The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-11-24

the Kootenai River Valley on
one of the most beautiful afternoons
1 have ever experienced. The river
is green, a brighter color than the
trees on the banks. 1t flows swift
and deep. The mighty rockies on
either side complete a scene of grand
eur. Just as evening was falling we /
pulled into the western entrance to
Glacier National Park. And must say
that l really saw the Rockies, mighty
mountains, in relief against the sky
line thai evening. The sky line was
nearly straight up at times, though
Next morning we were in the plains |
of eastern Montana. Again l looked /
over country similar to Western Kan
sas. We came down the Milk River, /
then down the Missouri, and at last |
North Dakota. The ponds there were |
literally black with ducks. Another |
day and we were in Minnesota. We |
pulled into the station at Minneapolis /
about 1890 o'clock. st. Paul, at |
eleven. We were met there by Red |
Cross delegation who were giving US
OrangS, postcards, cigaretts. Nearly
every fellow in the army smokes Gig
arettes, and l think they do more
harm to the fellows than anything
else. Of course, don't smoke. That
bank of the Father of Waters, quite
different stream from the Columbia,
We were switched off and left at
Rochelle that night Next morning
We arrived in Camp Grant.
5. Arrived here we were given
temporary quarters in cot barracks,
and next day we were assigned to
the companies. l landed in Company
E. We were all made sergeants,
I
On the following Sunday our first
quota of drafted men arrived, one
hundred and fifty-three. Then they
all had to be measured for clothes.
When I got my clothing requisition
| made out they were short on quite
number of things at the storeroom,
l found out, so for about two weeks
all l did was get all could from the
regimental storeroom, and issue it to
the men. Then one hundred more ar
rived on Sunday again. So still I
was busy getting them uniformed.
| About two weeks ago I succeeded IN
getting them all properly equipped.
| Of course, you know that there is a
! supply officer who signs the orders,
! but the sergeants do just about all
| of the work. Lately we got about a
wagon load, l mean a regular engi-
neer wagon of tools. AS my store
! room was too small to hold all of
| them, l was given another room in
another building.
6. A week ago yesterday I was
| told that thirty-five men would be
| transferred the next day. So l had
| to get the necessary forms made out
and ready for their signatures. Each
man had to turn in his overcoat and
| poncho and extra blanket, and sign
| up for transfer of his clothes. So /
| had another Sunday work day. Last
| Tuesday | was Informed by the Cap
| tain that we would have about eighty
men transferred at the end of the
week, so l had a typist making out
| forms. Got all ready for the trans
| fer, except as to names, because it
was secret move. Friday afternoon
the men came in about $3.50 and I
was under orders to have everything
finished by 500. So I got three as
| sistants, and we rushed things
through. Had the extra material to
collect from each man, and his name
| had to be signed in five different plac-
| es. That was quite a job. The men
were kept in barracks till that job
| was completed. An armed guard was
| posted about every twenty feet all
! around the regiment that night. Last
| night for about half the regiment
They were shipped to Camp Pike,
Ark
Perhaps you are wondering why
there was SO much secrecy and eau
ton exercised about that transfer. 1t
looks rather queer to you, l expect.
When the first of the drafted men
here were shipped away, (they are
practically all from Chicago) they
were given thirty-six hours leave to
go home for a farewell visit. Quite
a number of them prolonged their
visit long enough to miss the train
that was to carry them away. That,
of course, put them A w o L (absent
without leave,) and they were re-
turned to the guard house. That is
quite a serious offense, and called
for a sudden summOning of somone
to take their places, as the orders call
for so many men. After the records
are all made out, it's quite a job to
get new set made up at the last min
ute.
Last week when the first shipment
was made from the 81 tn Engineers
! quite a number turned up A W 0 l.
so the authorities saw to 1t that such
was not the case this time.
: Perhaps it scenes rather harsh
to send these men away without Z
goodbye to the folks at home, but
| they should have them said. Fol
: when one fellow does wrong here
= the only way to prevent the occur
: renee of that thing is to take the
privilege away from all. We are al
/ war now, and if move of men is {
2 military necessity, and is ordered by
4 the proper authority, it must be car
5 ried out at the proper time Sc
comes this first disciplining step fol
/ the National Army. They were {
j badly dissatisfied bunch the las
: night here and did not behave in al
2 orderly and soldierly manner.
4 Young Americans as a whole, have
s not learned to obey, and that is tn
e first lesson these men get. And thu
: training is bound to profit the nation
e for he who has learned to obey, vii
d later be fitted to command. Thu
e country needs leaders who are strong
: enough to stand up for the right, anC
: not sidetracked by the schemes o.
f designing politicians as has happenei
: often in the past.
l. 1t does me good to see some o
o these goody-goody fellows, who ar
e afraid to soil their hands IN dirt, ge
Il