The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1918-06-12
CORPORAL WHITED GIVEN
ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME
General Pershing's Young Soldier
Relates Incidents of Trench Life
Before Large Audience

TO be present nj the High school aud
itorium last Thursday evening on the
occasion of the greeting to Corporal
Homer Whited, the soldier messen-
ger from Gneral Pershing, will have
occasion to long remember the spirit
of patriotic fervor displayed by that
immense audience.
They gathered from every section
of the valley, young and old, fathers
and mothers there were whose boys
are "over there" prepared to do hon
or to themselves and their nation and
veterans of that other war of half
century gone who answered here"
in that dark hour of the country's
history, few in numbers but by their
presence declaring that the spark
of patriotism still burns within them,
and the survivors of that later con-
fiict which warned the nations of the
world that America would at any
cost defend the principles of freedom
on which ii is founded
Only a small part of the audience
was aware that there was a double
treat in store for them, and that the
opportunity would be theirs to hear
he inspiring Sam Belford, and it is.
therefore no disparagement to that
eloquent speaker to say that the
audience was present to honor the
comrade of our own boys over seas.
In tho unavoidable absence of
Judge T. c. Hart, chairman of the
American Council of Defense, c. w.
Foote presided and at the close of
the electiifying address of Sam Bel
ford introduced the audience to
Corporal Whited Most thoughtful
y and appropriately as the words of
introduction ceased the bugle notes
sounding Assembly were heard echo
ing through the building and as they
died away this young courier from
the trenches approached the front of
the stage and was greetd with such
storm of APPLAUSE as to convince
him that he was in the house of
friends. Incidently he assured Bug
Ter Harry Clinton that 1t was the
most touching introduction yet tend
cred him.
As he stood before them the audi
enee looked upon a slender, quiet
hammered youth, who notwithstand-
ing that he followed one of the most
eloquent speakers, remained unem-
barrassed, conscious that he was
there as n soldier obeying the orders
of his commander in delivering a
message.
Corporal Whited can lay no claims
TO a knowledge of correct English
and as terms are used, would not be
numbered amongst the eloquent, but
IL ii be eloquenee to hold the undi-
yided interest of an audience for one
hour and a half following such a
speech ae that of the speaker who
preceded him, then surely he is
master of eloquence. In Tins past
Ii would be said that he was of the
south, but now that there is no north
no south, no east no west, but one
united people, this simple soldier
with .the badge of bravery on his
breast may be said to hail from the
state of Alabama, his quaint south
ern additional eharmcmfwyphsrdlu
ern accent adding additional charm
10 his boyishly told tale.
Without the arts employed by
many trained speakers he carried his
audience with him from the time Of
his embarkation through the many
crisis in the trench when as one of a
detail of six he met a larger force of
Germans. His recital of this ex-
perience which he told almost apollo
getically and to explain the award of
the cross of honor which he wore,
was as a tale told to a comrade, and
when he said almost with a challenge
that he saw the face of his mother
in that moment when death seemed
to await him, there was an almost
reverent quiet throughout the audi
enee.
Without hint of bravado this
boy told In detail the battle in that
narrow trench with the Huns and
their final capture and his being ord
cred to report to receive in the pres
ence of his fellows. the badge of dis
tinction which he so modestly wears.
He added realism to his story when
donning the gas masks and the audi
ence seemed to feel a touch of the
horrors of that war which has
wrung the hearts Of so many mothers
of our land. He praised highly the
work of the Red Cross and Y NJ. c.
A.. both organizations IN their diff
ferent ways bringing comfort and
life to our boys scattered through
out Europe.
There was wild demonstration
when the speaker said in closing
that there will be a luncheon party.
in Berlin at which he hoped to be
present, and that at that feast he
wanted to see the head of the Kaiser