Omaha daily bee., 1917-07-06
ARMY CHAPLAIN
HAS HOT RETORT
Asserts Rash Onslaught by
Rev. Cleveland Made With
Purpose of Hurting His
Work With Soldiers.

national young people at the First
Presbyterian church Tuesday night,
takes exception to the statement made
by Rev. D. E. Cleveland.
Lieutenant Major asserts that the at
tack made upon him by Rev. Mr..
Cleveland was an attempt to rally
churches against him in an effort to
cripple his ministerial work among
soldiers of the regiment.
Lieutenant Majors written state
ment follows:
"Since some religious leader, un-
known to me, has taken the liberty
20 put my name in print, reluctantly
present the facts in the case.
"In the best possible spirit, ! gave
a ten-minute talk at one OF our
Omaha churches. Not being book
agent / failed to. mention the COM
plainant's pamphlet which was under
discussion. ! was asked to use my
own mind as to what | should say
and ! did.
"Such a rash onslaught from a
stranger, through the press, took me
by surprise. That he should even at
tempt to rally churches against me in
an effort to cripple my ministerial
work among our soldiers seems too
hard to believe.
This is what | said in part:
when | saw in the paper that |
was expected to talk from actual ex.
perience as q chaplain, / scarcely
could see why so new a arecruit should
be called upon for that. have been
chaplain but short time, being COM
missioned May Ii. Aside from a
couple of years military training, my
military experience is limited.
IF you had wished to talk to sol
diers you should have come TO the
fort. This is not their soil. Many
feel out OF place In gathering like
this where they feel themselves on
ceremony in distinctive attire. ]
hereby extend welcome to you
young people to come down and meet
with your friends, our boys.
Were you to join the army, you
would be surprised, just as / was.
You will find bunch OF army Of
ficers that are gentlemen. Officers, at
least in our Fourth infantry, are not
the brand held out by some critics
who have more zeal than information.
Officers hold their places by virtue
of the fact that they hold the respect
of their men. No officer without man
hood and courage would be followed
by soldiers.
"You didn't expect me to say that
did your I've turned the tables Bit
but hope you don't forget what | say.
Popular misconceptions arise con-
cerning every big institution and
Uncle Sam himself has not escaped.
However, Uncle Sam is solving
his problems fast. Our army is
on the way to being the most eff
cient force on earth. Efficiency is
what counts out there. When your
boy Is hurt medical major cares for
him with as much tenderness as IL he
were being cared for at home. When
he is broke he buys without interest
and on pay day he pays up to the dot
like man. Uncle sam has solved the
credit problem. / am credit man at
the exchange and honor a set OF boys
that pay without being compelled. I'd
like to hear your city credit man talk
on that subject. How would civilian
society measure up with the soldicrsl
No Place for Prudes.
at would be we'll If we reverse the
glasses and see whether our boys will
not have to return to convert society
rather than society teaching them
When you have cured society up here
then come over and preach to US. Yor
are not sending your boys among
heathens when you give them tc
Uncle Sam.
ITO be sure. there is no place ir
the army for prudish puritanism
That's gone, and gone to stay. Heart
one twisted-mustachc dude trying tc
enlist in the navy the other day. He
wondered If gentleman would b.
accorded more consideration in ths
navy than. in the army. My pal, ths
recruiting officer, gave him no induce
ments.
IF you people have any more like
him, send them to Fort Omaha. VIZ
don't want them. We are in a mans
Job. A mans sized JOB. Are yor
civilians fearful? Do your knee.
shake? Our men are not afraid. dc
not know of one in our force that
wants to back out. Even when dis
qualified by falling health, eyes, ear:
or what-not they come to their chap,
lain and beg to be retained. take
them to specialist and recover then,
for the army If possible. They don'i
want TO be slackers even when they
might honorably be. They arc men
down there.
Smiles As He Strikes.
Now I am not here to condemn
anybody. Even my Lord didn't tali
that way. You notice that I smile
when / hit bit heavy. The Nazaren,
taught US to render not evil for evi
but overcome evil with good If yot
want to know why our boys like the
Young Mems Christian association
better than our churches generally
il is because they put UP the good:
we need and do 1t without reward
other than the consciousness OF hav,
ing been useful. They have no wire:
to pull and no axes to grind.
"They preach about Good God.
They give and serve without tackine
on narrow-minded criticism. The
pagan practice of preaching to kill i:
700 years behind the times. Not th,
gospel, no. The gospel is all right
but condemnatory preaching is Of
its base. / wouldn't talk to my pal:
down at the fort as you civilians are
sometimes talked to or | wouldn't
have a corporars guard to hear me
Yet some who can't fill their owr
churches are there and over when Il
comes to belittfing the reputation o.
soldiers.
ain osr army ynu would find