New Britain herald., 1917-11-14
DIDN'T RAISE BOYS
 TO BE SLACkERS
Michigan Man Doing His Bit by
 Running His Farm Alone


 Ludington, Mich, Nov. 14.-Charles C. Lake. farmer, of Logan township. Mason county, didn't raise his Eoys to be quitters. That's why he is running his farm alone while one of the boys lies wounded in an army hospital in France and another is in European waters on board a United States sub- marine chaser.
 A week ago news despatches told of the wounds received by John J. Smith. a private, and the War De- partment sent word to MT. Lake that his son had been shot down by the Germans. For Private Smith of the Sixteenth infantry really is Irwin Lake, of Logan township, Mason county, Michigan. When he enlisted he used the name of Smith. ito escape pub licity." The Germans would never get him alive, he said and he didn't ! want any one to try to make a hero | out of him for doing his duty to his country.
 That is what he told his father 1 when he left the old farm to go to the | recruiting office. He repeated the sentiment in the last letter that the rural free delivery carrier gave to the lonely but proud father. "The Ger mans will never take me prisoner, Dad" he wrote. "I'l die first
 But he isn't going to die, because the War Department has learned that the men wounded in the action are do- ing very well. The War Department runs to brevity in communicating with the nearest of kin of the nations fighting men. Not so a cable mes sage which the father cherishes. It came from France and reads: John J. Smith was wounded in arm and side. He dropped his rifle and ! with revolver fought his way through communicating trenches, through the German barrage, to an observation post. There, with a corporal and two other privates, he stopped to make a stand should the raiding party pursue them"
 This verification of his belief in his son relieves the loneliness Of the farmer, this and the letters from the boys and his recollection of their as sertions of loyalty and courage. Irving Lake is twenty-five years old. Since his mother died he and his father have lived alone on the farm, except in the summer, when his younger brother Ralph came home from the rural school where he taught. Father and son on the farm often discussed the war last winter as they did the chores together. IheE knew that it was only q question oi 1 time when the United States would be l in the conflict, and Irving often said: 1 "When the time comes. Dad. IT It | weren't for you left alone to run this | fa iva O in "Our interest grew deeper and | deeper" said MT. Lake today, "as ! Germany sank our ships and when she | issued her threat to sink our vessels 1 on sight and without warning l gave
 my consent to Irwin to go. That was l before a state of war was declared, 1 but we saw what was coming and ] Irwin was anxious to get into service l early So he enlisted and left me 1 alone.
 l AS he was my chief help in run
 ming the farm I had to do this work alone until Ralph came home from l teaching school. Then they had the drawing for the draft. but his name was way down on the list and I half ] hoped he'd stay by me. But he was 1 hoping that it would be way up on 1 the list, and was nightly disa ppoint- l ed. I kept my own counsel, saying 1 nothing and saving wood. but 1 could see he wasn't satisfied. One l day when we were in the field he 1 came out straight
 Dad said he. I don't want to
 take advantage of the fact that my name is way down in the draft I'm
 not going to try to get a school this fall This is a just war and l want to do my part. I won't wait to be drafted, I'll enlist now if they'll take ! me-
 They took him all right, and he's
 in the navy. He and Irwin have writ ten to me that they're, first class and
 are glad they volunteered And I'm
 proud to have them in the thick of
 the fight, though it's tough for man of my age to be left here alone on