The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-08-29
FIRST CALL
BY
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Author Of
over THE TOP"
HAPTE X.
Continued
Cold Steel.

Nulu ONtNls
THE cleanest man at guard mount
Is selected by the adJutant to be
orderly for the commanding Of
tlccr. This is a great honor. In add
ton, the orderly also gets all night
in'-that is, he attends the commanding
otiiccr-gcncraliy the coloncl-during
the day, and sleeps in quarters at night.
while the rest OF the soldiers are walk
ing or riding their posts. You will
appreciate this, especially II the night
is cold, stormy or rainy.
See that Your equipment is in perfect
order according 10 the regulations is
sued by the government. Go out after
orderly and pretty soon you will be a
non-CommissIone officer. At guard
mounting during the inspection OF the
guard by the adjutant, a soldier must
be alert and wary for many tricks are
used. Ii the adjutant is closely in
speeding YOU with a view Of picking you
for orderly and he asks, What is the
matter with your shoe, your belt. your
bayonct cor any part OF your equip
ment2)" do not look down at that par
tieular piece OF equipment Answer him
with your head and eyes straight TO
the 'front.' Ii You have rclinqui,hed the
position at attention in any way, your
chance, Of orderly will quickly fade.
On Guard.
On guard be, ,eli-coniident: rcmem-
Der that You and YOU alone are in
charge of your post, and that no one in
the post has authority to give you or
dcrs, except a commanding officer, an
officer, or non-commisSiuned officer OF
the guard. You are the Boss" and
should be strictly following your gen
cral and special orders. While walking
post at night, especially If it is cold
and black and stormy, You will be
,orcly tempted to take a chance and
your post for some quiet shelter,
figuring out that the officer OF the day
II non-rommlsSioned officer of the
guard will not be around-but remem-
Der that when YOU take this chance
hen j., the time that the officer OF the
lay or "non-com' hits your post. Your
belt is pulled" and into the g~uardhouse
you go-,hcn comes a court-martial, |
by a severe sentence OF line
" Imprisonment. While walking post
At night do not look at your watch, !
because the time will seem twice as
BE cheerful on guard, because
a groughy guard means twcnty-four
hours of confusion and misery. But
in France will come the real rcspon-
Of guard duty, Do not forget
that there a negligence which seems
in your eyes, may result in
valuable information to the enemy. the
loss OF the lives OF your comrades or
The destruction OF your command-and
do not forget that this dcrellctlon OF
duty Is punishable by death.
The Bayonet.
Before he gets through with his train
ing period in the United States, many
a drajlman will heartily curse that
knife like contriyancc which so snugly
hts on the end of his rifle. 1t has a
habit Of getting rusty, and causing the
owner TO land on fatigue. II it is rusty
on too many occasions the owner is liza.
bic TO view the outside world from be-
hind the bars Of the guardhouse. II he
does land in the mill" strange to say,
he does not blame his own careless
ness. but shifts the responsibility OF hi,
imprisonment on the government. cen
surfing it for not issuing a nou-rustablc
bayonet, Then again, while drilling with
fixed %bayoncts, If he is In the rear
rank It will need constant lodging on
his part 10 avoid the bayonst OF the
man in front Of him Perhaps during
bayonet fighting drill he will be re-
CURED TO hold the position OF guard
while the instructor is explaining 10
some Juniper" that a bayonct is NOT
for the purpose Of stabbing custard
pies. but is TO be used only to let day
! lght through a German therefore 1t is
up 10 said Juniper" to get a little
weight behind his thrust The man in
the position Of guard is just beginning
to discover that Ne possesses muscles
that he never before dreamed OF. These
muscles are under quite a strain and
huTt worse than a tOOthaCle.
Long Distance Fight.
Trench warfare is like fighting over
the long distance telephone, until the
soldier gets the chance to go "oycr
the top" in a charge and comes face
to face with the enemy. When this
happens and he sees a great big Ger
man in front of him, that bayonet in
,tesd of being b heavy&eiumsy affair,
seems to the nan lik4&leedle stuck
in a cork, Tbea, perssNs, while in this
uneuviable position. a feeling OF regret
and remorse passes through him that he
did not put his whole heart and soul
INTO his bayonet fighting back in
'Bllghty." When you are hand to hand
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