The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1917-06-28
Tommy Don't Worry


With the British Armies in the
Field, May 14-tBy Mail-This
army is so absorbed in the job of
beating back the Boche by blows
that the submarine war, the Rus
sian situation, the munitions prob
lem and the food shortage have no
place in the soldiers thoughts.
After a four days tour Of the
front covering 600 miles along the
line and in the rear, the visitor
learns that Tommy has just one
aim, to smash the Boche, and just
one motive, retribution.
He is a specialist; let the navy
! fight the U-boats and let the gov
eminent tackle other eXtraneous
war problems, but let the soldier
Kill the Boche and thereby aVen8eI
the world. Random conversations
with soldiers carry the conviction
that President Wilson and Lloyd
talking about when they speak of
George don't know what they are
objects and motives. Tommy is the
real authority. Tommy is a natural
born crouch He kicks about every
thing from rain to dust and from
warm beer to dull raZors. But he
does find satisfaction in killing the
men who plunged the world into
topsy- In unguarded mo-
ments he will tell you that he wants
retribution and also why he wants
it. A young killed Scot, resting in
q reserve trench formerly a Ger
man first line-had some opinions
which proved to be typical of the
soldier He was running a safety
razor blade around the edges Ola
tin of Chicago beef, preparatory to
having lunch when a party of civ
ilian visitors came laundering down
the trench.
"Well, now, it is queer to, see
he in greeting. Il suppose you've
civvies out her on a glorilied Cooks
tour, and wearing tin hats" said
come to see what's left of France,
1t isn't much to look at any more
Just shell-hol and hell generally.
When the show is over we're going
to present it to Fritz to take home
! in a sand-bag, but I'm afraid there
won't be much left of Fritz either,
because we're going to make him
suffer first.
"The Boche began this show. He
has made us suffer Just the other
Iday | went over the top and saw
my pals fall as we went through the
barrage and l wondered if there
really could be a God behind it all.
Mister Boche has got to pay for
those pals of mine. And look at
France"
lie swept his hand at the awful
expanse where millions OF she'll
holes merged for miles and miles.
"Do you think we're going to leave
Germany fertile and smooth after
this?"
A flying officer had similar ideas. |
Said he: Give us an eye for an
eye"
Many soldiers are anxious to see
their American comrades in the
line. France, they say with a
touch of sorrow, has been bled. 1t
is Americas chance TO take over a
chunk of the line with her young |
elements and thus save the middle |
aged Britisher of as to so years
as though in warning, that the war
from the job. And they point out,
will certainly cross to American
shores if the United States should
fail when her help is needed.
In their crumbling old German
trench the Kilties were enjoying
comparative ease after five days in
the line. A dozen or so, with little
mirrors set upon the clay praapet,
were Gathering for a cold shave,
their FIRST in nearly a week. The
officer led his civilian charges out
of a trench forward TO q knoll
where they sat down to watch the
German shells tearing up a road a
mile away. TO the rear a British
battery was whanging away and
missiles shuttled overhead in end
less, invisible procession Soon it
was noticed that the German shells
crept nearer and nearer. And then
a young sub-lieutenant came out Of
the line and asked would you
mind moving into the trench. The
Boche has seen you and you're
drawing his fire
No one minded in the least. The
tourists kept TO the trench in the
trip back to the machines. At the
roadside a Tommy was sweating /
over his shovel "Does Fritz shell S
this road much ?" the officer in |
CURED. Tommy Strengthened up and {
whit a wink eyes, sir" he !
"IIe drops some heavy
stuff around here about this time /
every day Ought to begin any min {
ute now"
Lets go, said the officer I