davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06

He was only partially in accord with
the prophets of preparedness. 1t was
true that his country should be "ade-
quately prepared" but it was not true
that universal military training was the
solution. He had only to look back
three years to see that militarism was
at the root Of all Europe's woes. Sc
cretly he agreed with Mr.. Bryan that a
million men would leap to arms if his
country needed them. (He didn't pro-
claim the belief publicly because as
Republican he had an inherent convic-
ton that nothing good ever came from
persons of opposite political faith.) He
was dimly conscious that the million
would need some sort of preparation
before they could leap at an enemy, but,
as in the case of the U-boats, he didn't
pursue the thought to its painful and
disturbing conclusion.
Naturally. the declaration of war
dazed him. He had always treated war
as he treated the devil---as an abstract
evil, a bugaboo to frighten children
with. War was. in fact, one of the least
real things in the life of man who
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06
Bv PARKHURST WHITNEY

Curiously enough, his conversion came
about in cabaret, though possibly his
previous experiences in motion picture
theatres paved the way for the apothe-
osis. He was not man to take motion
pictures seriously, he often explained,
but he often dropped in to take his
mind off business cares. Now, what
ever else one may say of them, motion
picture theatres have always fostered
enthusiasm for the flag, and as fire.
quent patron he fell under that inhu-
ence, immeasurably heightened by the
war.
The habit of rising when the national
anthem was played didn't come easily,
for he usually visited the theatres when
he was torpid with lunch. But when
he caught the spirit-with the help Of
black looks from greater patriots-he
became a great stickler for observance
Of the custom. He began to talk about
it reverently. 1t showed National Pride,
he said, Something Greater Than-The-
Individual.
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06
RIL JONES. PUZZLED PATRIOT

already done our bit and still want to do II over
again will be restored to citizenship and given
some sort of chance"
Progressive army officers also believe the
War Department will later repent Its failure
to collect the names and records OF previous
service men too old to take active commis-
sions. or otherwise barred, who are perfectly
fitted for training purposes They are being
ignored and even rebufed under the present
system.
Others whose records are being ignored are
the scores of National Guard officers VINO, dis
satisfied with the policies and the inefficient
higher leadership of the Guard resigned upon
their return from their duty on the border, in
the expectation Of getting commissions in the
Officers Reserve Corps. These officers had
from four to nine months training in actual
command of troops in the field during the
Mexican trouble which is next to the final test
Of an officers ability. The War Department
apparently counts this OF little or no value
Their applications for examinations were duly
filed after their designations, and most of them
were ordered to report before the examining
boards between April q and June /. On April
20 came the order doing away with the ex-
aminations for commissions and requiring all
applicants to attend the training camps for
three months before even having chance to
be commissioned These former officers, despite
their experience and their service, must now
make an even greater sacrifice than they did
when they gave up their businesses to serve
on the border, in order to compete with hun
dreds of civilians for commissions which may
be from one to three grades below those which
they formerly held.
For from some mysterious source has come
an unwritten order-an age rulng-which Sc
verely penalties the young ex-oficers. Whether
this rule will apply at the training camps
mains to be seen, but before the training camps
order was issued there was dissatisfaction and
criticism because the younger applicants,
gardless of previous service and experience,
were commissioned according to age.
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06
Instances of How an Unprepared
Democracy May BIunder

Among such>cases quoted in letters of COM
plant to Congressman was one in which
prominent business man, forty-two years old,
who had been to two summer training camps
came up for examination at the same time as
National Guard major, thirty-two years DID,
who had been promoted for his excellent work
on the border, and had resigned from the
Guard after returning home The inexperi-
enced but comparatively aged business man
the former major was made captain.
The business man may make fine major
but the former major somehow has feeling
that perhaps he was entitled to little more
consideration.
A similar instance was quoted of two former
West Pointers going up for examination. One,
thirty-three years old, had attended West
Point for two years, and the other, twenty-five
wears DID, had attended the Military Academy
for three years. The older man was made
captain and the younger a first lieutenant.
Fairness to the examining board makes it nee
essary to say that personality as well as age
may have been a determining factor in this
case.
Personality, however, had nothing to do with
the case Of a newspaper man of thirty-two
who had had no experience save the drill in
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06

way from the training camp to the trenches
Il got my discharge when President Wilson
broke off relations with Germany" he said "be-
cause thought might be of some service IN
training our army. | arrived in the United
States on April II, and went Immediately to
Governors Island to apply for examination IN
the Reserve Corps.
"'We can't take you; you're an alien they
told me, though was born and educated IN the
United States, and love this country as well as
President Wilson does. You'll have to be nat
uralized before you can apply they said.
"Then | asked if couldn't volunteer just to
help train the new troops, and they said the
War Department had made no such provision
"'Then just take my name and call on me if
you need me-" said; but they told me they
couldn't be bothered with that because they
were already heels over head in work, and it
wouldn't do any good, anyway. guess they
were telling the truth, too.
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06
There Are 10000 Bill JOneSeS in
the Metropolitan District

SO perhaps Bill decides to join Home De
fence company or potato club, or perhaps he
decides to let his business and his family suffer
while he CANDLES on being the one out of each
three attending the camps to be picked as one
of these "frst 10000" In either event Bills
patriotism has received JOLT and he has an
active dstrust of the War Department planted
in his mind.
There are 10000 Bill Joneses in the metro.
potan district. Hundreds of letters denounc-
ing the War Departments shortsghtedness
have been received by General Wood, but
neither he nor Major Dorey, head of the train
ing camps in this district, had anything to do
with the order nor were they in position to
remedy the shortsightedness in any way One
letter sent to the War Department is typical
of many.
Il served as a corporal and sergeant in the
Spanish American War" it said. "Then had
ten wears in the National Guard as sergeant
and lieutenant.
Two years ago Degdn dH aOCiNe SIuuy VI
the modern principles of warfare and tactics.
During that time | drilled from two to four
evenings a week and have studied every even
ing, sacrificing my business interests to the
cause of my country.
when war was declared l pondered long
over what action I should take, for have
family which would suffer were to be lost but
at last decided that my experience and train
ing made me worth so much to my country that
my family must perforce risk the sacrifice. So
| applied for commission in the Reserve
Corps.
Then came this letter about the three-month
camps Of course, it shelves me and my study
and my experience, for | simply cannot af-
ford to go.
In business have been in charge of from
10 to $50 men; have been recommended for
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06

his college battalion twelve years ago and the
National Guard captain Of twenty-eight who
took their examinations together The cap.
tain had commanded company for six months
on the border and had been recommended
for promotion by his regular army commander
He was made a first lieutenant in the Reserys
Corps. and the newspaper man, to his own
amazement, was made captain.
All these are Incidents, Of course, and re,
to the men who were urged so enthusiastically
during two years of peace to prepare for any
call their country might make upon them they
seem strangely significant instances Of how an
unprepared democracy may blunder, even in
its supposedly practical and prepared War
Department.
Other things, too. have irritated or Dis
couraged the thousands who have been study.
ing military art and practical warfare. Only
a few weeks ago, after the declaration Of vu
hundreds of candidates for commissions IN the
Officers Reserve corps leaTheu ehurey y
chance that the signing of commissions had
been held up, and that instead the cand.
dates who successfully passed the difficult e1.
aminations were receiving certificates which
merely set forth that they had passed such
examinations-that, and nothing more. No as
sursnce vas given that the commissions would
be forthcoming later, nor were any reasons
given for the unexpected change. The cand.
dates naturally had the uncomfortable feeling
that they were being triled with and that the
War Department had no settled method Of
procedure in regard to the Reserve Corps, de-
spite the regulations governing it. Such meth
DDS must shake confidence.
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06
"My Country Has Rejected Ne
Without a Hearing"

rs this wisdom? Is this that policy of true
preparedness of which the War Department
has been prating? Should the department be
allowed to shelve me and 10000 others like me?
Ny heart is sore, for my country has rejected
me without hearing"
No bigger obstacle could have been imposed
than this no-pay plan, for it made the camp
training impossible for patriotic men of small
means and many responsibilities. Even though
it be repealed, those men cannot be among the
first 10000" Had the War Department in
tentionally gone about killing the ambition ana
spirit and patriotism of many thousands of
men it could not have done more.
In such cases as that Of Corporal Lester
Curran, however, it has done as much Curran,
late of the Seaforth Rifles, has seen two years
service in the trenches Of France. He was
born in the United States of American parent
age, was educated here, and joined the Cana
dian army only after the Lustania was sunk.
He was transferred to the SeafOrth Rifles at
his own request because he wanted to hasten his
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06
The Story of Another Man With
out a Country

It's pretty hard lines to lose your citizenship
for trying to avenge the deaths of your fellow
citizens. It's still harder to travel 5000 miles
to be of service to your country and then have
its representatives refuse even to take your
name, much less consider your offer of service.
But guess the War Department will wake up
some day, and then maybe we fellows who have
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06

TN the beginning and until very re-
Gently he defined the war III Europe
n as a suuabble among kings, an al
fair in which he and his country had
no vital concern. During those days ne
didn't so much try to be neutral as
struggle to remember that the conflict
was daily fact.
He was always incredulous when ne
heard of threats against the peace OF
his own land. Seriously, he said, how
could one expect trouble with Germany
when her feet was bottled up on the
other side of wide sea and her armies
surrounded by the armies of a dozen
nations. What she might do to the
United States after the war was
purely hypothetical question; as a prac-
teal thinking man he refused to waste
time on it.
Reports of plots against his country
were swallowed with the proverbial
grain of salt, for although he was a
great reader of newspapers he was not
one of those gullible individuals who
believed they frequently approximated
the truth. The U-boat atrocities occa-
sionally torpedoed his self-built zone OF
indifference, but the effect was not last
ing. There were so many other things
10 think of-and business was good.
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06

Before being designated by the camp com
mander you must agree to serve for three
months without pay, but the government will
furnish transportation to and from the camps,
and subsistence. and will reimburse you for
uniforms, as provided by law. You must fur
ther agree to accept the commission rendered
YOU by the Secretary Of War if you are re-
ported as qualified at the completion of the
training course"
Now, Bill is just one of hundred thousand
Young college men who are beginning to make
their way in the business world. He has no
savings to amount to anything perhaps he is
married or perhaps he has other dependents.
lie read that letter with a sinking heart,
thought deeply for week or so, and then de
cided about as follows:
"Ive been studying hard for two years to fit
myself to serve, and now the War Department
has scrapped me. The department says that it
expects to pick 10000 officers for the first big
army from the fellows who attend this camp, yet
it puts up a mile-high barrier against me and
all the chaps like me and makes direct bid
for the wealthy men, who perhaps have had no
training and have done no studying at all.
ut openly announces that these first 10000
probably will be promoted rapidly and makes
no provision at all for those of us who simply
cannot afford to attend the camps. What's
the use of it all, anyway? Here I've been en-
couraged to study for two years, and now they
tell me that they don't give hoot whether I've
studied at all"
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06
William Jones Was a Practical
Patriot from the Start

Bill Jones sat up and took notice at the
generals announcement He bought military
textbooks and began laboriously to teach
himself even the simplest movements as pre-
scribed in the Infantry Drill Regulations. Then
the PlattsburG camp plan was announced and
Bill, after celebrating for time, got his boss
TO give him two weeks leave of absence with
out pay in addition to his two weeks vacation,
and he went to Plattsburg. lie had to buy his
own uniform and pay for his board there, as
well as paying his railroad fare both ways, but
Bill felt that his country might need him. and
this was the way the War Department wanted
him TO prepare Many men gave up two and
three months that summer for the work
The next winter Bill drilled two or three
nights a week and studied most of the other
nights. for the war threat grew more menacing.
He gave his time and he spent his money, and
then last summer he either went back to Platts-
burg or he went to the Mexican border as
volunteer with the National Guard. The War
Department cheered him on.
All through the last winter Bill studied hard.
Some $500 of his fellows took advantage Of the
Officers Reserve Corps law to take eXamina-
lions and acquire commissions, but about 3oOoo
others, the fellows who had been boning for
two wears like college students cramming for
an exam, put off taking the examinations until
they were sure they could pass with flying
colors.
Then came the breaking off Of diplomatic
relations with Germany and the subsequent
declaration of war. and all the Bill Joneses in
the country Immediately filed their applics-
lions for the Officers Reserve Corps. They
we're ready now, as the War Department had
expected them to be- Most of them were told
to report some time between May l and June
10 because the examining boards were over
whelmed by the rush. This particular Bill
Jones was told to report before the examining
board on April 23.
Just three days before he was to take his
examination he received letter which came
as near putting a damper on his patriotism as
ANYTHING he had ever known. 1t said:
"The War Department has suspended fur
ther examinations for officers of the Reserve
Corps. Applicants for reserve officers commits
sions who have not been examined will be ad-
mtted to the reserve officers training camps, If
they can satisfy board of officers as to their
educational, military and physical fitness and
are designated by the camp commander OF their
district
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06

DILL JONES, patriotic American citizen
ID who had always believed that his coun-
try could lick any other country in the
world, suddenly, in 1915, walked to the fact that
the United States was not prepared TO fight
even a small nation like Mexico, and still less
one as powerful as Germany. Probably it was
the sinking Of the Lustania that awakened
him, but, at any rate, Bill Jones and hundred
thousand Of his brothers began to look about to
sec what they could do to help their country
prepare.
Over on Governors Island Major General
Leonard Wood and the progressive young off
GERS about him felt this sudden surge Of in
terest and crystallized it by announcing
"The greatest need Of the United States in
the event Of a sudden war emergency will be
trained officers
Then General Wpd, Hastead Dorey and
Gordon Johnston, his two aids, conceived the
Plattsburg training camp idea, which swept
across the country like widfre from its inccp-
tion in the summer of 1915
New-York tribune., 1917-05-06

commission by every high commander under
whom / have served; | have already expert
enced commanding men on the battle line-yet
now must take my place among the 'slackers
to train our new army
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-04
THE "CLODHOPPER" WILL
Be STRANDS FEATURE

The Ince production. The cicdhop-
per, with Charles Ray in the Leading
role which opened at the Strand
yesterday, won much favorable CONF
ment. II 10 recognized as one Of the
best productions OF the kind shown
recently.
For Monday and Tuesday the Of
fering is Miss Kane. who il starred
in the new American Mutual pro-
duction Of The serpent's Tooth. The
story Is told that Miss Kane made
Big Bill" Russell. one OF her Coz
stars OF the American Mutual stu
dos take her dust over fifty miles
Of beach road, when the athlete
actor undertook 10 pass her on the
way back TO town from a hundred
mile race last Sunday.
Mr. Russelrs car is good for fifty
miles an hour on that beach road,
but he never got by the slim little
girl in the car ahead. simply because.
as he puts IL, he was afraid Of get
ting her ratified and ditching her.
Miss Kane winks slyiy when she
hears this version.
He was getting every ounce OF
power out Of his old coffee mill" she
/ was going some.
--s-~=--
Transform your thin HtTaggiy locks
into an abundance 1T huffy, curly hair
over night with Thistledown.-Advt.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-04


Spokane Spokesman-Review: go For
the beneflt of the readers of this de-
partment in England and France,
many of whom have written us on the
subject, we have written short CLOS
sary of American soldier slang, which
we hope will be as valuable to them
as recently published glossaries of
English and French soldiers slang
have been to US. Here are some of
the American soldiers quaint and fa--
OF the original:
I Wop-Any brunette foreigner.
\ Dutcbman--Any blond foreigner
|. Beat it--Shorten your line OF COM
Believe me, kid, some chicken
Quaint American phrase, used in or
dering roast fowl from waiter.
Hes off his nut-The meaning of
this varies In different parts Of the
OF iowa il signifies "i4is dome's closed
for alterations. while among the sal
mon miners OF West Virginia IL is
used to indicate: Ivory above the
collar" There are other variations.
but these are the most important.
Our brave boys in blue-Manner in
which the American soldier slSngily
refers to himself and his comrades.
Main queeze-Democratie fashion
OF referring to the president of the
on the blink-Hors du combat.
Jitney-A small coin equivalent to
the German pumper-nickel) Also, a
broken down motor vehicle. .. .
Hang up, you've got your wires
crossed am afraid. you have not
caught the spirit OF my remarks.
Out TO iunch-Severeiy wounded
chow-Regulation army food, such
as lettuce sandwiches or shrimp wis
gle.
BuII--OHiciaI bulletins, named after
Elias @. Bull. inventor Of the bulletin.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-04
Wild and WOOLLY"
OFFERED AT GARRICK

Although my father was a New
Hampshire man and my mother a
Virginian," recently said Douglas
Fairbanks, who 10 playing Monday.
Tuesday and Wednesday at the
Garrick theater in Wild and Woolly.
his second Aircraft production,
where riding is accepted as a mat
ter of course, ! was born in Colo
RADIO. had never ridden one of those
wonderful creations OF the devil
known as a 'bucking broncho' until
started work in Wild and Woolly.
To stick to one OF these creatures,
one must be a combination Of sailor,
bareback rider, freight brakeman
and lots Of other things, so unex-
pected and multifarious are his mo-
tons He can move in more acute
angles than any other beast in the
world.
a good outlaw will go two and
a half or three feet into the air and
then land stiff-legged. and you must
be off your saddle just enough to
take the jolt. When he jumps. he'll
throw his head back. and knock you
over the other end OF himself II you
don't look out, or he pitches and
throws you over his head. Or, while
in the air, he humps his body up
round and rolls from side 10 side
with the most awful 'sea-sicky' mo-
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-04
Fargo w. C. T. u.
Holds It's Annual
Officers Election

The annual election of officers ana
reports Of the general officers and
superintendents of departments feat
ured the meeting OF the Fargo w. @.
4. ~. held Friday afternoon at the
home of Mrs. Joseph Matters, on
Tenth street south. The officers
chosen for the ensuing year are:
President, Mrs. T. G. Beardsley; vice
president, Mrs. r. M. Pollock; rec
ording secretary, Mrs. ]. F. Nc
Cram; corresponding secretary, Mrs,
o. M. strate, and treasurer, Mrs.
John Monsoon. Other routine busi-
ness preceded the social hour and
refreshments.
An interesting feature Of the meet
ing was talk by Mrs. s. Meeker, OF
Mobile, Ala. who is here visiting her
nephew and niece, Mr.. and Mrs. I.
]. Frank, on her experiences as one
Of the charter members Of the Ala
banaa w. G. 4. u.
The union will meet again next
Friday afternoon at the home OF Mrs.
Duncan Fisher, on Seventh street
south The topic will be: What the
w. G. T. u. Means To the Commun-
ity and To the Nation, with Mrs.
George Clark and Mrs. 'Samplemann
az the leaders.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-04

ton. You might hang on IL YOU
could grip the pommel OF the saddle
Ike grim death and think Of nothing
else. or II you were permitted TO
keep both feet in the stirrups. But
mat Wouldn't he ethical. You have
one foot in the stirrup and with
YOUR free foot YOU keep on scratch
ing YOUR mounts ribs with the spur.
~ the same time you fan his ears
with your sombrero with one hand,
and with the other gripping the rein.
ycn try 10 hold his head up.
i was pretty well discouraged by
my semi-aeronautIcaI broncho bust.
ing attempts, until cowpuncher
came along and took me in hand.
didn't have very much trouble after
that. during the riding scenes of my
new western picture"
-
Hemstitching plotting. pleatIng. Cor
sets cleaned and repaired. Mrs. A. An.
derson. 5I5 3rd Ave. y. Phone lgs7-W.
--Advt.