Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-03-29
(1y Harvey 6one.)

open competition with men OF otIieI
nations and races; desire for travel,
which seems a part of the very being
OF those born in the great new repub-
he of the west determination TO get
away from the restrictions that sur
round even the most model
life and the spirit of freedom which
VIII not be gainsaid actuate men OF the
United States to strange things.
1t is a far cry from the level, sun
kissed plains of southeastern Missouri
to the Great wall of ancient China;
from the work a day life of the smai
village of the central west to the mystl-
cism of ancient India; the multl-col-
ored, mu4i-scented market places OF
Port Said and Singapore, or Barcelona,
yet the trip has been made and the
traveller has returned with a great fund
of information in his mind; an educa-
ton that could be secured only through
travel; with a portfolio filled with pic
lures from more than 20 nations;
with an Independence of action, a a
ing that marks for distinction in any
gathering. and the mark of knowledge
and stability in every movement.
Ease of Traveller.
Today l talked with a young man of
Is. He met me with a frank expression
q firm grip of the hand, ease of &C
craftsmanship with many men, and a
distinctive personality.
"Cude's my name" was the way he
said it. and that expression marks the
army man. The civilian usually puts
it, MY names Smith, or whatever 1t
may be. No so the army man. he
knows what the essential thing in that
statement is and acts accordingly.
And so I talked with Corporal Bert
Guide, of the Fifteenth United States
China, Japan, the Philippines and
Hawaii in the next 80 minutes than !
had gathered from histories III as many
years. GUIDE a seen n he knew
how to tell OF what he had seen. He
had lived a portion of the events about
which he builded his story n the
Items were personal to him. They were
a part of the great life of a soldier
under the stars and stripes.
The army records merely show that
Bert GUIDE enlisted as q private at
Fort L~eavenworth, and give some mea-
ger information concerning his ances-
try and where to locate his relatives.
The Records Differ.
The record of achievement tells of
i Bert Cud travelling in foreign lands.
! as a soldier OF Uncle sam, helping to
world; they tell of him with Others
| guarding n long line of railroad from
| Tienstein to Chin Wang Toa; Of pro-
tecting the lives and property of mis-
! sionaries in the Celestial kingdom; of
! doing his duty in a blazing sun and do
ing it cheerfully knowing that event
ually comes the reward of labor, or
cool nights in the most perfect climate
OF the world. or recognition of a de-
| partment of the United States govern
rneHt that never o~Tcrlooks efficient
service and rewards faithful perform"
ance Of duty.
This is The story of the life OF the
average man III the United states
| army. Also il is the story of Bert
Guide, now attached to the army re
) %cruitine station in Sioux City, under
Sergeant Charles A. Butler,
II enlisted in the Thirteenth infan-
try" said Guide, and went to the
Philippines. There | was transferred
to the Fifteenth in order TO get "A
| chance to see China. | landed III that
| country in Januar%. 1872 n was there
for two years. During that time |
served with the armies OF a dozen ma
tions that patrolcd this $50 miles of
railroad to the sea. Keeping it open for
traffic at all tines.
Sights of Horror.
There were many interesting phases
| of this work Of the soldier. There were
trips to the Great wall Of China; Wis
it's to marble palaces. the steps of
anyone of which would furnish suf-
| ficient marble to pave the entire length
I VI = ~ ~ " ii b1.So-l &bts , SfE t'
that make the blood run cold, such as
the be%heading of hooters at Tientsin,
! for the American soldiers were there
during the rebellion and looting Of 1912
| and Guide has seen the freedom possible
in few other places than the United
States army.
Ask any Of these travellers in kahki
what they think of the army and men
| of the armies of other nations and
| they will tell you OF days of riotous
pleasure in foreign fields, seldom
| speaking of the dreary side Of life.
Somehow they seem to escape all this
| in the intensity Of their love for the
service. That is, the successful ones
do. The d~isgruntled, who may be
found in all fields Of activity, have
their customary knocks,
Americans Honored.
1t was at 1ientsin that Guide found
best opportunity to mingIe with the men
from other nations. First OF all, he
said he found that these men gave the
Of any soldiers on earth, and then he
recalled the story Of how when the
Greek commanders sent their report
of the battle OF Marathon. they all took
first credit and gave second place to
Miltiades. When the senate received
these reports they declared that Mil
ttadeS must haye been first.
Repeatedly we heard the men from
these other armies. and especially IN
E~nglishmen." said Guide, speak Of the
action OF the Americans during the
Boxer rebellion and they always de-
! clared the men from the United States
had surpassed all others in that time
OF trouble. They never tired telling
OF how = young American had climbed
the, wall 1T Peking. in face Of what APP
peafed to be certain death, and planted
the stars and stripes on the very top,
and b leaped back to safety.
Exesiied in Athletics.
While We were together we had
athletic competition, at one time q
~three-day contest. and the Americans
won every point. They had badly beat
en- the English in the tug of war and
were pitted against the Italians FOR
the championship. The. English natur-
ally rooted for Italy and several fights
ensued, but when 1t was over it was
forgotten. The best friends we had in
China was an Irish regiment.
In . rifle contest between picked men
from the different nations at Tientsjn
In 1913 Guide was present when the
match was pulled off and saw sharp
shooters from the United States take
the first 10 places. Guide has been
awarded the s~harpshooter's medal for