The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-09-06

over In rance the soldiers or the
United States army are known as the
smiling Yanks. They have won
derful spirit of confidence. They ac-
cept the fortunes of war with a gay
whistle. They sing as they march
forth to battle.
1t is the consciousness that back
home the volunteers of industry are
working at full strength to supply
every need that imbues the Ameri-
cans with the splendid courage that
makes victory certain. This is the
message brought back by Private
Charles c. .McGonegal. who for seven
months has been at the front where
he saw the hardest kind of service.
Private 'McGonegal, company B, 18th
Infantry, which is known as General
Pershing's "own." had a chance to
Ind out Just what the industrial ar
my means to the army that bears
arms. He was a mechanic before he
volunteered from North Dakota, in
June, 1917, and so he is fitted to
pass judgment on the relation of the
two armies.
Sitting on the porch of the work
shop of Walter Reed hospital. Wash
1ngton. ID. c., Private McGonegal
talked with j. F. Hodgson, first-class
mechanic the Washington navy ward
1t happened that the two men. who
represent combatant and non-com-
batant service in the war met at the
hospital, because Private McGonegal
lost both hands, February 3. when
he was on duty at an outpost on the
French line of defense. German
machine gunners made an attack
which was "unlucky," Private Nc
. CONCEAL thinks, for it cut short his
service before he had a chance to do
more than make a beginning at beat
Ing the Huns. But he is still cheer
ful; he has brought back with him
the Yank spirit for which the work
ers OF the country are so largely re-
sponsible. And he will soon be able
TO return to the ranks of the work
ers-why, he drove Red Cross am
bulance for three weeks before he
sailed for home.
The main idea is that American
pluck has put new slant on the war
Tor the British, French and even the
Moroccafs,'T = said Private McGonegal
Ihose fellows over there have
been in the war so long they had be-
gun to think it wasn't ever going TO
end. Then our troops landed ami il
all loked different. The thing that
made it look so promising was the
way we were equipped We had ev-
erything. Our regiments gave them
the impression that we had endless
supplies coming right along. OIL
course, we We're proud to have such
a welcome as they gave us, but after
all 1t was the workers at home that
made us look so good to them. They
mad been in the war game long
enough to know just what labor
means to the fighting forces.
The French soldiers talked a
great deal about what the men and
women are doing in the shops and
''N' 'S'' III lHt IHlltu states. IL
They had read about volunteers who
were working for nothing and regu- |
lar employees who were taking half
pay and working overtime. Whv
those Frenchmen couldn't do enough |
Tor us and they would have taken |
The coats off their backs if any of lis |
had needed them. But we didn't
need anything -that was the pojnt
We hadn't thought much about what
the hands at the looms, for instance.
were doing for us. but the foreign
fighters made us realize what we
owe to the workers"
Private McGonegal paused to take
a lighted cigarette offered by the
man from the navy yard. who un-
consciously drew his stalwart body to |
It's full height with a sudden access
of pride as he said:
I'm glad to hear you talk that
way, for can tell you the fellow
who sticks to his job hasn't an easy
time. 1t takes nerve to stand the
gan when everyone is wondering
why you're not in uniform. There
doesn't seem to be much glory in
Just making guns for warships and
ansports-making guns, instead of
..t-.