The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-09-04
NEW ARMY IS FIT
French People Are Well Pleased
With "KeecheenaireS"
Bring New Element Into Life at the
Front in France-They Sing and
Whistle as They March, Say
the Peasants.
BY FREDERICK PALMER.

British Headquarters, France.-The
"Keecheenaires," as the French peas
ants call the new army, have joined
"Tommee Akeens." the regular, and
the "Tereetoreeals" at the front.
Tommee begins to feel like the old
est inhabitant. BY the way, he does
not like to be called Tommy" though
the world persists in a word which
is as Objectionable to him as "Jacky'
is to the American bluejacket.
The British regular did all the fight
ing for the first five months of the
war. He had his jokes at the expense
of the Territorials, who are about the
same as our National Guard, when
they arrived. The Territorials thought
that they were made soldiers when
the war broke out; but they were
drilled some more and set to dig
ging reserve trenches behind the line.
In the spring they had their turn, and
the Canadians. too.
Don't be downhearted, There are
still some Boches left" the Terri
torials join the regulars in saying to
the new army. Beside the new army
the Territorials feel like G. A. r
men.
Its kind of you! We knew that
you could have killed them all of,
If you had wanted to-" the Kitcheners
reply.
Don't charge too FAST Wait for
us to catch up" call the regulars.
We'll wait on the Rhine!" answer
the new army.
Well named is the new army. 1t
has brought a new element into life
at the front When heard the tramp
of a company past my window the
other morning l guessed they were
new army men by the peculiar vigor
pavement. They bore the stamp OF
long route marches over English roads
and of the merciless formal training
of the drill ground.
If the average old-timer OF the
trenches had to run five miles against
the average new army man he would
be blown half away and the new army
man would trot past the goal an easy
winner.
The other night when one heard
some soldiers billeted in barn sing
ing one was certain without asking
that they were new army men.
The British regular rarely sings
in camp or on the march. Neither
elated or depressed he plugs along
doing his days work. AS the new
army flows in he will be outnumbered
but unchanged.
Those new army men were singing
God Save the King" before they lay
down in the straw for the night in the
land of France which was all so new
and strange to them and so common
place to the veterans. Their fresh
young voices were pleasant to the ear
1T is good. The Keecheenaires
sing and whistle as they march,. say
the French peasants.
Everyone hopes they will keep on
singing.
If there is any ornament which is
obsolete at the front it is the sword.
The sword is the officers symbol of
authority; the sign that he is on duty.
In place Of it the officer at the front
wears his sword belt. His sword
along with countless other swords has
been checked outside the cloakroom
of war along with his umbrella which
no one thinks of carrying at the front.
You cannot tell him from the other
officers except by his eagerness and
his battalion insignia.
For ten months the new army had
waited for it's Mecca. Its soldiers
have read all about the effects of
modern shell fire. They know what
they are in for. Learners, they came
among experts expecting to be nagged
a great deal as novices by the old
hands. and except for the veteran reg
ular's little jokes at their expense
they have found everybody veiy kind.
I'VE need you-and there can't be
too many of you," say the old-timers.
It's you who must finish the job
which we have begun"
There are men in this new army
who have incomes of ten thousand a
year digging trenches beside a man
who had not a shilling when he en-
listed. university graduates taking
their baptism of shell fire as privates
who pal up" with men who can hard
ly read and write
I'VE like the Keecheenaires." said
a Frenchman. They are all classes
shoulder to shoulder the same as in
our army. Rich or poor, a man is
nothing except the life he can give for
his country.