Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-01
Article Nv. Advice 10 Americans Be-
tween the Ages of y aud ~.

tween the Ages Of y aud III.
six months ago the new voters were
very much in the background or on at
the sides
No man under 80 held topnotch
executive position or had moved 10
the front row of his profession
Any man under 80 was likely to be
regarded by a man we'll over 80 as
bit pin-feathcry and somewhat OF
SQUAD.
The word "haIf-baked' IS much
favored by those who begin to feel a
stitching in the joints
Just few shifting moons, and now
the whole nation is looking up in rev
erence and admiration and dread at
our lads sdll in the twentiosl
! The bank president II a pigmy
alongside OF the first lieutenant Ed
crly persons sit lonesomely in clubs,
1 feeling depressed and unworthy
We have witnessed the transiigura-
( ton Of the cub.
The very qualities which we ap-
praised 50 Lightly or regarded as nal
nor faults are now recognized as the
ingredients OF beroism.
We do not smile tolerantly at the
eager enthusiasm, the scorn of danger
the cheerful optimism and the candid
patriotism Of these coltish youngsters
We lock AT them with eyes BIZ
misty and say, Boys, you're great!
Many of as are sitting In sheltered
! corners, away from the flrst-hand &C.
tivities of the war. trying to compre-
bend that thousands Of our boys ar'
now in France and thousands more ara
going and we have passed the Ions
. preamble Of talk and come up agains
] the fiHty realities Of shrapnel ant
hand grenades,
p How easy it is for maa living II
a steam-heated apartment sleeping OF
a box mattress, and just about 300
miles beyond the range of the longes
guns-how easy 1t is for him to tel
the boys to endure grimly the trencl
ID privations and then go over the to-
/ like a whirlwindl
! Are words of any account just now
! Shall We advise orr soldiers to b
4 brave? Probably the French and Eng
Q ish instructors will urge them to b
Y cautious
Shall we tell them to 90 cut and di
z for their country2 That is not th
Z prospectus. at all, at alt The plan
I for our boys to tame the Germans an
{ then come home alive.
II we are 10 poster them with couu
sci, let It be to the following effect:
You are going to tackle the hi
| adventure Of your life, but the chance
> are chat you will come out Of it a
right-not even uIcked by a wount
The Americans are bound to get int
. action at the front They will shaT
: hard responsibilities with the Englis
4 and Canadians and French. II is
grisly thing to check up on a colo
? hlooded percentage basis, but from
- view Of the averages, We believe thi
10 out Of every 20 boys going (
3 France will come home again. Ever
3 month the heavy artillery spreads
5 more effective curtain between the AZ
yancing infantry and the enemy. 70
J. are going into q zone OF extreme risl
and TO saw that you will not be
peril would be TO take away in az
: vance the glory Of your performance
Il But the figures from Canada (Which
" a fair eXample) indicate that You al
not going to be trapped at sea, an
J. that only a small percentage Of yol
comrades are going to be put ava
by the Germans, and there is no nee
L Of assuming that all the breaks
% luck are going to be against you Il
stead OF for you. Therefore we cOul
o on giving you welcome homo.
e. THE training camps will put yC
H. in readiness to fight, After the figh
ing is over you will find yourself l
against the highly important duty
going back to your own people al
~ resuming the normal home life. Nea