbags with the sticky mud, they were dragged to my rear by the other men, and the work of rebuilding the parapet was on. The harder I worked, the better I felt. A l though the weather was cold, I was soaked with sweat. Occasionally a bullet would crack overhead, and a machine gun would kick up the mud on the bashed-ln para pet. A t each crack I would duck and shield my face with my arm. One o f the older men noticed this action o f mine, and whispered: “ Don’t duck at the crack o f a bul let, Y a n k ; the danger has passed— yon never bear the one that wings you. Always remember that If you are going to get It, you’ll get It, so never worry.” This made a great Impression on me at the time, and from then on, I adopt ed his motto, “ I f you're going to get It, you'll get it.” It helped me wonderfully. I used It so often afterwards that some o f my mates dubbed me, “ I f yon're going to get It, you’ll get it.” A fter an hour's bard work, all my nervousness left me, and I was laugh- ing and joking with the rest. A t one o'clock, dinner came up in the form o f a dixie o f hot stew. I looked fo r my canteen. It had fallen off the fire step, and was half burled In the mad. The man on my left noticed this, and told the corporal, dishing out the rations, to put my share In his mess tin. Then he whis pered to me, "Alw ays take care o f your mess tin, mate.” I bad learned another maxim o f the trenches. That etew tasted fine. I was as hungry as a bear. W e had "seconds,” or another helping, because three of the men had “ gone West,” killed by the explosion o f the Oerman trench mortar, and w e ate their share, but still I was hungry, so I filled In with bully beef and biscuits. Then I drained my water bottle. Later on I learned another maxim o f the front line, “ Go sparingly with your water.” The bully beef made me thirsty, and by tea time I was dying fo r a drink, but my pride would not allow me to ask my mates fo r water. I was fast learning the ethics o f the trenches. That night I was pat on gnard with an older man. W e stood on the fire step with oar hands over the top, peer ing out Into No Man's Land. It was nervous work fo r me, but the other fel low seemed to take It aa part o f the night's routine. Then something shot past my face. My heart stopped beating, and I ducked mjr head below the parapet. A soft chuckle from my mate brought me to my senses, and I feebly asked, "F o r heaven's sake, what was that?” H e answered. “ Only a rat taking a promenade along the sandbags.” I felt very sheepish. About every twenty minutes the sen try In the next traverse would fire a star shell from his Hare pistol. The “ plop" would give me a stnrt o f fright. I never got used to this noise during my service In the trenches. I would watch the arc described by the star shell, and then stare Into No Man's Land waiting for It to burst. In Its lurid light the barbed w ire and stakes would be silhouetted against Its light like a latticed window. Then darkness. Once, out In front o f our wire, I heard a noise and saw dark forms moving. My rifle was lying across the sandbagged parapet. I reached fo r It, and was taking aim to fire, when my mate grasped my arm. and whispered, “ Don’t fire.” He challenged In a low voice. The reply came back Instantly from the dark form s: "Shut your blinkin' month, ~you bloomin' Id iot; do you want us to click It from the BoohesT” Later we learned that the word, “ No challenging or firing, wiring party out In front.” had been given to the sentry on our right, but he had failed to pass It down the trench. An officer had over heard our challenge and the reply, and immediately put the offending sentry under arrest. The sentry clicked twenty-one days on the wheel, that Is. he received twenty-one days’ field pun ishment No. 1, or “ crucifixion,” as Tommy terms it. This consists o f being spread-eagled on the wheel o f a limber two hours a day fo r twenty-one days, regardless of the weather. During this period, your rations consist o f bully beef, biscuits and water. A fe w months later I met this sentry and he confided to me that since being “ crucified,” he had never failed to pass the word down the trench when so or dered. In view o f the offense, the above punishment was very light. In that falling to pass the word down a trench may mean the loss o f many lives, and the spoillug o f some Impor tant enterprise In No Man's Land. I C H A PTE R VI. I .1 \ "Back o f the Line." Our tour In the front-line trench lasted four days, and then wa were relieved by t h e ----- brigade. Going down the communication trench we were In a merry mood, al though we were cold and wet, and every bone In our bodies ached. It makea a lot o f difference whether yon are “ going In” or “ going out.” A t the end o f tbe communication trench. Umbers were waiting on the road fo r us. I thought we were going to ride back to rest billets, but soon fonnd out that the only time an in fantryman rides is when be is wounded and is bound for the base or Blighty. These Umbers carried our reserve ammunition and ratlona. Our march to rest billets was thoroughly enjoyed by me. It seemed as I f I w ere on furlough, and was leaving be hind everything that was disagree able and horrible. Every recruit feels tbls way after being relieved from tbe trenches. W e marched eight kilos and then halted In front o f a French estamlneL The captain gave the order to turn out on each side o f the road and wait his return. Pretty soon he came back and told B company to occupy billets 117, 118 and 119. Billet 117 was an old stable which bad previously been occupied by cows. About four feet In front o f tbe entrance was s huge ma nure pile, and the odor from it was anything bat pleasant Using my flashlight I stumbled through tbe door. Just before entering I observed a white sign reading: “ Sitting 60, lying 20,” but, at tbe time. Its significance did not strike me. Next morning I asked the sergeant major what It m eant H e nonchalantly answered: “ That’s some o f the work o f the R. A. M. O. (Royal Army Medical corps). It simply means that In case o f an at tack, tbls billet will accommodate fifty wounded who are able to alt np and take notice, or twenty stretcher It was not long after this that I was one o f the ‘“JO lying.” I soon hit the hay and was faat asleep, even my friends the “ coot!#*" failed to disturb me. The next morning at about six o'clock I was awakened by th# lane* corporal o f our section, Infonulng m# that I had been detailed as moas or derly, and to report to the cook and give him a hand. I helped hltn make the fire, carry water from an old wall, aud fry the bacon. Lids o f dtxlea are used to cook the bacon In. A fter breakfast was cooked. I carried a dlxla o f hot tea and the lid full o f bacon to our section, and told the corporal that breakfast was ready. He looked at m# O stars of Freedom’s banner bright In contempt, aud then shouted, “ Break That clustered shine In field ol blue. fast up. come aud get It I" I Immedi From faint lar depths of bcaveu’s ately got wise to the trench parlance^ height and never again Informed that “ Break Your constellated fires you drewl fast was served.” From starry ways of ages down It didn't take long for the Tommies You bring th* light of old renown I to answer this call. H alf droaaed, they lim'd up with their canteens and Greece first your dawn-bright radiance I dished out the tea. Each Tommy knew carried in his hand a thick slice o f When Freedom’s atar roes o’er tbs bread which hud been Issued with tbs dee rations the night before. Then I had And Athena’ glory full orbed grew the pleasure o f seeing them dig Into When Parthenon crowned the Acrop m the bacon with their dirty fingers. The olis steep. allowance was one slice per man. The The fame of Greece then brightly shone late ones received very sinull slices. With splendor since through age* Aa each Tommy got bis shure he Im known. mediately disappeared Into the billet. I’retty soon about fifteen of them made But kindled by Promethean fire a rush to-the cookhouse, each currying (Far other lands roes Freedom's a huge slice o f bread. These slices atari. they dipped Into the bacon greasa Unquem hed by blood, they etIU aanlre which was stewing over the fire. The Where far beyond th* old world last man Invariably lost out. I was bars the lust man. They rose above the new world bright A fter breakfust our section carried And blent as one their kindred light their equipment Into a field adjoining the billet and got busy removing the Long may these stars undimmed etill trench mud therefrom, because at 8:45 shine a. m„ they hud to fall In for inspection In Freedom’s gloriouc galaxy“ und parade, and woe betide the man Long may our Und still be the shrine who was unshaven, or had mud on Ida T o all the world of Liberty. uulfortu. ricunllness Is next to godli Whose statue stands at Freedom's câ \ ness In the British urniy. and Old Pep- gates per must have been personally ac And for the coming millions wait* I quainted with St. Deter. Our drill couslsted o f close-order — //. T. SaJJuih i* N il* York HiorU (J formation, which lasted until noon. During this time we hud two ten-min p«i*t was the first place In the Uniteli ute breaks fo r rest, and no sooner th* States to be named for Washington word, “ Fall out fo r ten tulnuteu,” was aud that Its existence antedates by given than each Tommy got out a fag years Washington. D. C. and lighted it. When General Washington was In Fags are Issued every Sunday morn Curllslo during the whisky rebellion ing. and you generally get between he, with Alexander Hamilton, w oe twenty and forty. The brand gen stilped In the “ Old Presbyterian Meet erally Issued Is the “ Woodbine.” Some ing House” on the public square In times we are lucky and get “ Gold- Carlisle, and It wua tu Hits Identical flakes.” “ Flayers” or "Red Hussars.“ meeting house, on July 12, 1774. a year Occasionally nu issue o f “ L ife Kays“ before the Mecklenburg declaration, a comes along. Then the older Tommies OaHlala, Pa., Claims to Hava Had public meeting o f patriotic cltlsena Immediately get busy on the recruits Within Its Limits a Station of Im gathered from the town and surround- and trade theso fo r “ Woodbines” or portance That Antedates th* Nation | lug country, condemned the act o f th* “Goldflakea.” A recruit only has to al Capital by Many Yaara— Made British parliament and urged vlgoroui be stuck once In this manner, and then Flrat Movo fo r American Liberty. measure* to correct the wrong. Col. he ceases to be a recruit. Thera la a John Montgomery was the presiding A R L IS L E . Pa., claims to have officer. James Wilson was present and bad within IU limits the first was appointed one o f lire member* ol place ( WaahlngtonburR) In the the committee to meet with other com United State* to be named for m lttre* to tuke action, lie was later a George Washington and to have the member o f tho Continental congress, a oldest meeting house west o f the Sus signer o f the Declaration nnd a Jnatle* quehanna. wherein the genn o f Am eri o f tbe Supreme court. Wing's history can liberty wa* conceived. states, “ snd when In the Continental Access to hidden record* und fuct* congress he received Instructions from long burled In ulnte archive* I* re III* constituents In Cumberland county writing history und a lately discovered to advocate an entire separation iron “ Uncompleted Paper” by the lute Ftho mother country. This was prob Christian I*, liumrleli, Esq., disclose* ably the first utterance o f thnt sent! the fact that on the present site of the moot o f the country." United States Indian school at Car Bancroft’s Tribute to Wilson. lisle In prerevolutionary time* wa* an Bancroft says o f W ilson: “ H e wos nr establUhment o f “ recognized Impor ardent patriot, like many other ernl tance, and o f great hl*torlcal interest,” nent men o f that day— not at first known us Wushlngtoiihurg. avowedly In favor o f severance iron: No record Is found In state or coun the mother country, hut he desired It ty of Its existence, but research shows when he received definite Instruction that It was quite an Important place from his constituents." and more than a suburb o f Carlisle. llellmnn, writing o f the potency ol It was a national and not a »ta t« es- this meeting held In the "Old Meeting nmise” on July 12, 1774, snys: "The Influence, therefore, o f tho meeting, m of subsequent Instructions to which It gnve rise, seems to have determined the action o f Pennsylvania In that Resting Back of the Line*. great crisis which men even like John reason. Tommy Is a great cigarette Dickinson were too timid or too cow smoker. H e smokes under all condi ardly to < loet.” tions, except when unconscious or The "vote o f James Wilson deter when he Is reconnolterlng In No Man’s mined the vote o f Pennsylvanls. Had Land at night. Then, fo r obvious rea Pennsylvania failed to accept the reso sons, he does not care to have a light lution we today would be under an ed cigarette In his mouth. other (lag. Stretcher bearers carry fags fo r Philadelphia mny be considered "The wounded Tommies. When a stretcher birthplace o f American liberty,” hut bearer arrives alongside o f a Tommy Its conception In the “ Old Presbyterian who bas been hit the following conver Meeting House,” In Carlisle, Cumber sation usually takes place: Stretcher land comity, Pennsylvania, made It bearer— “ Want a fng7 Where are you possible to be born. hit?” Tommy looks up and answers, The Heoteh Irish part 111 the Revolu “ Yes. In the leg.” tionary war and the events preceding A fte r dismissal from parade, we re It la becoming more apparent and Im portant, and the actions taken In the turned to our billets and I had to get Presbyterian meeting houses through busy Immediately with the dinner Is out Pennsylvania are vital to historic sue. Dinner consisted o f stew made from fresh beef, a couple o f spuds, recital. bully beef, Maconochle rations and wa Principle Must Be Adhered To. ter— plenty o f water. There Is great One of the statesmen who fnshloned competition among the men to spear this government upon Its broad llnea with their forks tbe two lonely pota James Wilson. thnt have endured left us the guiding toes. tabllshment, fo r "Col. Flower, Commls- words thnt “ eternal vigilance Is the eary-Oeneral o f M ilitary Stores,” re price o f liberty,” nnd WO should hold quests that he might have "Carpenters, fast to that In all our future; that Back on the front line, after a Farriers, Gun Smiths, Tinmen, Had- vlgllnnce which shall make us pre stay in rest billets, Empey gats a I dlers and Shoemakers" for work at pared In pence for possible wnr, pre shock when a German bullet cute , this place. pared In wnr fo r promised peace, and down his flrat friend o f th* watchful both In peace nnd war for Coal Used Industrially. trenchea. He telle the etory In Dr. Charles F. Himes o f Dickinson the principles snd the policies which the next Installment. | college w rites: “ It was, too, an up-to- have safeguarded the constitution and I date, or rather, away-abead-of-date, which will save. If anything will save, (T O B B C O N T IN U E D .) establishment, at least In regard to our republic till nations are no more. MILITARY POST - THAT WAS NAMED FOR WASHINGTON C fuel employed, for anthracite coal from Make Light o f Heavy Loads. Wllkeabarre region was floated down T b e streets o f Jerusalem within the tha Susquehanna and hauled In wagons walls are as narrow and crowded that j from Harris’ Ferry (Harrisburg) to It la Impossible to drive a wagon this point. This wns the first use of through them, and many o f them ar* such coal, on such a scale, and for In- built o f a aeries o f steps upon tbe hill side, so that it la a task to lead camels ; dustrlal purposes." Evidence o f the large force o f workmen employed Is or donkeys through them after sunrises found In a meat bill, dated February 7, Therefore moat o f the carrying and 1781, fo r 1B0 head o f beef cattle to pottering la done by men. They carry supply the artificers and others at the most surprising loads. I am told Washlngtonburg, at the “ Continental that they will step along hrtakly with works nenr Carlisle.” 600 pounds on tbelr backs, with stoat T h * contention la that this military ropes holding the bundles to their f t r p Bhrh>nf^ ( t Put His Americanism First. “ You must remember,” said he who first rsme to us as Marquis de la Fay ette when he wns asked by what title ho preferred to be addressed when he wns last on these shores, “ that I bib an American general.” He had renounced meanwhile one o f the proudest patents o f nobility la France thnt he might feel stronget within him the call o f freedom. Th* reply Is characteristic o f hla wholt outlook o f life. ■)