New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-04

barren ground. Curiously enough ths
English. who have never before dis
PLAYED the same aptitude for slang as
our countrymen. have scores of var !
time phrases and dictionary of more
than a hundred pages has been prihCeu
/, make French trench talk inteillsioit 4
TO the public.
The word "clacker" for the big ten
centime copper piece is the only new
slang phrase l have noticed IN our
army. / am not even certain OF the
freshness of that. OF course the Z
obvious point for the slang invasion
70 begin is at the name of the army
and here the whole drive has been held
I'D. Sammy" was the obstacles Inc
name was sound enough in theory put
the soldiers simply would not take to /
il. There was no spontaneity about
the name. Somebody manufactured 1t.
and the combined press Of the 'uni'e0
States. France and England failed 10
put it over.
"Doughboy" survives. but unfortu'
nately a. dQughbOy is an infantryman
alone. Persuasion may be needed 10
induce engineers, cavalrymen or artiI-
lerymen to accept it for themselves.
Indeed, tradition would have. to bend
if il did, FOR the term "doughboy' I'M
plies a walking man. The name arose,
so they say, in some campaign or
maneuyre during wet spell on my
Texas border. Artillerymen jotng
along out of the wet noticed that TIE
boots of their infantry comrades were
heavy with sticky white mud and some
wag wanted TO know il they had peeh
walking in dough, and from that day
TO this the men who march nave eeeh
"doughboys". to themselves and all 'ne
army.
Ours IS still the least colorful army
in Europe. The doughboy. lacks the
voluble articulate quality OF the pollu'
and he hasn't the picturesque and hu-
morous reticence of the Brlusher, nor
vet the amusing swagger Of the Cana
dian or the Australian. Our army has
no song and no lighting slogan.
catchword like the French Nerdun
motto, "On ne passe pas! CNo THOR
oughfare"), or the thrilling I'm les
aural" owen get 'em yet is worth q
brigade or two. "Can the Kaiser,
which I see in the papers from back
home. has not yet come to France, but
we will have il and other slogans, too,
which bite and burn. "On les aura.
as you might say.
There is a scattering Of picturesque
tradition in our army, and most OF II
comes from service in the Philippines.
One recently created second lieutenant
who came up from the ranks ooasts
that he is the only man IN the Ohlteu
States army, or perhaps any army, lor
nat matter. who ever kicked Sultan.
some Mace or other in the wilds OF a
philippine Jungle our hero, who was
chem a sergeant, came upon some ma
.;ves who surrendered TO him and ms
mali command. The prisoners were
rromntlv set 10 work at carrying the
supplies Of the party. one native
larger than the rest, refused with great
dignity to shoulder a pack, explaining
proudly, az am a Sultan" -. -,
Remonstrance proved unavalllng WIN
ROYALTY, and then a boot swung once,
twice and again, and the sultan .ooss
an mis- burden The man VINO dareu
go that he wishes he could finish up
his record some time or other Dy hioN-
ing a kaiser.
Another soldier in our army figured
IN p more tragic incident IN 'he Tar
off islands of the Pacific. lie was ser
gesnt of a company Stationed IN VIZ
isge where the natives seemed peace
H. The soldiers were deceived by
,be anparentlv friendly attitude OF the
b,own men. and grew careless about
santries and suchlike. And one day
+be natives came upon the soldiers IN
sbeir mess. There was not gun or
nistol among the force attacked ana
tie Noros cut them down with their
hi, swords. while the Americans MADE
What resistance they could with table
hives and forks and fists. Only three
nen escaped from the room. One was
the sergeant, who found baseball pat
in the corner, and beat way 70 Iree-
dom for himself and two companions
with the aid Of this club. He IS row
a frst lieutenant, but even the Ireat
War will hardly offer him greater ad-
venture.
The mingling Of reserve and regu-
Ter army officers is one source OF hu-
,ocrous badinage. A regular army Of
fcer who was still a captain after
seven years Of service was examining
lis. of Young men who had been
created majors at the training camps
IN America. He shook his head, and
then said, with twinkle, "You know
7 believe there ought to be law that
no reserve officer shall command a
battalion without the consent OF MIS-
parents or guardian"
Another captain had a couple OF
young second lieutenants, and ne felt
that one Of them seemed 20 attach just
a bit too much importance to his rank,
and so he told story.
"A Young officer was graduated from
West Point and took great and nat
ural pride in the fact that he was a
second lieutenant. Five years elapsed
and he saw hard, tedious service IN
many parts Of The country. lie was
still second Lieutenant, and one day
he took part in big review. lie was
standing stiffly at atttrtion when a
small dog ran across the field and
began 20 chew at his leg. The officer /
had learned his lesson OF discipline
we'll and he never twitehed on failed
10 look straight ahead Of him, but he
did say. in very low vpics, Go way,
dog After a time he added, 20 way,
dog but the PUPPY paid no attention
and the young officer lost his nerve
and leaned down toward the dog, and
raid, How did you know I was a see
end lieutenant" i !
Some % the soldiers are picking up
the tuneful ditties of the Frenth army.
One Of the best Of thete Is ''Madelon,"