Milford chronicle., 1918-10-11
SID SAYSi
Il Was the United States Of
America That Yelled Down
That Stairway, MI.
German Major.
BY JOHN M. slDDALL,
Editor Of the American Magazine.

HN'eSi VI bHS american magazine.
have just had talk with Floyd
Gibbons, the famous war correspond
ent of The Chicago Tribune who push
ed so far to the front for news that
German machine gun peppered him in
the arm and side and put out one
Of his eyes.
Tell me about our boys over there"
/ said 70 which Gibbons replied.
"Well, listen to this true story OF
a German major who was taken pris-
Oner by the Americans. We asked
him for his impressions of Americans
as fighters. He said that he knew
nothing whatever about the fighting
qualities Of the Americans. He added
however, in perfect English, that he
had found them extremely persua-
sive."
Then he described exactly how he !
was captured He said that during a |
terrific barrage delivered by the AL |
lies he was in an underground COM
partment with forty-twO wounded
German soldiers. When the barrage
ceased the Americans came over The
German majors first look at an Amer
lean soldier came when one of our
boys, private, appeared at the OPEN
'ng to the underground compartment
The very thought of that fresh pri-
vate with his undigniied informal
manner seemed to have gotten the
sery goat Of the major For, accord
ng to the major, the private appeared
With a hand grenade in each hand
md his tin hat pushed back on his !
lead. Armed and rigged in that ;
manner he looked down the stairs into
he face of the German major and +
elled at him: :
Come out Of there, you Dutch \
lankety blank-Or I'll spill a whole ;
asket full Of these things on top Of
our bean y
mo. sir, there was not the sign Of r
smile on the majors face as he Y
'ld it. Not a trace of humor was Fl
him. Just plain disgust. The very p
lea of taking a prisoner that way ~
nd high and mighty major at o.
lat" :,
There You have the difference be-
veen the United States and Germany -,
nutshell. It is the difference be =,
feen free people and a people who nj
t down on their knees and bow st
I'd Scrape before the idea Of author in
Y. 1t is the difference between a
ople who stand up and express their
al thoughts and people who sup
esS them.
The private was spllllRg hand gre
deS, but he was also spllling his
nd-in the good old American way
exactly as he spills 1t on the street
rs or at ball game or at the fac
". This does not imply that he
Is not know how to obey. Look
" he is obeying in the world to-
y. But just because he Obeys is
reason why he should give up the
ht to think for himself and to wa
FAX what is in his mind, in the Ian mt
lge that is in his mind. He de- bu
cred himself as he is-without fear mu
without disguise. ou
The war is a war between these
iNNHo anu Ociudug was doomed | nef
minute she found herself lined ND mil
inst a nation that produces that ire
d Of men. Because, with the free hor
n of speech so cOmically illustrated fen
his story, there goes a freedom of fas
ion that sweeps everything before lar,
Men who are free to think for ?
mselves and speak for themselves the
act for themselves. They de- san
'p amazing self-reliance. If their er.
lers are killed or injured those doll
wv them have the initiative to sha
Ter up their forces and go forward. of
y do it here at home and they are um1
lg it over there.
he United States is a country
re human beings learn TO travel 8
er their own power-without the :
of tugs or other towing machines !
private who captured that ma {
so impudently would step right
and collar Hindenburg. He only -
les he could get the chance! Buy n
'rty Bonds-and make his Job q,
ar. co.