The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-14
SQUAD OF 6'HERE ONLY ONE ARMY
Soldiers Various Regulars, National
egn Countries Visit Topeka. National Army.
Prove Kaiser That America All of the United
Democracy. States.
APPEAR At SANTA FE SH0PSlIOSE FORMER IDENTITY
Create Great Impression Among Distinctive Applications To Be
Railway Shopmen. Discontinued.
Second City United States To Insignia by
Visited by Yankees. us Army.
Prove to Kaiser That America
Is Real Democracy.
APPEAR At SANTA FE SHOPS
Create Great Impression Among
Railway Shopmen.
Second City in United States To
Be Visited by Yankees.

(From Topeka State Journal Sept. 1o.)
Tuesday at the big Santa Fe shops
the kaiser-s assertion that a demo-
cracy enveloping all the faces under
the skies could not be built into a sue
cessfu1 American army was proven
to be a lie. Sixteen men--all Of them
born in different foreign countries
came to Topeka and proved it.
In accordance with a recent order
from the war department permitting
the organization Of squads composed
of foreign born soldiers to be sent to
various cities for the purpose Of illus
trating the cosmopolitan democracy Of
our army this detachment was brought
here.
Friday, Chairman Meyers of the
state four minute men organization
heard of the order and went to Camp
Funston with big Bling Bang Bill"
Biby for the purpose of arranging for
such a squad to GENE to Topeka. 1t
is the second such squad that has been
sent out. The first time 1t was tried
in Pennsylvania. Topeka has the hon
or of having the second squad OF this
kind.
To a person knowing anything about
racial characteristics 1t was not any
task to pick out the various rationale
ties represented. The chance to come
on this expedition almost caused q riot
they would not get to come on this
expedition to demonstrate to the world
and to other people Of their race how
willing they were to go to any extent
to uphold the, principles that had be-
come dearer than life to them since
they had been here long enough to
realize fully what it meant to be an
American.
shortly after their arrival this
morning in charge of Sergeant B1oem-
ker. St. Louis boy, not foreign born,
they were placed in motor cars and
had been erected in the yards. decor
ated with American flags and q sign
calling on all men to register on Sep
TENDER ~.
Marco Morrow called the meeting to
order and introduced big Bing Bang
Bill'' Biby. who gave one of his char-
acteristic talks, the kind that make
| you want to walk right out and grab a
| rifle. Each man of the squad was in
| troduced in turn and answered to q
roll call with his name.
Biby then gave a brief talk descrfp-
tive OF the history OF the country the
MAJ. was from, its participation SO far
| in the war, what had happened to
them in the war. Every man and
every country-sixteen Of them was
| treated in this way.
| From the enthusiasm of the crowd
1t was evident that each nationality
was being touched to its Utmost depths
from the sharp crisp sentences with
which Biby was depicting their history.
German, Austrian. Swiss. Bulgarian
all the countries mixed in the war on
one side or another were represented.
But the one inspiring fact was that
all of the foreign born soldiers were
lined up for the one big principle for
| which the United States was going to
| war.
The names Of the men and the
country in which they were born:
Sergt. Bloemker, American born.
Reyes, Mexican; Andreof. Bulgarian;
| Rzezmk, Polish: Winski. Belgian;
Mateyick, Serbian: Kravshuk. Swiss;
Stergion. Greek: Wolf, German: Erick-
son, Swede; Morris, italian; 3, Yavonoff
Turk; Hagan, Norwegian; Vukotich
Montenegrian;' Pantelaymanow, Rus
sian; Idokovitch. Austrian; O'Brian
Irish.