The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-11-22

thanksgiving In tnlS great Woriu "di. a. 'AiS
training stations. the ships which patrol the
coast lines in the submarines which move ABOUT
n hundred feet below the surface OF the water
and the great battleships on the hlgh seas
Thanksgiving day is to be observed as II never
before has been by the boys and men who are
dedicating their lives to Americas cause. 1t will
not be merely day of sensuous pleasures OF
stufng oneself with foods to please the taste
rather it will be day of mental inspiration. OF
n spiritual qualification, of thoughts OF home ana
those who dear.
In a general way the stories of how Thanksgiv-
ing is observed in the two branches of the Amer
lean fighting forces do not diner Soldiers VINO
are vet in this country will perhaps be given fur-
loughs that they can be with their families or
other relatives Thanksgiving day Sailors ana
marines who are detailed to the training stations
may be Invited out for the day or they may gather
In the big mess halls for a program. But the lads
who are far away from their loved ones, those
who on the high seas. Will experience 1eei-
ing entirely new to them. And 1t is going to have
tremendously important influence, too. FER
haps you have wondered some time or other why
the tight-fttng blouse the black handkerchief
and his saucy little white cap seem to give the
jackie more youthful appearance than the Khaki
or olive drab do to the soldier.
1t is not a deception resulting from a marked
difference in the uniforms. Rather this apparent
boyish appearance of the jackies In comparison
with the soldiers is reality. The jackies are
lust boys-the brightest youth of America, who.
before they have attained their manhood are
Offering their lives to make this country secure
from Prussianism and to establish peace through
out the world
A spirit of youth permeates the United States
nayy-au atmosphere which perhaps is not to be
found in the army Most of the boys. who are
being trained to man the battleships, and the
majority of those who already have met the Ger
man fleet in sea battles, are scarcely out OF their
teens There is n fascination for the sea, for the
experience OF moving about on the waters and be-
ing constantly in danger of attack from beneatn
the sea or by hostile ships-a something when
holds a peculiar charm for American youth. AND
So If is that the American navy is composed OF
n great host of young men-youth who seek ad-
venture those who eager to avenge the ter
rible atrocities wrought by Germany.
| Months have passed since many Of these young
tackles transformed In an incredibly short time
from schooboys to fighting men-o'-wars men, left
their mothers and their fathers to join other
youths in protecting our country from the raw
ages of a barbarian foe Their activities have
been so strenuous that few have had the time or
the inclination to mediate about their homes But
all of these boys have been separated from their
| own people long enough to give them sincere
longing to visit again hometown and to see mother
| Men of the army better able to combat a
feeling of ho.nesckness than the jackies can be-
cause the soldiers have come as u general rule
from the Offices from the cares Of business from
colleges ahd from situations which have, In their
very nature separated the men. more or less,
from their family interests. Should this state
meut sound exaggerated and false let me amend
If somewhat The soldiers probably are more
accustomed to absence from home than are the
soilor bows most of whom came directly from the
influence of their mothers and who are all by
themselves for the first time in their careers, con-
fronting some of the bigger problems of life.
| And so It is that this Thanksgiving the many
thousands of American boys who are fighting in
the first line of defense going to experience
great mental awakening-a spiritual change,
which might not have come to them under normal
conditions until they much older in years
| one experience. 1t will be perhaps their first
| Thanksgiving day on which they have actually
IN ken the ne to mediate over the blessings fof
| which they should give thanks.
| The boys probably have not previously had oc-
| cnsion to appreciate the home influence. They
| will rejoice in the knowledge that the United
| States now has navy which measures up to the
,>.st in the world They will be glad because they