The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-05-30
MESSAGE DIRECT
FROM THE FRONT
BROUGHT FROM OUR SOLDIER
BOYS IN FRANCE.
HEARD BY BIG MASS MEETING
Royal Reception For Pershing's Vets
Merle Skinner Brings Personal
Word From Many oskaIoosa
and Mahaska Lads.

Oskaloosa people greeted Perish
ing's Veterans" last evening at the
Masonic opera house and at an over
flow" held at the First Presbyterian
church near by and gave the lads an
ovation
The boys were to have come by
auto from Sigourney but on account
of bad roads they had to come by
train and this delayed the start at the
Masonic opera house.
Three of the boys in khaki arrived
on the train and were met at the sta.
ton by delegation of some three
hundred people headed by the Iowa
Brigade Band, those who had been at
the Commercial Club luncheon and
those who joined in the parade en-.
route to the depot.
These. boys had not taken a bite to
eat since two o'clock in the afternoon
and were in need of refreshment. but
they demurred at delaying the even
ing's program and went into action
as il were, on the moment, and went
direct from the station to the opera
house. And as speaker finished at
the Masonic he was escorted to the
church and another talk was made TO
the crowd at that place.
Why, the, work in the trenches is
play and a picnic compared with this
stunt we are doing now. Me for the
trenches!" asserted Merle Skinner,
one OF the boys from France.
Eager To Hear.
Doors at the Masonic were opened
about seven-thirty o'clock but the
eager multitude soon over-ran this
place and the First Presbyterian
church was opened to the hundreds
that could not find place at the larger
meeting.
The Sammies' Mothers and others
had place on the stage and gave the
flag salute to the soldier lads.
John Jeannetta and his band boys
marched upon the stage playing the
Star Spapgled Banner" and the crowd
stood at attention r. J. Shanahan,
master of ceremonies announced the
overflow meeting at the church. pre-
sided over by Rev. Alexander Meier
ran, and called for Doctor Roberts,
president of the Commercial Club, to
start the program. The audience
had waited long and was impatient.
No preliminaries were INDUCED aside
from the invocation by Rev. Arthur
NJ. Lews, rector of St James Episco-
pal church.
Private Montgomery.
Private Albert Montgomery of Stu
art, Guthrie county, was the first to
respond and he set the ball rolling.
These lads from the trenches,-a half
hundred or mOre,-were picked at ran
dom to return from the front to the
States and tell their people of condi-
tions existing for the purpose of as
sisting in the solicitations for the Red
Cross and the Liberty Loan. A man
was taken from this squad and anoth-
| er from that company until the bunch
was made up. I'VE don't know why
we were selected but it was orders
and we came in obedience thereto and
are doing our duty and will report
back when our work is complete"
Montgomery made a nice talk. He
is sprightly fellow and if he fights
like he talks there will be something
| doing all the time. He is straight
| forward and cIear ont in ctatarpont
and he does not hesitate in the mes
sage he brings of the benefit of the
Red Cross or the words of praise for
the Red Cross Nurse in France. One
would never dream by the dcmeanor
of these soldier lads of the things they
have faced or the experiences they
have passed through.
Sergeant Hawkins.
60 Sergt. Owen Hawkins of Red Oak,
veteran of the Philippine Campaign
and a, boy who has been decorated
with the highest honOrs in the gift of
the French Government, inclusive of
two smacking kisses by noted
! French General, for his bravery and
| NhHNA hlNI "do llIt uthl ldIh-
er. He told much of the work in the
trenches and exhibited the equipment,
helmet, the gaze masks, etc. He is
a modest lad but intensely earnest
and his plea struck home to many
hearts.
Skinner Takes House.
But II remained for Merle H. Skin
ner of Ottumwa, and member OF
Company G. bunkies of Company H
boys, to set the house. going. Here
was lad in intimate touch with our
own lads, who knew most Of them
personally and many intimately
through association and occupying the
same trenches and dug. outs. More
over he brought home personal mes
sages. He could not hope to see all
those mothers, and fathers, and sis
tiers, and sweethearts. so he gave the
messages to the audience, right from
the ComDany III lads of Mahaska al