The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1908-08-01
REAL HEROES IN PHILIPPINES
"Lite Brown Men, Do Splendid Work for the Govern
nent in UNFOLDING the Glory of the
American Flag.
American Flag.

Under the glare Of skies rejecting
with fierceness the enervating heat Of
the near equator sun, in the triangles
Of miasmatic jungle and in mountain
fastness far away from anything that
resembles civilization, an army of
Little Brown Men is playing an i'm
portant part in upholding the glory of
the American fag-unheralded, I'M
sung, all but unknown.
You back home who have not for
gotten that the Philippines exist, prob
ably look upon this land as one in
which the American army lolls about
in luxury, it's most active diversion he
ing to watch the antics of the busy
Filipino politico. You give no thought
to the Filipino soldier. Why should
you? You hear nothing Of him. He
has no press agents, no newspapers.
Free from impelling desire to rule ond
squeeze" his fellow nationals, he
takes no hand in political strife AMI
prates not of immediate independence
in order to get Office. Instead, he
goes about his duty as a soldier
should, quietly, silently.
The American soldier has his his
torians and his poets to recount his
brave deeds, and worthy is he of their
prose and their song. SO beautifully
has he contributed of deeds to furnish
inspiration for patriotic tongue and
pen that the budding Kiplings Of the
Philippines have dealt only with him.
The little brown soldier who wears
Uncle Sans khaki has not yet figured
in the poetic picture. Sonic day there
may come from among his people one
with a song for his good work and
daring deeds, but so far he has had to
be content with seeing these deeds re-
corded only in the curt, cold comment
known as general orders and official
reports. If he ever INDUCES in phil
osophiZing it is just possible he may
find satisfaction in the fact that his
official commentator comes from men
who have known him best.
Are Kept Very Busy.
There is, however, no external evil
dence that the scout wastes much of
his time in wondering why his deeds
do not figure in the poetry columns
of the Manila papers, or whether the
eighty-odd millions in land he never
has seen talk Of his work. He con-
tents himself with doing the best he
knows how. His captain knows, and
that mightier man they call major
knows, and he has been told that even
the great man who presides over his
destinies at division headquarters
knows-and appreciates. So he is
glad, especially when rate is good and
there is the real work Of the soldier
to do.
He loves that work. Those who
know from experience pay tribute to
his qualities as a fighting man. Of
f1cers and men in the American army
are not sparing in their praise of their
fellow soldiers Of the Philippine
scouts. The American soldier has had
occasion to test their quality in the
days of the empire, and, in spots,
since, and he has a respect for the
little brown men who may have once
been his enemies but who are now
fighting by his side.
The most valuable testimony to the
efficiency of these Filipino soldiers
comes from those in the best position
to Judge, the military experts who
have had to do with them. Though
short in stature, they are sturdy; in