The Lamar register., 1918-05-22
WASHINGTON NOTES
War Even to the Pen.

time the birds hold their annual con-
gress in the trees, the squirrels, act
ming as pages, flirt their tails and
beg for peanuts from the hands of
little children, and on the benches may
be seen a few grizzled veterans of
the Civil War, doing, or reminisc-
ing about the great struggle to pre-
serve the Union and our civil liberties.
The pension office. whence issues every
three months to our Union veterans
that little token of Uncle Sans ap-
probation for the part they played.
stands at the north end of the park, a
huge red brick pile with frieze sur
rounding it depicting the bas-relief
the Boys of 81 as they marched to
the front. That is the sole lineament
in the park of grim-visaged war on
normal times.
But with the world against the Hun,
a wonderous change has been wrought,
and Pension Office park has fallen
victim to the exigencies of war. A
pedestrian passing through the park
recently was startled to hear the mar
tial tramp, tramp, tramp of many feet,
booted and spurred. Military COM
mands rang resonantly through those
erstwhile peaceful shades, the birds
had taken hasty flight, the squirrels
had hidden all but the tips of their
noses, the little children had rushed
to their nurses arms, the old vets.
had awakened from their dreaming
and gazed wonderous-eyed, their chins
supported by their canes. What could
it mean? What had disturbed con-
dition SO peaceful as to have almost
brought tears to the eyes of con-
scientious objector? All! There it
was! Winding through the trees and
crushing the lush grass under their
heavy boots were some hundreds OF
stalwart, healthy soldiers, chests out
and chins in. performing regimental
maneuvers. Each man wore a bar
racks cap. leather boots, and spurs.
Don't forget the spurs. On drawing
closer it was discovered they were
commissioned officers. a liberal sprinkl-
ing of majors, large number Of cap
tains, and coolies of lieutenants. Still
puzzled the pedestrian moved along
to get a closer-up view, and on the
collars of the braves he saw the in
sigma of the Ordnance Corps, the
Signal Corps, the Judge Advocates
Corps, and all those mighty and mill
tant corps which have recently re-
eeived the public classification of
Swivel Chair Corps"
Oh, la, lal That was the answer.
The Swivel Chair Corps had come out
in the park to drill. No more ring
.round-the-rosy for them, but squads
right, to the rear, flank. and on left
into line marching. Hep! Hep; My,
amt it nice to be n soldier? Get in
line, there!" Look out for that mud |
hole, you'll dirty your new cordovans."
Officers, Haiti" present Fountain |
Pensr" Excused" As the pedestrian
moved on, mischievous-eyed old man
sitting near by, wearing the little cop
per Grand Army button in his coat
lapel, said, with a wink: when
was a youngster and getting ready
for war, they used to make 'em learn
to drill before they trusted 'em with
. commission" Yes, 30 they did. But
this war is different-in more ways
than one. 1t is grave problem to
make it safe for Democrats.
Give Freely
The annual drive for the Red Cross
is now on. The country was told
plainly, a year ago, that the hundred
millions then raised for this magnifi-
cent benefaction would have to be du
plicated every year of the war. And
SO swiftly does time move, that the
first year is ended and the demands
of the Red Cross are renewed. The
response will be as prompt and as
generous this time as 1t was before.
The hundred millions given to the Red
Cross last year have been the best
used of all the millions which the wal
has cost Without graft and with
manifest efficiency the Red Cross has
done its work. Its personnel is
singularly free from the self-seeking,