The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-18
Reactions on the individual Who Has
Entered the Army Take on Many Forms

/, that pathetic or brutal sort which
justifies calling the men philosophers
in the definition implied by the gen
tle-minded lady who said BE philos-
optical, my dear; resolve Just not e
think about it.
Hunor In Uncertainty.
Uncertainty breeds humor, how
ever, and the drabness is touched up
with gayer flashes. Where DO we
Go From Here Boys?' is a very
significant song; it can be sung with
real feeling when men make up their
packs on a few hours notice, hastily
telegraph home and are entrained for
parts darkly guessed at. --
means, we surmise, that you viii be
taken right to the river bank and
dropped on transports with steam
up; but it may be Camp
which means France sooner or later,
but a little later; or 1t may be simply
the prospect Of a strange, drawing
winter in Georgia. This Is a great
uncertainty that keeps a spark Of
nervous humor thrilling in even the
most calloused -sensibiIity.
Many are the minor uncertainties.
One is when the leggings will ar
rive, so you can meet your best birl
Win AA4AAAAS EAACGL next SUu@ANu
Speaking Of next Sunday, the query
arises whether an unlkind providence
in the person of the first sergeant
will put you on kitchen police duty
for that date, thus running the one
welcomed day in seven. Being on
kitchen police is no joke, in spite of
O'Hara. O'Hara, it seems, was
naughty, and so received as punish
ment kitchen police duty for a week.
He wrote home Of his appointment
to this ONCE Of trust and responsible
ity, and was credited in the local
paper with a promotion to the police
force at Camp Devens. At first we
were kept amused by the possibility
Of more glasseyed and active tuber-
culosis draftees staying a week long
er; they were sent up by patriotic
local boards who wanted to have n
record quota; that they succeeded in
this laudable ambition is being earn
estly claimed by the physicians in
camp. I must confess myself to a
mild and innocent curiosity as to
how much hash / will get when am
the 149th in the caffetera line of
$50, or how clean the dishwasher in
the two little pans will be under
similar circumstances.
Yes, a few draftees are rejected
and sent back, strange to say, to
normal life; they are the pieces Of
the game that seem, somehow, back
in the closet laid. An apt simile,
this; a veritable checkerboard Of
nights and days. That some one
knows about it all we do not doubt,
for orders come. men go. But as we
are hither and thither moved, we
a bit the sodden pessimism
Of Omar, and the expectancy Of the
the hope Of the improb-
able, give us gentle anticipations Of
the morrow.
Il suppose before long great heart
ed and resolute willed-and very
simple minded-men will go lectur-
ing around the country about this |
life, bringing us (as it has |
brought other soldiers) bang up |
against the great fundamentals Of |
life, the eternal verities, the main, |
central, simple detectives. This is |
earnest and we'll meant rhetoric: one
might wish it were true, but / hope |
It will be sharply challenged by our |
minds before We draw our conclu- |
sions.
Il cannot speak for the fighting |
to be sure. They say they !
ire having soul-Cleansing and rich, |
glowing experiences. Such war !
doubtless offers to some boys. I re-
reading a college lads let
Ter. He described himself as loung-
ng under a munitions truck, reading
Snappy Stories,' while shrapnel and 4
shells were playfully bursting about
lim. He took time to scribble this
note, in which he said: I'm thank
'ul for what this war is doing for
ne. 1t has grown hair on my chest, |
aught me to obey disagreeable or
lers graciously, and wiped away the
iamn superficial attitude of college