The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-05-18

Every person who has written ten
words about our National army has
commented on its polyglot complexion,
Its sons of many nations. its children
Of two hemispheres and other smooth
sounding phrases. Its men also have
been drawn from all walks of life,
some Of which are conducive to any
thing except fighting. writes Junius b.
Wood In the Chicago News.
One night a general stan officer was
inspecting the dark trenches in the
American sector northwest Of Toul.
Earlier In the evening there had been
a brush with the enemy. machine guns
still were popping and everybody was
stralning his eyes out over No Mans
Land hoping for some shadowy form
TO shoot at. The officer was almost
upon a soldier before the latter turned
and mildly whispered "HaltT"
Keep a watch here and don't lei
you halt him." said the officer. "A
Hun might have you rifle before You
know what was happening"
BY his time the soldier was speech
less. The officer started to put him at
his ease. now that the man was prop
erly on the alert.
"Where did you come fromf" asked
the officer.
"San francisco. sir" replied the sol
dier.
~ know that city well. Where did
you lIve?" the officer queried.
BY this time the man vas at his
ense and launched into a description Of
the surroundings OF Golden Gate ave-
nue. and Kearney street.
"And what was your business
there?' asked the other native son
Ladies' dressmaker. SIR" replied
fhe soldier.
II is a big transition from an adept
spoil a fussy lady's fitting TO a Zero
cious charger. jabbing a bayonet
through a mans body. but 1t had been
made In a few weeks.
The Question OF Saiutes.
A large part Of a soldiers life Is
taten up in saluting. He must salute
every officer he meets. Usually the
officers susceptibility to salutes varies
in inverse goemetrical ratio 10 the
length Of his commission. A "bawling
out" prompt and sever may be ex-
pected II he n~eglects to salute a "shave
tall" lieutenant. especially II he is In
the medical corps. They say In the
army that a medical corps officer
may forget his pills. his bandages and
his Instruments. but he never forgets
his three S's"-sword. spurs and sa-
lutes. An older officers arm usually
aches with years OF saluting and he
is not looking for them. However. II
often happens that a soldier who can
recognize a major a block away has
such poor eyesight that he does not
see q lieutenant when he passes him
on the street.
But all these petty evasions Of dis
cipline vanish when the soldier is on
duty. There he is away from the
hurly-buriy OF the street and all IL
strict business. Officers are fewer and
he salutes them all. II he Is on guard
he clicks his heels together and brings
his rife TO attention, holding IL there
until the salute 10 acknowledged. In
cidentaily the saluting requirement Is
not all on one side. II an officer fails
ia return a soldiers salute the latter
mas a right to call his attention TO
the oversight and regulations require
that the officer retrace his steps and
give the salute.
A well-meaning soldier, inclined TO
be absent-minded about saluting, wal
on guard In front of a regimental head
quarters n day. The officer OF the
day. particularly anxious to have a
trim, military appearance. gave him a
personal warning.
"Now don't let anybody get past you
without saluting them" said the OFF,
Ger.
The soldier paced back and forth
saluting occasionally. Suddenly he no.
ticed that the colonel had walked past
him. He had not saluted.
Here. here, wait q minute" shout
ed the excited soldier.
The surprised colonel turned
around. His thoughts had been on so
many other things hat he had not
noticed the sentry. much less the fail
ure to salute. N~ervously the dough
boy" clicked his heels together.
brought the rife to an exact perpendIc-
ular In front OF his moss and completed
his idea Of his duty by dismlssing the
amazed colonel with:
Now you may pass. sir !"
Calling Out the Guard.
One day a high ranking command.
ing officer was inspecting a division
training area. The sharpness Of his
eyes was a byword IN the army and
The officers at one billeting cantonment
we're determined to have everything