davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02

tage of this opportunity to visit the
men. Il want you men to put your
shoulders to the wheel and make this
day a success Captain Masseck, ad-
jutant, told the regiment Sunday
night
Prof. Rolla w. Brown, of Wabash
college, was the guest of the regi-
ment over the weekend, and on Sum-
day night he gave an interesting talk
to the men of France and the wonder
full people of France. It \often hear
the stand that France has made in
this war spoken of as the miracle of
the twentieth century," Professor
Brown said. THAT a decadent nation
has been regenerated almost over
night. That is not good diagnosis.
A people are not made in a night.
What you men do in a critical situa-
ton, the kind of a fight you will put
up will depend in a great measure
upon the habits you have formed in
life up to the time that you go to
France. The idea that France turned
topsy turvy and landed upon her feet
is based on prevalent misconception
of the French people. 1t is miscon-
ception that is particularly common
in America. We think of the French
as dancing masters or agents for per-
fumery and barber shop supplies. In
my experience 1 have found that
man has two or three virtues and
usually manages to make his way in
life. The strength of the French peo-
pie in this great crisis lies in the fact
that the people of France are devoted
to a few homely but rugged virtues.
One of the best of these is the devo-
ton of the average man of France to
his home life.
Another reason why France has been
able to stand as one man is the de-
votion of the people to their country.
AS children in the schools the French
We're taught that, some day their coun-
try would require of them the supreme
test, test to determine as to whether
or not France would continue to live.
Another virtue that the French pos
sess is the ability to stand off and look
at themselves honestly. Another is
the popular enthusiasm for a cherish
ed ideal Is the social life of France
more decadent than that of other
great nations? I do not think so. If
You want to find something rotten in
France, you can find it just the same
as you can in America If you are
looking for the best you can find it,
too. F'ifty-five per cent of the major
Industries of France are in the hands
of the enemy. We are going to die
to the last man if you don't come over
and help u.s. a Frenchman told me
the other day. Their fight is one for
personal and political liberty And
that is what America is also fighting
for. I congratulate you upon the SUI
preme opportunity to fight beside
these soldiers of France for the things
that we all hold dear"
In accordance with a wish expressed
by the president on January 90, the
men of this regiment are COW required
to attend divine worship each Sun
day morning. Services are conducted
at the Regimental half with Chaplain
Grey in charge. Catholic soldiers who
70
pected to do SO and services for them
are conducted in the various knights
of Columbus buildings of the canton
ment
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
WHEN WILL IT BE
"HOw Soon Are We Going
Away From FunstOns"
For Many Months This the
Question of the Day.
VARIOUS RUMORS ARE SPREAD
But Nobody Knows; if Officers
Knew Wouldn't Tell.
Meanwhile Training Pursues
the Tenor of Its Way.

when are we going away from
here?"
Nearly five months in Camp Fun
ston has made this the question of
the day for the soldiers of the seth di-
vision. They're getting bit impa-
tent and want to be on the move.
They feel they are ready to go forth
and do battle with the enemy, wheth-
er officers here agree or not And not
few are beginning to worry lest the
war be over before they get chance.
It'll just be our luck" complained
a man this morning. ito get over there
and find the kaiser and the whole Ger
man army wiped off the map. And
the other fellows will have all the
excitement"
The desire to move has caused all
manner of rumors to spread thruout
the camp, but you can't find one that
has any foundation.
A favorite one is that all men are
to be sent home to make room for the
second draft. And there are some
here. who actually believe it.
Another is that the whole division
Will start for France tomorrow.
Some have it-by dream, magma
ton or from the I-got-it-on-good-
authority" source-that the division is
to be moved to a southern camp.
You can even find those who will
tell you that the men of the seth divi-
sion are going to stay right in Camp
Funston until the end of the war.
So you can take your choice-or in
vent another wild rumor
Altho officers, if they knew, would
not tell about any troop movement, it
seems to be the general opinion that
while the men of the seth division
have progressed rapidly in their train
ing, they yet have many things to
learn before they would be fit for for
eign service, and no doubt Camp Fun
ston will still be home to = them,
months from now
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
"LONEsOME."

guess that every soldier lad =
Is subject to the blues,
When he 6etests this army life;
With its drills, its food and schools
Ills then my mini does backward roam
To home and bygone days.
Aud often stop and ponder ~
If the war game really pays
And / think of you my little girl
And the whole life seenil phony;
The rea son for the whole thing is
Little Girl, I'm lonely.
catch myself a-dreaming
OF the things you Say and do;
You're not like any other girl
ever met or knew
There must be Hundred thousand thfngs
That / sorget to say
&rhen the boys to wal were all called back
And / had to go away
CHI yes, / know that ! can write:
could write till my hand grew bony,
And then, I'D never tell you half
For little girl, I'm lonely.
But when at last the war is Ger,
And Uncle Sam gays / may go,
I'll hike right out at double-time
For the grandest place / know.
For this army lie" liz kinda tough
When you have found your "only-oniy,s
But, I'm here to stay and SEE it thru
But little girl, I'm lonely.
Corporal J. J. Harris. Co. y. 1853 Infantry.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
A REAL MILITARY CAMP
Gates At Highways-New Order
For Vehicles.

Gates are being installed by the
camp quartermaster across all roads
branching off the Golden Belt high
way, the main artery. of traffic thru
the camp of the seth division, and
certain ones will be promptly closed
each evening at $50 O'clock and not
opened again, except in special emer-
gency, until the following morning at
1880.
Livery vehicles, for the most part
"iitneys'' that do a thriving business
between the camp and Manhattan and
Junction City, are permitted to stop
along the highway at only three
places-the Hostess house, West
boulevard and Packers camp cross
ing, according to the new order.
The new order is in line with the
general policy of making Camp Fun
ston strictly military camp-a place
where red-blooded American men are
being made into soldiers-and place
where civilians are not wanted I'M
less thew have special business.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
IF IT BE HARD. BEN.

Are you gettin' sad and loneIy
Away out there, Bonnie, dear?
Are you longin' fo- your home: -
Do We need some one to cheer?
We all miss. We, Rem
Your little sister too
And little Eds alters a ;hilk.n'.
And a talkin'. son. Of zen
Do We miss rs. Rem.
Do We miss tfia cit, EdY
Are ye tired Of the fr.l: ninf
o. the marchin' day by day
Are We a weary of the nights,
The winter nights SO long,
Or do We sogers make 'em CHEEKY.
WI all tales an Jokes an song
If the life be hard. Oh, Ben.
Bear it wi faithful heart.
That will us love ye more,
We wi whom ye had to part
For remember that you're fightin',
For the brave rel, white and blue
Remember pledges that We made
To those colors to be true.
An remember too, my soger boy.
May it be a secret thou ght
You are fightin for the liberty
For which your fathers fought
-Edythe kaplain, Company G, 354th In
fantry.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
PROFANITY REDUCED
Refining Influence of Y. NJ. C. A
Gambling in Discard.
"Kindly Kwit Kussing.'

KINDLY Kwit kuSSlng.
This is the slogan, spelled in wh1m-
steal fashion, which the Y. M. G. A s
of the various big environments in the
central military department. are
adopting in campaign to reduce
profanity among the soldier boys and
thereby improve the moral tone OF
the camps. In some of the big camps
a distinct falling off in swearing has
been noticed as a result of the clean
language efforts.
Many pointed phrases, displayed
in the Red Triangle huts,
now serve to remind the men of the
objectionable character of profanity.
One of these reads:
.If you curse in your own home,
curse here.
1--WE want you to feel at home"
Recently an enlisted man at one
of the writing benches in hut
spewed forth mouthful of oaths
which were overheard by a secretary.
Just put that in a letter to your
mother some time" said the secre-
tary, suggestiveIy. Four days later
the young man laid a neatly written
letter before the secretary with the
statement: That's to my mother
the first I've written her in seven
years. The hint you gave me the
other day made me realize my duty
towards her-and I've decided to cut
out the cussing, too"
Reports from the environments show
also that gambling has fallen into the
discard before the ingenious on
slaughts of the Y. NJ. G. A. workers.
Absorbing athletic games have served
to divert the attention of the men and
give them something wholesome to
think about. In one camp the inter-
est excited in voiley ball, as a volun-
tary recreation, almost completely
broke up the practice of crap play
ing. A secretary happened to witness
a group of men enga ged in rolling
the bones and shouted in military
fashion:
'tAll out for basketball"
The game broke up Immediately
the boys naturally preferring a game
that brought their muscles into active
play
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
CAMP FUNSTON NEWS
From Journals NJ Weekly Trench Today
SERGEANT r.. e. LEWIS.

Sergeant r. E. Lewis, 353d regiment
headquarters and Y. M. C. A. head
quarters, has been appointed to sue
coed the late John W. Jewell as edi-
tor of Trench and Camp at Camp Fun
newspaper man; was reporter-on one
of the Topeka dailies for three years;
conducted an oil publication at Kansas
City, Mo-, and was publisher and
proprietor of the Alma Weekly Sig
nal. He>will work in conjunction with
E. B. Pratt, Y NJ c. A camp secre-
tary. Colonel Reeves has given Ser
geant Lewis practically all his time to
devote to Trench and Camp.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
new LIFE GREAT
All Soldiers Benefit by the
Training They Get.
Outdoor Life and Regular
Hours Make Them Fit.
IRE IN PINK OF CONDITION
DOniphan Boys Will Fight at
Drop of Hat.
Fat Men Like Training Be- I
cause 1t Reduces Them.

Camp Doniphan, Okla, Feb l.
The benefits that accrue from six
months of living in the open air, with
regular hours, regular meals and
plenty of exercise out of doors is now
being appreciated by the men of the
Thirty fifth division very forcibly for
the first time.
DO 1 look different than 1 did
when I came down here" one par
ticularly heavy man asked mis- friends
after returning from a visit home. Il
weigh just as much as l DID when /
enlisted, but everyone told me 1 was
much thinner. / tried on a suit of
my old civilian clothes at home. tho,
and they hung on me like burlap
bag on broomstick. l thought maybe
1 was getting thin. SO 1 had myself
weighed. and ! tipped the beam at
three pounds more than 1 did when
1 left home" -r7
All Are Benefitint.
He had lost all his superfluous
flesh, and IN its stead he was as hard
and solid as a rock. Somehow this
outdoor living and regular hours
seem to make the fat men lean and
the lean men fat, and the, both like
it. ~ Is ~
Another very noticeable change is
the color of the complexion of the
men, and the sparkle in Their eyes 1t
will not be surprising at all, if, after
this war is over, the sammies will re-
turn home with rosy, rudy cheeks, SO
characteristic to tn. Englijhmen, for
the men of the Thirty-fifth division
certainly are taking on roseate hue
around their heck bones.
None of the men are seen with
heavy or dull eyes during the day. If
one is, it is a sure sign he is ill and
should be in the hospital They
couldn't stop the change for the bet
ter if they desired. 1t must come as
the direct result of clean and regular
living.
Ready for Fights.
You never saw such a bunch of
men in 20 r life one officer re-
marked the other day. Every one of
them seems to be carrying a chip on
his shoulder. The best of friends will
black each others eyes. and in two
or three minutes they will be just as
good friends as they ever were. They
are in the pink of condition, that's all
that is the matter with them. They
are just trained right up to the minute.
and they are just aching for a scrap.
IF they received half the hard
knocks or blows in civil life, or had to
undergo some of the things in civil life
that they do here, some one would be
killed. But they take it all as part
of the game, and they are all being
made better men, in spite of the life
some of them led before coming here"
A medical officer who ranks high in
his profession remarked the other day,
that if this war did nothing else for
America, it would raise the standard
of manhood and of future generations
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
PATRIOT CRAFT
Short on Legs. but Long on Pa
triOtiSm.

II Uncle Sam would allow legless
men in his army of fighters, the
chances are that Earl H. Graft, of
Peris, Mo, would be the first. volun
teer. SThere are just two things that
keep Craft out of the army-a right
leg anG a left leg, which he lost in a
railroad accident several years ago, SO
he can't quite come up to qualifica-
tions physically.
But what he is short i'll legs, is more
than made up in patriotic spirit and
ambition.
In a letter received by Capt. J. o.
Strutz, of the personnel bureau of the
Eighty-ninth division, Craft explains
his Shortcomings and asks for a
chance 20 come to Camp Funston and
repair shoes for the soldiers. His let
ter follows:
Capt. J. o. strutz, Camp Funston,
Dear Sir: 1 am addressing you this
letter in regard to my condition and
position in life. / have Il brother
there in Camp Funston, Company l.,
354th infantry. There are many boys
in that company who know me Now,
captain, l am a legless fellow, but
first get III mind, not helpless. l can
go and come any place.
l have my own way to make in this
life. And what 1 wish to know is, can
you use me as a shoe repairer in the
army? Perhaps 1 am asking some
thing impossible, but at any rate,
mean all right and L would like to
serve my country. IF L could keep
up with the other boys l would be
packing a rifle right now, but you
see, I'm slightly handicapped. I sure
can repair shoes. Please write me as
soon as possible.
EARL H. CRAFT, Paris, Mo.
Captain Strutz wrote Craft and told
him he was sorry, but that there was
no place for him in the army.
Today the head of the personnel
office received another letter from
Graft. The patriotic young Mis-
sourian again asked Captain Strutz to
try and see if something couldn't be
found for him to do. 1t seems that
Craft depended somewhat on his older
brother. who is in the army here, for
support, and is having some troub
making both ends meet, as odd jobs
are scarce in Paris, Mo.
And it seems that there should be
place where as patriotic, willing and
ambitious a cripple as Craft could
earn his living and at the same time
be an example to those who are in
clined to hang back when their coun-
try needs them.
Who has a place for Patriot Craft :?
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
TO MEET SOLDIERS
Visitors at Manhattan and junction
City Should Make Appointments.

Not a day passes but relatives or
friends of soldiers come to Manhattan
or Junction City expecting to meet
men who are at Camp Funston, but
without any clear understanding ex-
cept that they will meet them fright
in town." or "at the depot" or Eat the
hotel"
Now. these are good sized towns,
there are several trains day (most
of them late), several depots, and any
number of places classed as hotels
The result is that people often spend
many precious hours, together with
much worry and some strong Ian
guage, chasing each other around
town and back and forth between the
camp and one or the other of these
two towns, when little forethought
would prevent all this.
Both towns have Community
houses" which are Sometimes known
as soldiers recreation halls. These
are both centrally located and easily
found. They are the natural meeting
place for soldiers and their friends,
and if strangers coming to town in
once and make inquiry it would in
many cases simplify matters. Mes
sages can be sent here for men in case
of emergency, altho the proper place
to address mail and ordinary CORE
spondence is to the regular camp ad-
dress given by the men.
Both these places have ladies' par
lors, list of clean rooms a free tele-
phone, map of the city church and
lodge information, plenty of station
cry ana a place to write letters.
They are both operated directly by
the war camp community service or
CARNATIONS of these two towns in CO.
operation with the war department
commission on training camp activi-
ties, and no charge is made for any
service each may render.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
WANT PIGEON EXPERTS
Need of Them in the Signal Corps Is
Demonstrated.

The fact that there is a place in the
army for everybody, no matter what
his former occupation. profession,
trade or hobby. is further demonstrate
ed by a bulletin issued by the COM
handing general today in which all
organization commanders are asked to
canvass their organizations for men
possessing special qualifications for
pigeon service.
There is need for expert pigeon men
come as tablishcd a communicating
fine as has the telephone and telegra phi
and the swift flyers can be used many
times where the telegraph. telephone
wireless or other signaling apparatus
could not be.
The S9th division pigeon cote grad
ually is getting many fine birds for
breeding purposes, and it takes ex-
perienced men to train and take care
of them.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
GREAT LETTER WRITER'S
Correspondence as Rule Written in
Y. NJ. G. A. Buildings.

The American boy in camp is a
great little letter writer, according to
a statement Just made public by the
National War Work Council of the
Y. NJ. C. A.
In the Central Military department
alone a total of s,724,6 sos letters were
written during the last month. With
nearly 100000 enlisted men stationed
within the department, the average
would be about IL letters to each man.
The great majority of these letters
are written in Y. NJ. c. A. buildings
on Y. NJ. C. A. stationary. Paper and
envelopes are furnished to enlisted
men free of charge. The Y. NJ. C. A
buildings are fitted with desks run
ming the full length of the buildings
Hundreds of men use them at the
same time.
All the 7. NJ. c. A. huts in camp
are placarded with such signs as:
Don't Forget To Write Home" and
Remember Mothers Letter First"
the reason being that the writing of
letters has a great influence for good.
Likewise, the receipt of letters from
home does more than anything else
to keep a soldier boy happy and con-
tented.
Entertainments, lectures, athletic
contests and recreatfonal games un-
der Y. NJ. c. A. auspices serve the
boys in their leisure moments and
keep them from getting homesick. An
effective work is being done, the re-
port says, for the men in hospitals.
The secretaries visit them and write
letters for those who are too ill to
write or read to others who cannot
do SO for themselves. They also or
ganize educational classes and con-
duct religious services for the men in
the hospitals
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
NEW millinery HERE
Headgear and Coats Received at
Funston Are Nifty.

A new shipment of millinery" has
arrived for the boys of Camp Funston.
The headgears which have detract-
ed attention from the wash BASIN
war bonnets are nifty new winter caps
which offer excellent protection
against the cold. The new caps can
be pulled down over the fac and back
of the head so that little but the eyes
are visible. They are of the stand
ard color-olive drab-
In moderate weather the men wear
the caps in a Tommy Atkins style, on
the top of their head.
The new issue overcoats are shorter
than the old ones. Uncle Sam has
discovered he has been wasting great
deal of valuable cloth in making the
new army coats so long, and the new
ones come about to the knees. They
are more sensible, too, for the old
style ones are in the way, especially
in the mud or in the trenches.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02
MY FRIEND.

He may be six kinds of liar: he may be
seven kinds of a fool
He may be a wicked high flyer beyond
any reason or rule.
There may be shadow above him, of perils
and woes that impend,
And / may not respect. but / love him,
because-weil, because He's MY
FRIEND.
1 know he has faults by the million. but
his faults are portion of him:
/ know that II s. records vermilIion, and
he's not like the sweet seraphim
But he's always been square with yours
truly. always ready to give OF to lend
And tho he Is wild and unruly, love him
because he's MY FRIEND.
/ knock him-I know: but l do it the same
to his face as away:
But if other folks knock him they it,
and wish they had nothing to say
/ never make diagrams of him, no map of
his soul have / penned:
For / don't analyze-I just love him, be-
Observation-Disclosures he's MY FRIEND
Todd.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02

Eighty-ninth division shculdering a
rifle, cooking or performing other
duties not in their professional line,
they are to be transferred to the med
ica1 department. unless they are full
filling other duties which are clearly
of more value to the army than would
be their service as cl1iropodists. This
is in accordance with an order from
the war department received here.
The care of a soldiers feet is one of
the highly important things to be con-
sidered. and the mobilization and
training of the great number of men
in the present crisis has drawn heavily
on the foot doctors" So if there are
any in the army not practicing their
regular profession. they viii. be given
an opportunitY to do so.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-02

Headquarters company has been in
quarantine again but is enjoying its
freedom at the present time One
Sunday afternoon while we were
prisoners" a few members of the
command staged a little entertainment
for the benefit of the others, and it
certainly fulfilled its purpose.
The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1918-05-12
LIQUOR EMPLOYEES
ASKED TOCOME HERE
CAN FIND ALL THE WORK THEY
WANT IN GEORGIA

ATLANTA, May 10.--If- the whisky
and beer interests which are making
such pitiful wall in other states about
throwing saloon and distillery and
brewery employees out of work by
prohibition, would only turn their at
tontion to Georgia. where every large
farmer and every industry and bust
ness concern of any consequence is
begging for help. they would find that
the prospect of prohibition is not near
ly so dreadful as they image.
If there ever was propitious time
for prohibition, considering the interest
of the people employed in the whisky
and beer industries, that time is now,
when not only Georgia but all other
states are in the throes of labor shor.