Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-06-21

sentenced TO several months In mill
tary prison. but asked to be allowe,
TO serve his sentence in the trenches
He came out from his punishment
kings sergeant, which means that what
ever he did nobody could degrade him
He got this for lifting his trench NOR
tar over the parapet when all the de
tachment were killed. Carrying it ou
into a she'll hole he held back the Hur
attack and saved the situation.
| HE got drunk again, and again chos<
! to be returned to the trenches This
time his head was blown Off while hf
was engaged in a special feat Of gal
lantry. What are you to say to such
men? Ordinarily they'd be blackguards
but war lifts them into splendor. In
the same way you see mild men, timid
men, almost girlish men, carrying out
duties which In other wars would have
won V. C's.
II don't think the soul Of courage
ever dies out Of the race any more
than the capacity for love. All 1t
means is that the occasion Is not pres
ent. For myself 1 try to analyze my
emotions. Am simply numb, or do /
initiate other peoples GOODNESS and shall
/ fear life again when the war is end
ed? There is no explanation save the
great army phrase carry on. We car
~ on because If we don't we shall let
other men down and put their lives in
DANGER. And there's more than that
we all want to live up to the standard
that prompted US to come"
Last December Coningsby Dawson's
father, mother and sister crossed the
ocean and were with him for few pre-
cious days in London. They made the
round Of the theaters and the restau-
rants, while he poured into their ears
the never ending tale Of his adventures,
the epic of "out there" Then came the
parting and, for him, the return to the
valleys Of death. But he bore back
with him memory to be treasured for
ever, a memory which he tried to put
into words thus:
Il can't tell you what the respite has
meant to me. There have been times
when my whole past life seemed myth
and the future an endless prospect OF
carrying on. Now I can distantly hope
that the old days will return.
when was In London half my mind
was at the front, now that I'm back In
the trenches half my mind Is In London.
I relive our gay times together; I 60 to
cozy little dinners; sit with you In
the stalls listening to the music; then
/ tumble off to sleep and dream and
wake up to find the dream a delusion.
It's fine and manly contrast, how
ever, between the game one plays out
here and the fretful trivialities Of ci-
william life"
Wanted United States to Enter.
When the United States showed un-
mistakable signs Of being on the verge
Of taking a hand In the war the SOL
dier-novelist wrote:
II read in today's paper that the
United States of America threatens to
come over and help US. l wish she
would. The very thought Of the pos
sfbility fills me with joy. I've been
light headed all day. 1t would be 20
ripping to live among people, when the
war is ended, of whom you need not
be ashamed. Somewhere deep down
In my heart I've felt sadness ever
since I've been out here at Americas
lack of gallantry-it's so easy to find
excuses for not climbing to Calvary.
Sacrifice was always too noble to be
sensible. would like to see the coun-
try of our adoption become splendidly
irrational even at this eleventh hour
In the game. 1t would redeem her in
the worlds eyes. She doesn't know
what she's losing.
From these carcass strewn fields Of
khaki there's a cleansing wind blow
ing for the nations that have died.
Though there was only one English
man left to carry ON the race when
this war is VIGOROUSLY ended, would
give more for the future Of England
than for the future of America with
her &c, 100000 whose sluggish blood was
not stirred by the call of duty.
ITS bigness Of soul that makes na-
tlons great ana not population. Money,
comfort, limousines and ragtime are
not the requisites Of men when heroes
are dying. hate the thought of Fifth
avenue, with its pretty faces it's fash
ions, its smiling fr1volity. America as
great nation will die, as all coward
civilizations have died, unless she ac-
cepts the stigmata of sacrifice. which
divine opportunity again offers her.
III 1t were but possible to show those
ninety millions one battlefield with its
sprawling dead, its pity, it's marvellous
rorgetfulness Of self. think then-no.
they wouldn't be afraid. Fear isn't the
emotion one feels. They would expert
ence the shame Of living when so manv
have shed their youth freely. This
war is prolonged moment of exulta.
ton for most of us. We are redeemine
ourselves In our own eyes.
To lay down ones life for ones