Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-09-20
REAL BRAND
OF PATRIOTS
AT SMELLING
Herald Writer Describes
Visit to Training Camp
at Smelling.
.iBy nom Parker Junkinl

y onelilng.
tlBy Tom Parker Junlin)
ST. Paul, Sept 2o.-I spent a large
porton OF Wednesday among the men
at Fort Smelling. 1t was like a breath
OF pure air after being confined in
q gloomy basement to get among these
men who are fitting themselves to,
for the freedom of the democracysof
the world. I had become full of the
patriotism with an 'IF" had been
listening to for two days. J7had heard
the uniform of the soldiers-of Uncle
Sam spoken Of in sneering tones from
q public platform. had heard
speaker after speaker shout threats
of what would happen IL certain things
We're not done to please them, and "a
congressman had screamedk the yenge-
ance Of force and fury" as the lot in
store for the nationS.of a. aroused
populace lie war measures demanded
were not carried out as the Confer
Ience of Producers and Consumers
dictated. So much of this kind of stuff
had fairly ehoked me, and I went out
in the drizzling rain today to see the
boys In Khaki who are soon to do the
fighting with gun and bayonet Instead
of ranting and socialistic shouting.
"A Representative Gathering.
These men did not make threats that
their loyalty would falter if Uncle Sam
did not do things as they thoughtsthey
should be done. Here were men from
all walks of life. some Of the most
brilliant young men of the day-pro-
fessional men just getting a start in
life business men, who had just fair.
jlyt Started UP the ladder to success;
teachers, and preachers, and students
yes, farmers, too. The loyal great
hearted farmers, whose patriotism
knowsgno price OF. condition save that
the c6untry-their country-is in dan
their services and their sacrifices
aye,sthe supreme sacrifices of all, the
offetsof their iives-were CONDITIONAL
They did not. 80 u :
These men are making sacrifices to-
day larger than any one of the men
VI had heard making demands4,an6
threats had ever thought ofSmaking,
and 1T was an inspiration to2see the
c~heerfulness with which they went
about their work of preparation for
the time when they are to cross
swords with the kaiser.
Hard Work at Fort.
Sixteen hours a day these men are
working, yes working, at tasks that
would test the strength and endurance
of me- trained to the most strenuous
kind I watched seven companies of.
1infantrymen-many Of them the. best
young men Of North Dakota digging
trenches in the rain. Many Of them.
had not had shovel and pick in their
to work with a will that vas thrilling.
They were at this all afternoon, and
then they hiked back to barracks, a
mile and a half full of pep and life,
and Willingness to do any other task
set them. Just time to change their
garments and fall in" for a brief
drill in the manualeof armsNand ere
treat" and mess. I was proud to
stand at attention nearby and salute
as the bugle sounded the "cdlors."
Then back again in quarters within
little more thara an hour FOR 1.-two
Hour conference and .quiz.5ss Then
TAPS. So day after day, withscarce4
lySa moment they may&call their own.
And are theytcomplaining? Indeed
they are not. THESE MEN ARE
lREAL PATRIOTS. A
. Dignity Forgotten. ~
FL saw two batteries Of field artillery
drilling. Watched them in the driz-
zle, march and run. and ganop over
the splendid parade ground. These
men SHOULD have had big field guns
and horses to ~train with, but Uncle
sam has called away all the horses
and guns for real duty elsewhere, and
these men of affairs in private and
business life were. running and gallop-
ling to simulate horses and dragging
short pieces Of boards through the
grass as markers to represent the
placing of the guns.
Dignity OF position in private life
was all shot to pieces here. These
men We're dead ,in earnest in work
that looked like boys at playa until the
real Significance came to you-and
then o could see the horses and the
guns and the men mounted, dashing
to the front.
oh, it was great when you saw the
true purpose and the inspiring patri-
otism that was leading the men on IN
this greatest game.
Grand Forks Men Feeling Fine. ~
4 talked withNfully fifty OF the men
t:of the two branches of the service
and there vas not a complaint, all
were ready and willing to do what
their Nation demanded There were
Inc IFS"
Il found all the Grand Forks men
In good health and enjoying the work
Ito the full and others from various
Iparts of the state. They will have
1.-TWO days more of trench work and
then they will get, their drill on the
ranges at target practice and at bay
onet. work. The officers Of the reg
ular army who are training these men
are very complimentary of the men
of the second officers, training camn.