Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-23
The CASUALTIES OF WAR.
BY DOROTHY DIX,
The Worlds Highest Paid Woman
Writer.

IF the local war news published in
our papers were veracious it would
j read something like this:
"a fatal engagement took place last
night between Private Thomas Jones
of Troop S, End Infantry, and MISS
Maude Smith, in the parlor OF Josiah
Smith, on Main street. Dressed in
full uniform and looking fit and smart,
. Private Jones went over the top at
S D. m. and advanced to the attack.
Miss Smith was camouflaged In
pink chiffon and blue ribbons so art
fr;lly arranged that it was Impossible
for Private Jones to perceive his dan
ger until it was too late to retreat. he
was met by a whitening barrage fire
of tender glances from two lovely eyes,
both of which went into action at his
approach. This was followed up by
ceaseless bombardment of bombs that
when they exploded emitted a noise
that sounded like, "My hero! ShaH
HISS you SOL" Shall think OF you all
the time!" Bewildered by being thus
gassed, and having neglected to bring
along his gas mask, Private Jones
made a futile effort to escape, but was
pierced through the heart by two
clinging white hands laid upon his
breast. ~
"Thereupon Private Jones surren-
dered and presented arms to his fair
captor. Later on he made his way
back to camp in half maudlln con-
dition, raving somewhat about the
only girl in the world. Private Jones
saws that the honeys are using very
superior brand of powder 1t tastes
and smells like violets, but is par
ticularly deadly in its effect"
This is no joke. 1t is sad record
of one of the perils of war, for to
thousands of our soldier boys the most
fatal engagements they will ever take
mart in are the precipitate and lll-ad,
yised matrimonial engagements they
are recklessly making on the eve d
their departure for the front.
Why a call to the colors should also
he a call to matrimony is mystery
mast finding out. However, there
seems to be something in the horrors
of war that makes the peace OF the
fireside seem irresistibly attractive
Or. perhaps, in the larger fear OF bat
file and sudden death men lose their
fear of the domestic fight and curtain
lecture. -
Be that as it may, war always
booms matrimony. Men who nave
been case hardened bachelors take 10
themselves wives. Men who had not
expected to marry for years rush to |
the altar. Men find themselves pop
ming the question to girls to whom
thew had never given two thoughts De- |
fore, while as for getting engaged, men
enter into that as casually as they
would buy box of cigarettes. !
OF course the psychology Of this is
as plain as the nose on your face
The whole country is worked up to the
highest pitch of emotionallsm and
sentiment. For the time being we are
living in a world of hearts, not heads,
and we are feeling. lot more than we
are thinking.
The men who have put on the khaki
have put aside their every day al |
fairs. They have given up their situa-
tons or wound up their business.
They are going away into the IN
known. Whether they shall come back
or not they do not know. Whether
their life is to be only few short
months or many years they have no
idea.
All of this quickens their sensibili-
ties and keys their emotions up to con-
cert pitch. Above all 1t gives them
an imperative. need to love and be
loved. to have some hand cling to
their own, to know that when they go
on their journey to somewhere in
France" they will leave behind them
someone who will miss them, someone
who will watch the papers with anxi-
GUS eyes for tidings of them, someone
who will weep if i'll betakes them
"over there"
This is what makes the soldier boy