Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-21
Ehptttt1g Ul1at


soldiers to Telegraph reporter yes
terday as he sat before downtown
lunch counter and slowed away two
large pieces of pie. I'VE just got into
town from Texas, you know, and
after what we have endured in Texas
that rough old field down by the avi-
alton camp near Middletown looks
like carefully moved front lawn
to us. And the people-why they
are as different in their treatment
of a soldier as the bright green fields
and the low rolling hills of Penn
sylvania are different from the sandy
wastes of the Rio Grande, and the
difference is just as agreeable, be-
lieve me. Down there the folks look
upon the soldier as a person inferior
to the civilian; up here they meet
us half way, with right hand stuck
out, and we are made to feel that
the uniform of the service is some
thing any man may be proud to
wear. Down there they stick SOL
der wherever possible. A five-cent
piece of pie, like I am eating here,
is ten cents to the soldier. although
in many places the civilian gets it
for nickel, and the soldier has no
redress. He can take 1t or leave
1T alone. Up here the prices are all
the same and the walters hop around
right lively to serve the man in uni
form. Talk about Southern hospital
ity. Why Pennsylvania hospitality
has the southern variety, so far as
soldiers are concerned, tied fast to
a ton of pig iron and dropped over
board in midocean.
And what the soldier said is true.
at least so far as Harrisburg is con-
cerned. This is a patriotic commun-
i ity. 1t has always held the uniform
of the United States soldier in high
regard, and it's respect is enhanced
| to-day by reason of the fact that
the city has about 2,400 men in the
service. So far as advancing prices
to soldiers above those charged
civilians, Harrisburg would not stand
for that from any merchant, and no
merchant would think of trying to
impose any such injustice.
Officials of the State draft regis
tration headquarters have not yeti
replied to the inquiry of Provost
Marshal General Crowder for their
views on the suggestion that the To-
cal draft boards proceed as soon as
possible after shipment of drafted
men to camps,J started this week and
to end Sunday, are completed. The
subject has been taken up with OIL
ficers of the State government and
of district appeal boards and a re-
ply will be made shortly. Many of
the boards have objected TO imme-I
diate examinations because of the
general disturbance which they fearI
would result in business and otherI
lines of activity and some letters
coming here indicate that they would
prefer to have a time fixed for be-
ginning examinations and that the
dates for the next shipments of men
to camps be announced far in ad-
vance. Many inquiries have been
made here as to when the colored
men are to be sent to camp as many
drafted men are in industrial COM
munities and are inclined to novel
about from place, to place.
w. c. Murdoch. Uncle Sans bur-
den bearer at the State draft regis
| tration headquarters, is having hisH
own troubles. The government rel
quires everyone to pay Up on timed
and to be good. but 1t takes it's ownI
time about paying bills. The result isl
that Mr.. Murdock gets calls several
times q day to know how money isl
coming along. Nine times out of
ten the vouchers have to be sentI
back. The other day set of vouch-I
ers came along with the name of ev-
cry man signed by clerk and whenz
1t went back most of the men called
up on the telephone to protest.
Harrisburg bass fishermen araA
commencing to lose faith in the widee
branching Susquehanna as a fishing=
stream. Time was when men could
catch bass off the piers of the bridges
or in the stream between the island
and the city. The selected spots up
and down fho riuar-
But lately because of the rains the
fishing. has not been of the kind that
is told of in the long winter even
ings and an ordinary catch of bass
now attracts wide attention.
Miss Alice r. Eaton. the librarian
of the Harrisburg Public Library.
who is looking after the gathering
of books and cash for the libraries
for the soldiers camps, has been Wis
iting nearby places in the matter.
She spent yesterday at Hershey
where the project has been well re-
ceived, and is to-day explaining the
plans at Lancaster. Governor Brum
baugh will issue a proclamation urg-
ing giving of money and good books
for the libraries in a few days. The
Governor has heartily endorsed the
project.
Among visitors to Harrisburg yes
terday was Col. T. j. keenan,, one
OF the prominent businessmen and
| independents of Pittsburgh, who is
giving his services as a member OF
one of the district boards under the
draft system. Col. keenan, spent
some time at the State headquarters
| here.