Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-10-24
JUST BACK FROM
THE MEXICAN BORDER
Chaplain Home on Furlough Says
Iowa Troops are the Most
Popular in Texas.

Des Moines, Oct. 24.-"To be from
Iowa covers multitude of sins on
the border" said the Rev. Thomas
IS. Humphrey, pastor of the Clifton
Heights Presbyterian church. who
went to the border as chaplain of
the Third Iowa infantry, and who
was the only chaplain Of the Iowa
brigade when he returned Saturday
night on a fifteen day leave of alb
|sence.
DR.. Humphrey left "his boys" on
the Rio Grande after having devel-
oped the highest possible opinion of
their capabilities as soldiers and of
their worth as citizens and men. He
said that Brownsville and the entire
border have come to share his opin-
ion of the Iowa guardsmen, and that
they are among the most popular
troops which have been stationed
anywhere along the river.
iowa has every reason to be
proud of her representatives on the
border" he said. "They have won
place in the affections Of all with
whom they came in contact, for they
have gone about the business of fit
ting themselves for service Of the
highest efficiency, and they have
succeeded.
"In the review of the troops by
General Funston the Iowa brigade
was the only one-not excepting
even the regulars-which was APP
plauded as it passed the stands. They
are no longer rockies. They are
hardened and trained so that they
can hike with the best and can en-
dure more than most of the guards
men from the other states"
The Iowa men stand out promi-
nently in the army, according to Mr..
Humphrey, not only in excellence of
training but in manner of life and
their. camps are models of cleanli-
ness for the rest of the border. Cen
eral Funston took occasion to COM
pliment and congratulate General
Allen on the appearance of the camp
and spoke particularly of the Com
pany B camp where the Des Moines
boys make their border homes. Com
pany B, as have other companies,
has beautified it's streets with flower
gardens and with large designs in
shells, spelling out the names of the
regiment and company. All Of the
trees which were left standing for
shade have been trimmed and the
trunks whitewashed.
"The Iowa boys are homesick and
they want to come home" Mr.. Hum
phrey continued. when you ask
them when they are coming they in
variably reply that they are coming
the first They mean that they are
to be the first to be sent home and
they are coming at the first oppor-
tunity.
when they do come Iowa will
find the boys it sent to the border
greatly improved. They are strength
ened, are becoming more self-reliant
and will make better citizens
Mr.. Humphrey declared that most
of the stories of the conditions of
squalor existing in and around
Brownsville have been greatly exag-
gerated. immortality among Mexican
women as a class is myth, he said.
The redlight district of Brownsville,
which he inspected personally, he
found to be inhabited by more than
SO per cent of American women,
whereas the population of Browns
vile is more than four-fifths Next
can. Sanitary conditions also have
been made 80 per cent better than
when the guards arrived there, he
said, and the city seems to have TAX
en- new pride in keeping itself
clean and in starting civic improve
ments.