Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-11-22


training stations, the ships which patrol the
coast lines, in the submarines which move about
a hundred feet below the surface of the water,
and on the great battleships ON the high seas
Thanksgiving day is be observed it never
before has been by the boys and men who
dedicating their lives Americas cause. 1t will
not be merely a day of sensuous pleasures OF
stuffing oneself with foods TO please the taste;
rather it will be a day of mental inspiration, of
Il spiritual qualification, of thoughts of home and
those who dear.
a general way the stories of how Thanksgiv-
ing is observed in the two branches of the Amer
lean fighting forces do not differ. Soldiers who
yet in this country will perhaps be given fur
loughs that they be with their families
other relatives on Thanksgiving day. Sailors and
marines who detailed to the training stations
may be invited out for the day they may gather
the big halls for a program. But the lads
who far away from their loved ones, those
who the high will experience feel
ing entirely new to them. And it is going to have
tremendously important influence, too. Per-
haps you have wondered time other why
the tight-ftting blouse the black handkerchief,
and his saucy little white cap seem to give the
jackie youthful appearance than the khaki
or olive drab do to the soldier.
1t is a deception resulting from marked
difference in the uniforms. Rather this apparent
boyish appearance of the jackies in comparison
with the soldiers is reality. The jackies
just boys-the brightest youth of America, who,
before they have attained their manhood,
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-an atmosphere which perhaps is not to be
found in the army. Most of boys, who
being trained to the batteships, and the
majority of those who already have met the Ger
man fleet battles, scarcely out of their
teens. There is a fascination fer the for the
experience of moving about on the waters and be-
ing constantly in danger of attack from beneath
the by hostile ships-a something which
holds a peculiar charm for American youth. And
that the American navy is composed of
great host of young men-youth who seek adj
tn he fPr
rible atrocities wrought by Germany
Months have passed since many of these young
jackies, transformed in incredibly short time
from schoolboys fighting memo wars men, left
their mothers and their fathers to join other
youths in protecting country from the raw.
ages of barbarian foe. Their activities have
been 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
people long enough to give them a sincere
longing to visit again hometown and to mother.
Men of the army better able to combat
feeling of inconsistencies than the jackies can be-
cause the soldiers have come a general rule,
from the Offices from the of business, from
colleges, and from situations which have in their
very nature. separated the men, more less.
from their family interests. Should this state
n,ent sound exaggerated and false let me amend
1t somewhat. The soldiers probably more
accustomed to absence from home than are the
sailor boys, most of whom came directly from the
influence of their mothers and who all by
themselves the first time in their con-
fronting some of the bigger problems of life.
And so it is that this thanksgiving the many
thousands of American boys who 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 were much older in years
and experience 1t will be perhaps their first
Thanksgiving day on which they have actually
taken the time to mediate over the blessings for
which they should give thanks
The boys probably have not previously had
casfon to appreciate the home influence They
will rejoice the knowledge that the United
hoS rxv1,fr me tn he
best In the world They Will be glad because they