The Washington times., 1917-11-20
YOUNG CAPITAL
GIANT BACK FROM
CHILE TO FIGHT

| NO. u wasn't the weather,
| But It's hard on q felier
When birds Of q feather
| Can't ny together-
Much too chilly IN sammesless Chile,
The siaekerhater.
sergt. Roy N. Lester, late Of the
copper mines near Santiago. Chile, but
| native washingtonian, has brought
his twenty-six years, 200 pounds, and
six feet three and three-eighths inches
Of flesh area back to the States a.
contribution to Uncle Sans army.
Throwing up his job as timekeepeI
for an American copper concern there
he shipped to New York on the aux
Hilary boat Ohio. OF the Hawaiian
line, in the capacity OF liable seaman
at 25 cents a day, and today Is Visit
ing his mother, Mrs. W. H. Lester, OF
1901 Wyoming avenue, on a six-oay
furlough from Camp ChickamAuga'
Ca
Two days after getting to New
York, Lester enlisted in the regular
army, being sent to Fort Sloeum
thence to Fort oglethorpe, where ne
Is now stationed. From ordinary pri'
vatei he has risen to the rank OF ser.
geant in a few weeks. He IL reputeo
to be the tallest man in the regular
service.
Il Son Of q MIasIonaFy.
Lester is the son Of the Rev. VIII
lam H. Lester, a Presbyterian mis-
sionary, stationed for thirty-one years
in Santiago, Chile. He has been an
athlete of renown, having won the
high jump championship for the
Southern Atlantic States in 1905, when
he represented the Washington Z. N.
C. A. in the meet held at Johns Hop
kins University. His record there
was fve feet eight inches, and for this
feat he received a gold medal, which
is one of his proudest possessions.
The young giant. who comes OF
Revolutionary stock on both sides the
house, one Of his ancestors on his
mothers side having come from Eng
land to serve General Washington as
adjutant, talked modestly yesterday
of his 2.1OO mile trip north to join the
colors OF Uncle Sam
81 wanted to do my bit" said Les
ter without any verbal camf1ouage.
81 had a hard time getting back to
the United States to enlist. a. the
Government makes no provision for
those who want transportation for
this purpose I finally shipped a.
able seaman. and came up in record
time. When / got to New York the
recruiting officer was disposed to
turn me down on account Of my
height. but after telling him what q
deuce OF a time / had. he took pity
on me, 1 suppose. and pushed me
through"
Says ChIIeans Are Pro-GerAan.
According to Lester. the Chileans
about Santiago are quite chilly about
the American cause in the war. and
are decidedly pro-GermAn- Amsri-
cans generally. he said. except the
contractors. are not popular there.
He described the Chilean military
system as being patterned after Ger
while their naval policies are
British. There were sew
eral German officers In the Chilean
army before the war. Lester said. but
these have long since returned to
their country. He added that only a
handful of Americans were in Chile |
now. most OF them having returned |
10 the United States.
Lester. who had great difficulty |
getting fitted with a uniform ewing |
10 his height. hopes soon to go over |
he top. When II was suggested that |
he might always be in that position |
n the trenches IN France because of |
ais six feet three and three-eighths, |
be laughingly said It would be $50 |
much the worse for the enemy"