New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-13

could not shorten the distance between
himself and the quartet ahead to less
than six feet.
Rather comical he was, bouncing
along like a small tender attached to a
. very large locomotive. Every one
smiled. Every one, that is, except the
large man in uniform. Overspreading
his countenance was the mock solem-
nifty OF a sleepy owl He is q veteran
of the Spanish War Perhaps what he
saw seemed child's play.
Nevertheless, the comfortable bulge
of his vast beltline suggested, among
other things, that the military eff
cheney OF nation was in inverse ratio
TO the size of the individual waistline.
Such generous stomachs may be all
right in peace times, but the gem
cral ubiqutousness of a thirty-pound
paunch is more of burden to a SOL
der than a ffty-pound kit.
Aroused by this extraordinary
growth of a desire 10 pierce with jour
nalstic bayonet the communal TO
tundity. il was Ito admit the truth
something of a mild shock to discoyel
that the lowering possessor OF the Fal
stafian middle was almost alone in hi
distended glory. Round shoulders theg'
were; Office pallor fiat chests and bal,
heads. But the convex silhouette ha
become, in those parts. as rare as
epigram born in a debutante's brain
II Il has done nothing else, the East
Orange Home Guard has answered tbs
first of many martial questions.
Clumsiness Shows Contrast
7 do not cite these instances of clum
90 in m
Rather they are mentioned in an effor'
to emphasize the non-exlstence OF
primrose path to effective patriotism;
and, by contrast, to bring into strong
relief the high sense of duty, the per,
sonal sacrifice, and the determined
earnestness of the members OF the
home guards. -.
Could these purely mental qualltca-
lions be converted, indeed. by some
fgurative accolade into available SOL
dierlv knowledge, the formation OF a
suburban regiment would be as simple
as complete, as satisfying as the birth
of Venus. No military body ever rose,
fully formed, through a wave OF entnu-
siasm. Monotonous months OF DONG
the same thing over and over and over
are required. ,Of this there are none
more patiently sensible than the drill
ers themselves.
Fundamentally, then, the chief prob
lem faced by Captain William b. Car
ter in Tarrytown is the same that zap
, tein Harrison has TO solve IN East
Orange. II is the same with which the
15O in Iryington and an equal NUMBER
in Dobbs Ferry contend. The Home De
fence League Of Hackensack expert
ences the same difficulties in training
its $50 volunteer police. Nightly drills
Mt Hastings -on-the- Hudson do not
cause its basic obstacles TO differ from
the rest. The Sheriff Reserves or Oys-
ter Bay and Glen Cove; the Home De
fence Guard of Garden City, with its
railroad officials and bank presidents;
the rife clubs of Roslyn and Sea Gill;
ali are alive now TO the labor OF teach
ing an old business man new tricks.
Snap and Dash on Day
Already, however, in sporadic cases
r condition approaching true martlai
snan and dash is noticeable. In justice
20 Fast Orange, there were several com
! NAMES who drilled with the precision
Of regulars. Most of the men mere,
thanks to the rife club, can shoot' anu
shoot straight
Out in Westbury. too. is the mounted
,roop of the guard. Headed by Dew
ereux Milburn, as fine a polo player a.
America ever produced, and with y;
Nilburn. ir., W. Russell Grace. D. Wat'
SON Webb. Cass Ledyard and others
Who ride like Centaurs. this DIVISION
viii without the slightest DOUBT, de'
velop into the most skilful SORT OF ca.
3 airy To draw comparison between
these men. trained through years u
riding. and inexperienced ci'izeh III
fantry is hardly ialr. ~. o,,r
Gradually. in each suburb that eIoui
/ which has been at it the longest Is De
! shining TO show the shadow OIL mart's
/ form. Time and patience VIII brlhl
/ greater Improvements. Some the'e ar arc
content TO prepare for police ou'y. fol
/ the most part, however. trey agree
I with DR.. A. f. Chase. OF Iatryto"h
who was largely instrumental III '0' -
! ing their guard.
aFor anv one but paid men Whose
business it is to do police WORK 20 en-
/ gage in it we consider asinlhe eco
Monies" he said I'VE have voiun'
teered here for patriotic defenee VIZ
have 100 uniforms ordered: we no"
i have 100 Springfield rifles. 20 kemlng
tons ard 10 FiON guns ~
rcrcy we are ready 10 protect the H..
GOO inhabitants OF TarrytowN We are
a second line Of defence"
Feeling of the Men
Ard how do the men who are glylnt
m their evenings feel. ] have TAXED
with many such volunteers. Perhaps
the words OF one man someth ing o.
figure in the business worid-reHee'
! the opinion of them all.
"This srmy stuff is hard for me 70
get he said. 81 cant seem 20 remem
ber' Younger men really don't have
as much trouble. ! confuse the com,
rands am awkward and nervous.
am a dub at il. But (his jaw set) can
learn il and will"
81 can learn IT," Five million young
men are saying that 10 themselves now
Five million young men are ready 70
nrove IT, II is the shibooleth OF
aroused America, this phrase can
learn it." .-
This IS the spirit OF 1917.