The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-05-26

IDENTITY by the American forces in
France; and | have been witnessing
the part that religion has to play IN
the ultimate activities of war. This
action has been such 4 brilliant vim
dication of all our expectations OF
the American troops that the temp
tatioa is strong to dwell upon the
military side of the story. For our
soldiers have made good, and shin
ingly so. While the fight has not
been on anything like the scale OF
!the activities of the Somme, our
casualties being in terms of hun
dreds whereas in the west they have
been in terms of myriads, yet this
has been representative experl-
ence, an exhibit of how the Yankees
behave in the final test of war.
For FIVE days Massachusetts, reg
iment has been in constant action
with the Germans. They have had
to meet the famous Prussian storm
troops 'and they have had to endure
the worst that the enemy could do
! in the way of artillery attack. New
ertheless, the Americans have not
retreated an inch, despite the fact
that all the advantages OF position
are with the enemy; and they have
not lost a single prisoner, though
they have themselves captured the
largest number of Germans yet TAX
en- by our army. In repeated hand
to-hand actions, it has been proved
that these Yankee boys are more
than a match for the boche, for we
have killed and wounded three or
four of the foe for every American
casualty. Individual heroisms have
been common: our history has no
brighter page than this one. And 1t
is significant that the brilliant fight
ing has been done not only by the
native sons Of the Old Bay State,
but also by the heterogeneous alien
element-Irish, Jewish, German,
Austrian, Syrian, Greek, Armenian
and Italian. AS a study of the
American characteristics, this in
tense action has been or priceless
value.
Is Religion Factor in Fighting?
One has to revise his ideas OF war
fare after an experience like the
present. 1t is neither wild tumult
OF blood letting belligerency, with
the fury and joy of battle, nor yet
an acute and morbid religious eX-
perience in the face of possible
death. The men have not been
seeking ghostly counsel. either be-
for or after the action. Nobody has
come to the chaplain to talk it over.
True, the men have been more quie1
and serious than usual. There is
evidently great deal of sober think
ing going on, but it is not finding
utterance in words.
In a time like the present, an
observer discovers that it is the an
tecedent religious convictions and
instruction of the soldier that
counts. His beliefs were settled
back home. The creed that he takes
into battle is largely the creed thar
he acquired from his mother, his
church and his Sunday school. \
battle is a poor school of religion.
There is patiently less swearing
among the troops than usual, and
a notable grimness and silence. 1t
is sober-minded regiment that goes
into action for the first tune. There
is no irreverence. and there is
more cordial recognition of the
place of religion and its representa-
tives in the scheme of things.
At such a time as this life pur-
poses prevail. What is innermost III
a man becomes apparent. Charac-
ter is revealed as the boys go over
the top. This action gives abundant
evidence of the idealism and courage
and high purpose of the American
youth. Not a single soldier played
the coward. One youth confessed
to me that his knees trem-
bled. and that his heart was in his
mouth. as he awaited the signal I
to mount the parapet-but he went
over without hesitation, and in the
heat of action lost all self-conscious- |
ness. Bookish boys, sons OF intro {
spective parents, we're foremost in
heroic deeds.
The Church Goes "Over the Top" j
This regiment has as is chaplain 6
an Episcopal dean from Worcester:
Ii also has a volunteer Knights OF :
Columbus chaplain. The former II
has heavy regimental responsible S
ties, and early in the action he must S
yive himself TO the care of the bodies b
of the slain. | went TO the front on c
one trip with this chaplain; and l a
found that he has the sincere re- S
;pect of the regiment. He and his
Catholic confrere work well togeth- Il
n. Both men were in the trenches h
Turing the action. G
But the Catholic priest could stay 81
onger, having no regimental du- o
les. In fact. he was one of the C
leroes of the action. For three days n
continuously he was under FIRE. Ia
,eartening the troops and giving Il
uccor to the wounded. Sometimes cl
le gave the last rites of The church n
o the dying; but oftener he dis v
ributed cigarettes and cracked e
okes. When the men demonstrated sc
With him for exposing himself, he u