The Springdale news., 1918-01-11
'ill be not many moons distant

''fA ~ iAoS iiisiilS IlOOHS distant.
 In the spring million Sammies will go over the top to the strains of the Star Spangied Banner" Thev will not go over like a military machine driven, but they will go racing. will lngly, across No Mans Land" into the flame of fire and hail of bullets; they will carry their points, toe, for they have the courage, the srirt- they know what they are fighting for.
 l left Washinotcr Courtg Septem- Der II, with 58 other dra sted men fer Iamp Pike. There 1 was placed in tse 2tfantry wita the rest of my cfoWo, but no .rCEer tEan we had be come acquainted, two Of us were transferred to the Sigma Corps We were there about two months studying signal work, including the Semaphore and Continental Code. Then We were all sent to Camp Beauregard to fill up the National Guard; there the oth- CT Washington County man and my self were placed in the Supply Co. The next week he was sent away to cook for Mississippi regiment This left me alone as far as former acauaint- ance was concerned But in the ar my something is always happening. In a few days l was ordered before the Captain and told that was transfer red to the Ordnance Dept, and was to be sent to Rock Island Arsenal for special instruction in machine gun work.
 So here l am. with only one more man from Arkansas Every state IS represented in this school by two or three men In my barracks are men from all over the United States. For instance the man who sleeps on my left is from Camp Upton, Long Island, New York; on my right my bunkie halls from Camp Mason, California while under me on the lower bunk re- poses soldier from Mississippi.
 They call us the suicide company" :" for We are specializing in the most formidable weapon used at close range. We are not to operate these guns, for Ordnance men are not com bat troops They have charge of and are responsible for, all kinds of fire arms and ammunition We will be turned out of tnls school as instructors in machine gun work, will be attached 10 regiments of our states and held responsible for the upkeep of ordnance equipment, So if anyone tells you q drafted man is diseriminated against in this army you can discredit 1t, for have reached the very best branch of the service, without any effort of my own.
 We are studying the Colt, Viekers, and Lewis machine guns. We consider the Lewis the most practical gun. This gun shoots at the rate of 600 shots per minute. which by-the-way halls a string of nickel plated bullets faster than any hail storm you ever heard beat against your window. \ man can pick this gun up and charge with it in his hands, with Ii shooting a string of bullets at the same time. They can be elevated to any angle in stantly.
 Army life here is at it's very best. We have good food and good quarters. The men are all satisfied, but of course We are all anxious for a victory for Democracy and subsequent peace so that we can all go home to friends. don't believe q soldier ever stood in l line at retreat, but what he felt lit tie fighting thrill creep up his spine, when the wild exotic strains of the Star Spangled Banner echoes, re- verberates and re-echoes and drifts away into silence on the peaceful ey- ening breeze. Ii he does not feel a determination to follow Old Glory in- to the jaws of death. tense his heart strings, he IS not true soldier. You people at home may get the same sen sation when the flag flashes across the movie screen and waves as If the breeze were flaming t Does that eV- CT make you feel little full around the heart
 FF Hazel. l. o. (.
 Machine Gun Detachment.
 R. l. Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill.
 It begins to look now that Madison
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