The Washington times., 1917-05-15
SOLDIERS IN awe
OF LITTLE ONIENS
Superstition Comes Into Own
as Result Of War.
BLACK CAT Is HELD LUCKY
All Follow Lead Of Canadian, Put
ting on left Shoe First.
BLACK CAT IS HELD LUCKY

the same condition-that wherever
men are facing death they incline
to watch little signs and omens. and
this spirit quickly spreads through
their families.
All units leaving for the front have
some kind Of a pet or mascot, usually
a cat or dog, and the lives OF these
pets are guarded with extreme care.
An Australian artillery battalion
which got into action early In the
DardaneIles campaign had q black
cat which made its first appearance
during the battalion's nrst engage
ment. Men on every side Of the unit
were killed. but not q casualty occur
red among those protected by the cat.
Thereafter the commanding officer
kept the cat in his quarters and each
day sent his orderly out with the
cat while II had its airing.
There were no chances taken OF
the mascot getting into danger, for
whenever the orderly sailed forth on
the constitutional the officer made
him tie a string around Its neck 70
prevent IL running away. The jokes
that were passed by other units upon
the orderly leading the cat may well
be imagined. The battalion was later
moved to the Somme and on June 20
discovered LnAL LuC AtAa1(ON A<4 6OA
into a house which was under heavy
fire. One she'll was seen to burst d.
rectIy over the building and q rush
was made to md the cat 1t was
discovered on a kitchen table, hair
on end and splitting but unhurt. IN
fortunately 1t died later Of shell
shock, and the same day the battalion
was cut TO pieces while defending an
exposed ridge.
Little omens.
Little omens that seem ridiculous to
the average man are reverenced by
those who are about to face death
In an infantry regiment from Canada
there was q private who boasted that
by putting on his left sock and shoe
first he invariably had good luck.
The others were continually "josh-
ing" him about his superstition. and
one morning before the big push In
July of last year they hid his left sock
and shoe just to make him use some
picturesque Saskatchewan profanity
He not only provided the expletives,
but he announced to his unit that dire
happenings were pending. Sure
enough, when he and his comrades
went over the parapet soon afterward
their casualties were heavier than
any OF the nearby units. Thereafter
every man who survived relig1ously
put on the left shoe arc sock before
touching the right
Another superstition common among
the fighting forces is that by rubbing
spilled wine or spirits back OF the
ears II brings good luck. Il Is be-
lieved that this sign spread among
the British forces through contact
with the French, who believe in the
omen religiously. Just before the
start Of a raid or dash over the para
pet the English forces are served
with a ration OF whisky or brandy,
and IN every case the men quietly
gather around the one who puuTs out
the stimulants, holding their hands
under the jug to catch the drip and
rubbing the little Shsy catch bkGk Of
tSGir ears.
Reverence for signs.
In nearly every British newspaper
may be seen advertisements Of lucky
omens. One especially popular is an
imitation Of a little Mohammedan
head supposed to be q replica OF q
pocket piece carried by an Amaze who
went through uncanny dangers on
Gallipoli and in Egypt without a
scratch. One company has secured
q patent on the crazy looking little
image, and from all reports Is max
ing a fortune on fits sale. Besides
these images the men going to France
usually carry a niece of coal some
place in their kit for good luck and
a piece of dried potato to keep away
rheumatism. Some OF the Irish troops
have gone to France fairly plastered
with good luck tokens given them by
their people at home.
This spirit OF reverence for the
signs and superstitions has been play
ed upon extensively by fortune tell
ers and clairvoyants, who just at this
time are under the ban of the law
in London and elsewhere in England
It Is a sorry reflection on the United
States that a good many of these al
legged psychics and clairvoyants come
from across the Atlantic. Despite the
activity OF the police and the newspa-
pers, the fortune tellers and trance
mediums are still doing q thriving
business by pretending to place be-
reaved relatives in communication
with men killed on the fields Of
France or on other fronts.
There are even some who pretend
they can get into touch with British
prisoners in Germany, through the
medium of clairvoyance- How utter
ly ridiculous are their claims has
been shown in numerous police court
exposures.
Myxties Sell Charms.
Charms are said to be a legacy from
our prehistoric ancestors, but right
here in London today there are mys-
tics who sell to the soldiers snakes
teeth sewed up in a bag OF frog skin
and who brew unearthly connections
on Friday the 18th to sell to sol
diers.
In an editorial on the subject the
Liverpool Post says:
Whether this addiction to some
peculiar little freak article as an IN.
surer of good luck can be traced 10
the inevitable dependence of man
kind upon a higher power which must
be conciliated in some manner, how
ever childlike and elemental, Is q
large question The fact remains
shat hardly a soldier goes to the front
or hardly a relative or interested
friend sees him off but has some mas
cot, some flower or leaf, quaint carv'
ing or simple 'golliwog,' upon the in
fluence OF which reliance is placed
for enjoyment of that elusive and
sometimes quite inexplicable thing
known as luck"