Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-04-29

Numerous United States army officers
resigned their commissions and en-
listed in the Canadian contingent as
privates. Ranch owners and COW
punchers, quiet lads from Maine and
adventures from the Texas border, en-
gineers galore, schoolmasters and ban
llers, sailors and lumberjacks, focked
to Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
At one time an attempt was made to
form a separate American Legion. AL
though the recruits came forward, it
vas ultimately abandoned. The Amer
leans are scattered among the hun
dreds of Canadian battalions. The
crack corps of Canadian regulars has
/ 250 of them in it's ranks, and wants
more
| What has been the record of these
americans? 1t is found in the rolls Of
honor of the British army. Dozens of
tt EN- have earned commissions, hun
dreds have died fighting. 1 asked the
commander of a famous battalion
which, although it only went to the
front last summer, has already earned
great glory, about his Americans. 1--WE
had scores of them" he replied, "but
you will not find them here. You will
| find their graves on the Somme."
Americans have received at least
four Distinguished Conduct Medals,
still more Military Crosses and fully a
score of Military Medals. One Amer
lean among the Canadians received
the Croix de Guerre. The U. S. Army
and Navy officers who Joined the
Canadians have babe record of
their own. Take, for example, Major
! IIoughton of a machine gun battery.
Houghton was nearly four years in the
u S. Navy, and wears today on his I'M
iiorm the ribbons of the West Indian
and San Juan campaigns alongside OF
his recently earned British military
cross. "The United States navy knew
that if it had rot been for Britain, Ger
many would have taken sides with
Spain in the Spanish war" he said.
when asked why he joined. "This was
rot the only dirty trick Germany tried
Ito play u.s. I took the opportunity Of
paying off old scores"
: Houghton telegraphed to friend to
join him. Sure, which side?" came
the quick reply. There was no ques-
ton of his side. Being machine gun
expert he was welcomed and given his
commission He soon came to the
front He has taken part in all the
Zig fighting of the past year and eight
months, except when he was recover
irg from wound. The share the
machine gunners take in fight can
be judged from their name, the Sui
cide club He received his military
Cross at the New Year, not for one
specially prominent act, but for con-
tinuous gallantry, initiative and dash.
Houghton once wrote famous let
ter to a friend in Chicago, giving his
real opinion of the Hun. 1t was the
} kind of letter that would scorch the
hide off an alligator His friend pub
lished it, and since then the major has
, received hundreds of letters from pro-
Germans. Il know who you are" one
angry correspondent wrote. 81 will
hunt you down and kill you when you
= come back, if it takes ten years" 1T
: looks as though I'm safer in the
trenches Houghten chnckled
But it was not the angry letter that
! led Major Houghton to refuse an offer
Of long leave. 1--WE been through the
dreary waiting time, when the Huns
were pounding u.s. he said. do you
think I'm going to leave now, when we
are just about to smash the Hun
Never on your life"
q