The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-09-27
FIRST CALL
BY
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Author Of
over THE TOP"
CHAPTER xxxIII.

Thank Cod The StretchsI- Bearers"
THAT is the Red CROSSE What
w does it dor Why should | CON
w tribute my hatd-carned money ?
Thousands Of people throughout the
United States are asking themselves
these questions and are receiving no
answers, and their m%uch-needcd dollar
goes for something else and the Red
Cross suffers, is suffering.
To many, who do not take time or
trouble to investigate, the Red Cross
means a little sign In a shop window, a
white placard, with a red cross in the
center, the words Join the Red Cross"
written at the top, while at the bottom
appears the reminder DO il now" They
read this last admonition and forget
it or plan to do it som other time.
To answer these questions We will
ask the one who knows-the fighting
man, the man in the trenches, the man
who is right now, this very night ~
ing bleeding in the darkness OF No
Mans Land and staring his eyes into
the blackncss, eagerly looking for the
stretcher bearers and that little Red
Cross.
The deck Of incidents is we'll shuiiled .
at random we will pick a card Turn
| it face up-it is red, blood red, the
, color OF the Red Cross. We read its
story: it is also blood red
OF course, the story relate is not
true It never happened. Ridiculous !
Absurd But let mi impress upon you
that is has happened thousands Of times
on the western front It is happening
right now and will repeat itself many
times before this war is over.
In the Crest Fight.
This soldier has entered the great
fight. lie is a scoiier. To him there
Is no God, no hereafter; when he is
killed he is dead, its all over, he doesn't
give a damn. Anyway, he's not going
TO be killed. he's coming through all
right. He's been out since Mons, gone
through attack after attack never got
a scratch, while nearly all OF hi, mates,
especially the "churchy" ones, have
gone west" They are lying Some
where in France" pushing up the
daisies" while he is here, alive, eat
ing bully beef, smoking a flag, and
sweating on leaye'-he starts for
Bllghty next Satutday-'cause there il
is IN orders, written on the brigade
typewriter. II there is a God, He, a
pretty poor mate because lie never
saved the ones who believed in Him.
They are in the ground, the worms are
eating them. Let them pray what wants
TO But he--not likely!
Whats that Bombing raid tonight
all bomhers report at once2 Why in
hell wasn't 4 machine %gunnerl Rot
ten luck, that going on a trench raid
when your names posted in orders for
leave Offer up a prayer for my safe
retutn2 Just like Jones, always buttin'
in with his soft soap religion stuff.
Well, to my thinking, a tin hat is more
protection on a trench raid than a
whimpering prayer.
SO long, boys, well be over the top
in ten minutes"
CThe ,rsnoh raiders are nov crawling
back across No Mans Land TO their
own treneheS)
well, we busted up Ftitr's tea party
all right. Hot work while il lasted. |
know my bomb got three out OF that
last bunch in the corner Of the firebay
and a good job toof
"Hal a star she'll there goes another.
and another. Now for the music |
tCrackD Damned close, that one-dirt
got me in the face. (Pup-pup-pupD I'm
thinking we'll he lucky to get back to
our trench safely through thi, mess.
u say, Pete, are you there' Pete