The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1912-05-10
ARMY LIFE NOT SO
: BAD r YOU LIKE IT
SAYS ARCHIE DYBALL ON HIS
RETURN FROM FRONT.


Regiments. Ten Months on Mexi-
can Border was Sufficient.
Thinks u. S. Will Take Mexico
and War with Japan Will Follow.
"Oh! It's not so bad if you like it,
but didn't like it," said Archie
Dyball, referring to the army and
army life. Mr.. Dyball, who is a
Clio boy, the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
ChaS. Dyball, returned home last
week after over a years service in
The United States regular army.
Ten months of this period he spent
on the Mexican border where the
'boys in blue" or rather khaki
were expecting a forward march
order into Mexico at any time iii
order to compel the insurreclion-
lists TO be peaceful and law abid
ing citizens.
Following his enlistment Mr.. Dy-
ball was assigned to Company ID.
23rd Regular Infantry His COM
pany left indianapolis last spring
for lhe Texas border line and for
len months was stationed at III, Nc
intosh at Laredo. Texas. The life
OF the soldier in Texas during the
summer is anything but a dream
and il didn't take Archie very long
to conclude that it was AN right
if YOU like it," and that Michigan
was good enough for him. Enlist
ing as a cook, Mr.. Dyball was given
The Job Of hash dispenser in the
officers quarters. Making good on
his assignments and showing a dis
position to execute orders cheer
fully, he was made corporal,
later sergeant and finally given
charge of the expert riflemen.
Through his good standing with
The offers he was able TO obtain
his~Nafge after a years service.
on being questioned as TO the
food passed out to the soldier, his
reply was brief. "Ifs bum stuff"
he said. about once week the
boys get good square meal, but
The rest of the time they are fed on
beans and molasses and 'slum.' !"
-Slum' might be classified as junk
in the food line. The poor fool
and the abuse Of the men on
marches is given as causes for the
large number of desertions from
The army and Mr.. Dyball said that
the boys could not have been
blamed if they had mobbed some Of
The officers in charge of marches
in which he had taken part. On
one occasion the company took a
long distance forced hike of 33
miles in eight hours over the tor
rid Texas sands, each private car
rying load of about forty pounds.
On this march the company was
practically without water, as water
is q scarce article in that portion
of Texas, and nearly all of the COM
pany dropped from thirst and eX-
hauStion before reaching camp.
Only fifteen of the whole number
starting withStood the entire trip.
Mr.. Dyball characterizes this as no
less than brutality on the part of
the officers as tank of water
could easily have been ordered to
accompany the marchers and the
principal trial of the trip could
have been overcome.
'What is the meaning of having
the army on the border, anyway
was asked. The reply gave rather
a new complexion to the situation.
II was to the effect that orders
might be received at any time to
cross the Rio Grande and proceed
to take Mexico and add IL to- United
States territory. "If Roosevelt had
been. president we'd have Mexico
ais time, but Taft seems to be
ling il easy or rather, uneasy.
Os4he boys are expecting to- get their
orders 10 cross any time, however,
and when they do start something,
IL won't take only about three shells
from the American batteries to
bring old Mexico into submission
There is a reason for the delay
though, and that is the fear of what
the Japs will do, for If we take
Mexico, Japan has her eyes open
for it also and there'l1 probably be
something doing that's right"
After being transferred from La
redo to Fort Benjamin Harrison al
indianapolis, the company was In
winter training camp for a couple
Of months and just at the time thai
Mr.. Dybal received his discharge
was making all necessary. prepara