American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-07-17

AoN Octn Liedlcui II lOI no OIueF reason.
As there seemed to be a considerable
division Of opinion on this point among
the people at home, l came to the con-
clusion that any man who was free.
white and twenty-one and felt as l did
ought to go over and get into It single
handed on the side where his convic-
tons led him, If there wasn't some par
ticular reason why he couldn't. There
fore | said goodby TO my parents and
friends In Lexington and started for
New York with the idea Of sailing for
France and joining the Foreign legion
OF the French army.
Decides to Go to Canada.
A couple Of nights after I got to New
York l fell into conversation In the
Knickerbocker bar with a chap who
was In the reinforcement company Of
Princess Pats regiment Of the Cana
dian forces. After my talk with him
l decided to go up to Canada and look
things vel. l arrived at the Windsor
hotel, In Montreal, at 8 o'clock in the
morning a couple Of days later, and at
10 o'clock that morning l was sworn
In as a private in the Canadian Grena-
der guards, Eighty-seventh overseas
battalion, Lieutenant Colonel F. S.
Meighen commanding. They were Just
getting under way. making soldiers out
Of the troops l enlisted with, and dis
cipline was quite lax.
They at once gave me a weeks leave
to come down TO New York and settle
up some personal affairs, and I over
stayed It FIVE days. All that my COM
pany commander said to me when l
got back was that l seemed to have
picked up Canadian habits very quick
ly. At a review n day in u train
ing camp l heard a major say:
Boys, for Gods sake don't call me
Harry or spit in the ranks. Here comes
the general"
We found out eventually that there
was a reason for the %slackness OF dis
cipline. The trouble was that men
would enlist to get S1.1O a day with
out working for it and would desert
as soon as any one made It unpleasant
for them. Our officers knew what they
were about. Conditions changed In
stantly we went on shipboard. Disc1
pline frightened up on Us like a tie rope
on a colt.
We trained In a sort Of casual. easy
way in Canada from Nov. 4 TO the fol
lowing April. We had a good deal Of
trouble keeping our battalion up TO
strength, and l was sent out several
times with other "noncoms' on a re-
cruiting detail. While we were in the
training camp at st. Johns I made the
acquaintance Of a young Canadian who
became my pal" He was Campbell
Mcfarland. nephew Of George McFar-
land. the actor who is so well known
on the American musical stage. he
was a sergeant. When l first knew
him he was one Of the most delightful
and amusing young fellows you could
imagine.
The war changed him entirely. He
became extremely quiet and seemed to
be borne down with the n Of the
terrible things which he saw. he new
er lost the good fellowship which was
inherent in him and was always ready
to do anything to oblige me, but be
formed the habit of sitting. alone and
silent. for hours at a time, just think.
ing. 1t seemed as II he had a Fremont
ton about himself. though he never
showed fear and never spoke Of the
dangers we were going into, as the
other fellows did. He was killed IN
the Somme action in which I wa;
wounded.
I also had been made a sergeant or
account OF the fact that I had beer
at school In the Virginia Military In
stitute-that is. | was an acting ser
geant. 1t was explained to me thai
my appointment would have TO b.
confirmed in England and then recon
frmed after three months service IL
France. Under the regulations Of tbs
officer. after final confirmation in hii
grade, can be reduced TO the rank
only by a general court martial. though
he can escape a court martial. wheI
confronted with charges, by revertn.
to the ranks at his Owl request.
Forty-two hundred OF us sailed 70
England on the Empress Of Britain
sister ship to the Empress OF Ireland
which was sunk in the st. Lawrence
river. The steamer was, OF course
very crowded and uncomfortable, anC
the eight day trip eros was mos un
pleasant We had tripe to eat unit
we were sick OF the sight of II. 4
sergeant reported n morning, "Edgh'
men and twenty-five breakfasts alb
sent" There were two other trooI
ships in u convoy. the Baltic and the