davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
Battalion Works
Only for Government

The dock battalion works only fol
he government. Its time is taken up
principally with handling equipment
and stores for the Admiralty and the
Army Service Corps, supplies for Rus
sa and foodstutfs for the British
wheat and sugar commissions. The
men do not discharge or load ships for
private owners.
The work is hard; in fact, the mem
bers Of the Liverpool Dock Battalion
are the hardest worked lockers in the
or disatfcction. One Of the majors Of
the battalion--in civil life he is
prominent Liverpool ship broker
showed me the men at work, and he
told me the battalion comprises the
pick Of the dockers Of Liverpool. The
manner in which they tackled their
work the morning I saw them con-
vinced me that they possess a splendid
esprit de corps.
1t might be recorded in passing that
while helping the nation win the war
greatly helped its own members. Mill
tary discipline has practically elimi-
mated drunkenness, and the money that
used to be wasted in carousing is now
being invested. My guide told me with
pride that the Liverpool Dock Battalion
! had subscribed for something like
$4,000 Of war loan, to be paid for out
of weekly deductions from the mems
wages.
But the fact of outstanding impor-
tance about this Liverpool experiment
is that hundreds Of thousands of tons
OF shipping are being saved for tho
conduct of the war. The Liverpool
Dock Battalion is one of the subma-
rne's most effective enemies. Under
the old system in Liverpool a 5,0O0-ton
dead-weight cargo boat might take ten
days to discharge her cargo and take
on now; the Dock Battalion will dis
charge and load The same ship in five
days. That means saving Of five days
on each voyage, and if that ship is ply
ing between Liverpool and New York
she will be able to make one and per
haps two more voyages in twelve
months than she could under the old
system.
Is there nothing in the Liverpool ex-
pertinent that might be applied to our
own ports at this time? If, to illus
trate, the same improvement in turn
ing ships around" could be effected in
the port of New York, that same 5000
ton cargo boat would be enabled to
make one or two additional voyages a
Seal, anu tIe submarine would nave to
work that much harder to defeat us.
| If. on the other hand, we must con-
tinue to administer our ports subject
TO the vl.issitudes of casual labor and
) frequent strikes we shall not get the
maximum cargo-carrying capacity out
, of the ships we already have
A thousand skilled lockers anC
, lightermen in the Port of New Yorl
working under conditions that woue
eliminate the present loss of time dis
J, charging and loading ships might
prove to be Of greater value in win
. ming the war at this time than five
, thousand American soldiers on the
Western front For without plenty Of
1 ships to bring them stores the five
thousand could not remain in the
, trenches very long.
Copyright. 1918, by The Tribune Assoclatlon)
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
By Pierce Williams


which the American people are
unanimous. it is that we must
beat the submarine to win the war.
Unfortunately. the majority Of peo-
pie are still thinking Of our victory
over the submarine in the future tense.
1t is to be achieved with those swarms
of steel and wooden ships that we con-
fidently expect to see in the water next
year. BY that time, these hopeful peo-
pie say, we shall have so many ships
plying between our ports and those Of
the Allies that even if the U-boats are
able to destroy tonnage at the present
rate, enough food and ammunition will
still arrive on the other side to keep
our fighting forces adequately supplied.
That is dangerous theory at the
present critical stage of the war. We
dare not wait until next spring to beat
the submarine. We must do every
thing possible to beat it now. And the
only way of even holding our own
against the submarine for the time
being is to get more voyages out of the
ships we already have.
That is only another way of saying
that ships already in service must
spend as much time as possible steam
ing across the Atlantic with cargo and
as little as possible tied up alongside
our docks.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
Twenty Enemy Scouts
Were Due East

Lieutenant X Was patrollng a Ger
tain area with his formation when they
saw about twenty enemy scouts due
east of them. At height of 1000 feet
d formation of SIX machines turned
toward them, dropping to 900 feet
as it came. X dived to attack, and, in
the words of his official report. - gem
eral melee cnsued.' While engaging
che machine he saw two more enemy
formations approaching, so he shot up,
and as their leader dived to attack he
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
% Four Men Fly Out to Bomb Hangar %

that line of stationary German ma
chimes. One of them, however, had
just made an upward move of sorts, as
the result Of No. 3's last bomb. No. 3
had leisure when on the ground to
notice his bomb exploding in the mid
die Of it.
No. followed No. 3. 1t was the
hangars' turn for attention, so No. a
dropped three bombs on them. He then
turned and dived on to the line of arco-
planes and sprayed them with bullets;
"these were bombed a few minutes af-
tcrward," he says. Tina. was by NO. 3,
Of course
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
Time Lost One
OF Great Factors

Time lost in discharging and loading
ships in our ports is due chiefly to the
casual nature of the labor supply. Har-
hor tie-ups, due to strikes, increase
the delay in turning ships around
1t would be interesting to know exactly
how many hours have been lost in the
port of New York during 1917 because
OF lack of labor at the proper time.
One thing, however. we may be certain
of without consulting statistics. If the
total time lost in discharging cargoes
or raw materials needed by American
factories and in loading war goods
needed by Americas Allies were con-
verted into terms of ships voyages, it
would be equivalent to sinking by T.
boats of several large cargo ships.
Anything that will eliminate the time
lost in discharging and loading vessels
in American ports is submarine beat
ing and war winning factor of great
and immediate Importance.
1t has become one of our tiona]
habits to ask. when confronted with
war. "What did they do in England ?"
British ports suffered from delays in
discharging and loading ships just as
American ports suffer to-day. Liver
pool England's leading port, solved the
problem by organizing the dock work
crs into battalions under military dis
ciplinc.
Just before sailing from Liverpool
for America two months ago 1 saw
one of the dock battalions at work, and
from the lips of the men who helped
to organize it I heard a story which
may have a moral for American port
administrators to-day.
For fully nine months after war
broke out the port of Liverpool was
subject to the vicissitudes Of casual
labor and frequent strikes. The con-
gestion Of traffic threatened the sue
cessful prosecution of the war. The
limits of berthing accommodation and
quay space made it imperative to get
ships discharged and loaded as quickly
as possible; yet government ships fire.
quently had to wait a day or two be-
fore starting to move their cargoes,
and when at last they got start they
usually worked lalfmanned.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
The Skirts. OF
Happy Chance

1T is always a matter for argument
between the infantry and the flying
corps which of them has the more dan
gerous job. Flying men are inclined
to say modestly that there is more risk
in the trenches; the infantry, equally
modest, to say that it is worse in the
air. But they would both agree upon
one conclnsion-that the flying corps
gets more fun out of it,
For the airman has this advantage
over his more lowly brother. that he is
allowed to pursue 'the skirts of happy
chance while the man in the trenches
TO continue the metaphor) has to wait
till the skirts come his way. The air
man is so often on his own. Even
when he IS given a special piece Of work
to do he is allowed the afternoon off.
SO to speak. If he is sent out to bomb
junction he will, "in accordance with
instructions" so to the junction and
bomb it; but probably the instructions
forgot to say anything about coming
straight home again. He has a free
hand to amuse himself on his way
home.
Looking at the reports OF four air.
men who went out to bomb an aero
drome, one gets an idea o. the form
which this amusement takes The ac-
tual ofilclal business was quite success
! full. Of five aeroplanes drawn up ready
for action. two were destroyed and the
others damaged, while each hanger
had bomb planted neatly at its front
door. Unfortunately in the middle of
business one Of the British planes was
hit in the petrol tank. 1t landed grace
fully in the aerodrome. picked up on
its emergency tank while "taxi-ing,' y
and rose again. But it gave the pilot
no choice in the matter: he had to go
straight home after that. ne real
fun was left to the others.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
Beating the U~Boat at
The Docks
By Pierce Williams

cargocs Of munitions and food because
all the available quays were occupied.
In the quay side storage sheds shells
and guns were piled mountain high
awaiting labor to load them.
persons familiar with conditions in
the port of New York may recognize a
familiar ring in the story of Liver
POOLS troubles.)
Out of this meeting came the forma-
ton, on April 8, 1915, of the 1st Liver
pool Dock Battalion. 1t provided what
was needed, namely, a regular body of
men available for work every day, at
any Job. at any time, or at any part of
the docks; body of men under mill
tary discipline and control who had
foregonc their rights of working when
and where they pleased, of leaving
their work or Of striking altogether.
There was no hint OF compulsion
about the formation of the Dock Bat
talon; it was recruited by voluntary
enlistment from the ranks of Liver
pool dock workers. To insure the sup
port of the lockers themselves only
members in good standing of the Dock
ers' Union were eligible for enlist
ment, and the secretary of the union
himself Joined and became the first ad-
jutant of the battalion.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
Good Wages
Were Guaranteed

In return for the surrender of their
civil liberties the men were guaran
teed a minimum weekly wage of 35
shillings; if they earned more, they
were to be paid what they actually
earned. They were to receive, in addi-
ton, the regular military pay Il shill-
ing a day for privates).
The conditions of work observed
throughout in the Dock Battalion are
those set out in an agreement be-
tween the Dockers' Union and the en-
ploycrs of dock labor in the port. to-
gether with any subsequent decisions
affecting the agreement which may be
arrived at by the joint committee Of
employers and workmen's representa-
tives. In other words. if the Liver
pool Dockers' Union secures an in
crease in dock wages the men in the
battalion received the benefit Of it
British army lines. Apart from non
commissioned officers, who arc graded
in the usual regimental manner. there
are twenty-onc commissioned officers.
including lieutenant colonel. two ma
jors and an adjutant.
Each company. however: instead Of
being divided into Squads" is split
up into gangs" Each gang is a
complete cargo-working unit. with ITS
piOPet SOiH HpicHlSit VI SniiiS,i i'iSu ~
tailed to operate the winchcs, York
in the holds flling the slings, manage
the cargo booms and handle the cargo
on the quay The foreman in charge
Of each gang" has the rank Of cor
poral
The men enjoy. as far as possible,
all the privileges attaching to regular
soldiers. On the other hand. they are
liable to all the provisions of the army
act and arc subject to military law
and discipline throughout
One of the advantages they enjoy IS
that they are not required to live IN
barracks. but are permitted to sleep
at home.
Each morning at $3.50 o'clock the
members of the dock battalion report
at headquarters for parade" After
rollcall they divide up into gangs"
and proceed to their respective sta
tions. The evening before headquar-
ters has received from the officer in
charge of quay ''labor indent," "
specifying the number Of gangs he
will need to handle the ships for which
he is responsble. The men are at
work by o'clock every morning, un-
less they have continued working all
through the night, as happens fire.
quently. The day | saw the dock bat
talon at work in Liverpool they were
just finishing a twcnty-four hour
"trick." The last of number Of sim
ister looking howitzers of large calibre,
with heavy ammunition carts to match,
were rapidly disappearing into the
hold Of a ship.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
We Were
OFF for
Blighty

sion seemed to reign. Lanterns were
flashing TO and fro. and long lines o.
stretchers could be seen moving tow
ard the ambulances
was placed in an ambulance VII"
three others. A rasping noise as 'ne
gears were shifted, and with JERK
the ambulance started. That JERK
made me grind my teeth.
But I was happy in the thought ths'
at last was on my way 70 that lonsea
for heaven. Blighty.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
Blighty! %.s:, %%s'
Continued from, page one,
thus section

"Gimmee fag, mate; I'm all out.
Come on, chum, don't forget me- That's
a good fellow. Let's have one"
Pretty soon every Tommy who was
able had lighted fag between his
lips, and sigh of content went up as
he inhaled deep drafts Of the smoke.
certainly enjoyed mine.
The sergeant major again entered
The medical men came to attention. In
crisp tones he ordered.
Get the convoy for England ready
Look alive, the ambulanccs are ex-
pected any minute"
The stretcher bearers entered busting
about and the ward was in an uproar.
Then. outside, could be heard the chug-
glng engines of the waiting ambulances
AS each fortunate Tommy was car
ried out the more unfortunate ones
who We've 20 be left behind at the
Base Hospital. bravely wished him
Good luck, mate, give my regards to
Irafalg gar Square. Be careful and don
lose your watch in Petticoat Lane
Give 'er my love"
AS [ was carried through the door
the cold air sent shiver through me
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13

THlS is the edge of things, the ut
tcrmost rim Of the law. The
land drops sharply into the sea.
At this point network OF barbed wire
is all that keeps the city within its
bounds-~a frail barrier thrcateningly
designed to protect the sea from the
land. Back of this point is the seeth-
ing turmoil Of nation struggling in
the grasp of change. Beyond this point
is the open sea. Between them is the
silecn cord of military rule.
Here lie two of the mighticst of the
great chain of coast defenccs, and be-
tween them that narrow strip of water
through which now pours the vital
force Of nations.
The city surges to the very brink Of
it. Friendly and enemy eyes pierce
the barrier and see nothing. The swell
of the harbor, leaden or blue, is dotted
by apparently meaningless craft. They
are topheavy and built on the crude
lines of long ago. Obviously, they may
ply their trade unmolcsted until they
sink "from natural causes" or break
upon an ambitious wave. At all events,
they appear ungainly and unseaworthy,
and are profoundly unnteresting to
the overstimuated eye still focused on
the far away.
ID ETWEEN the barbed wire and the
- war, 5000 miles away, patrols
sentry, on the side nearest the barbcd
Io &c
by another sentry, and again by an
other. But his name is always Joseph
Gsh in the abstract terms of the reg
ulations, and the order Of the day pre-
scribcs that he be but one at time.
His mission by day would appear to
be somewhat oracular. Passersby are
curious and frankly inquiring as to his
existence at this peculiarly unimpor-
tant point. What does he guard? And
why? Wouldn't he rather be in
France? Why isn't he? Oh. has he
sweater? Well that must be be-
caus" they arc so needed abroad Oh,
he can't stop to talk" Why didn't he
say SO? Motormcn have signs and
things put up. Contrary to popular
pcllel, lt IS only SINCE the war and
public guard duty that the hardened
reg" has developed the uncouth re-
serve attributed to him. 1t is cmbar-
RAISING to be considered an authority
on war matters and then be shot for
living up to this flattering reputation
But barbed wire is his lob. Only
barbed wire. ten feet high and hum
drcd feet long. and an extreme rcti-
cence concerning what lies beyond OBJ
vious though it he. He learns philoso-
ply and to be thankful that the barrier
is not of brick, since he would then
have to cope with curious souls intent
upon scaling it. Beside him and across
the water the watchdogs lie in their
gigantic kennels and the winds roar
day and night through the iron plat
forms like the blast OF a great siren.
They drown the fainter sounds of sig
nal or warning which emanate at times
from the queer looking craft which
seem to lie in such pleasant idlcncss
half a mile to sea.
or all who gaze perhaps Joe Gisl
only knows what lies within those bat
tered hulks, huddlcd like drifting dere-
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
By Caroline Dawes Appleton

splashing of hundreds Of tons Of var-
colored paint and the fixing of guile
iul bits of supers tructure, these ships
lumber through carefully spread nets
of enemy eyes. They pause here and
then dash seaward, leaving no trace or
suspicion Of their identity.
Americas native ingenuity. taxed in
the invention Of new and startling de-
vices for tho protection and disguise
pitch astounding to even the practice
perfect experts of the Allied forces
abroad Long before the department
issued its remarkable dictionary Of
French military terms and the "argot'
OF the trenches. giving this definition,
"Camouf1age. disguise. act of disguis-
ing etc, the word had attained in this
country the vogue which has almost
exhausted its interest
1t is a sound theory that can with
stand tho heat of American enthusiasm
But camouhage has found America its
home. Inventive brains. arousing the
triumphant praise and incincrating
criticism which spell success, have
plunged into camouf1age and imported
experts meet. half way over. examples
Of their own art which they fail to
recognize.
EOR example. Private Gish witnesses
an incident which creates weeks
Of absorbing conversation. OF an in
tenscly nationalistic tone, in tha, home
Of narrative and anccdctc, his barracks.
A visiting disnitary, accompanied by
the X. o. and group of guiding of
fcers. makes Il tour of inspection Of
the dcfencoS and brings I'D at, PriVat G
Gish's barrier to eight w.: chat Il
moment and study the seas from this
vantage point. The visiting one is un-
known to Private Gish. whose meter
is exclusively soldering Not so the
X. o., who look respectfully upon
the brilliant uniform. kuowing that
palette, brush and painters smock, pri-
vatc ambition and the Academy were
laid aside for the warlikc art of camou-
hagc
Sheltered from tho biting wind the
inspecting officers stand. smoking gen
tally, in halo of sunlight The great
man launches upon tales of battle
fields and naval ducls whore the new
art played tho leading role. Private
Gish produces an ear from its en-
swathing helmet and muffler to hear
the better
There arc great tales OF masked
guns and Invisible ships. fascinatingly y
told. But suddenly 1hcrc looms upon
the horizon something which stabs Joe
Gish with the thrill of pride great
ship, ploughing seaward. smoke pouring
from her sloping tunnels. The details
of her are indlstinct. but Joe Gisl
knows her, Her comings and goings
arc red-lettercd. IL stamps vchem
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13

and my wounds be
gan to pain. The
effect Of the chlor-
otorm was wearing
off. Outside it was
dark. and coniu-
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
WE have. Beneath camouAage and
w counter camouhagc the wheels

M l. nave. behea'h ca'''oun"ee anu
w counter camouflagc the wheels
Of government run very smoothly; nets
are woven and unwoven. traps are
and the unvary. True. depart
mcnts and inventors chucklc some
tim cs and nurse sore finger caught
in some scheme of things too we'll
concealed and momentarily forgotten.
But what is d sore finger?
Each man to his job, and Joe Glsh
TO his. which is barbed wirc-for the
moment. And out there, beyond the
three mile limit, where there is no law
and the black flag Of piracy has come
into its own again, the waves are
taught to dip to the painted DO" OF
fake destroyer while the guns of a
real one are trained on a too inquir-
ing pcriscopc There is much in a
mans knowing his job. which may be
barbed wre-or camouAage both
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
Barbed Wire and Beyond
By Caroline DwsAp

emily. blowing heavily into his glove
and emitting clouds Of steam upon the
frosty air, longing to attract the Tor
egn officers attention to her perlcc-
tions.
The group moves to depart as the
K @. says something about the NOR
tar pits" but the visitor halts with an
exclamation.
"Magniiicort ship, that A for
cgner?"
"No," admits the X. o. modcstly.
"Shc's our own" He proffers his
glasses. The expert adjusts them with
professional skill and murmurs MS
praise.
"Fne snin~-aL. destroyer with her,
| see Fine boats, your Destroy
crs this is a hne one
Yes, indeed, that's quite a transport
hold lot of men. But absolutely 70
attempt at disguise. Isn't that a trifie
indiscreet?" lie lowers his binoculars
and turns to the X. o. ,cproachfulIy.
A SECOND lieutenant murmurs
"a something about "the art that
so artfuly all art conceals, but 'he
X. @. withers him with glance.
"Uavc another look" he suggests.
With shake Of his head the expert
raises the glasses and looks aga,h
Private Gish knows what he sees--tne
simple, splendid side Of we'll -buil'
ship. and steaming beside her, foam
curving from her knfellke bow,
sleek destroyer, beautiful but very
businessllkc.
The glasses fall.
at is perfectly clear that there Is nc
attempt at camoufagc. ! suppose he'
convoy travels the entire distance With
her like that?' >,
"Exactly," says The X. o., conccalint
his pride. "The destroyer IS palntec
on her hull. When the real convoy
picks her up they're quite tormlda Dc
array Now. over there, beyond these
cantonmcnts -
"Wcn, I'll be --," remarks the Wis
itor, profoundly "You we're saying
sir''
They move away, Private Gish Pre-
scnts arms and is left with an aching
satisfaction that keeps him warm al
afternoon. Meanwhile, he memories
the incident. Certainly it loses moth
ing in repetition at "mcss.'
Camounage. as Private Gish say
himself is the same idea as the leop
ards spots. and poker, and the duel
that wasn't duck at all but goos'
or something when it grew up-any
way, we've got the trick thafll put !
over 'cm all!
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13

Neat Sundays instalment
riW be "The Enemy Within;
or, Rounding Up Spies on
the Western Front.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13

Copyright. 1917. Meclur. Ns~sraoss syndi's"'
New-York tribune., 1918-01-13

THERE is song, of which the
British soldier never seems to
"A tire, whose fourth verse goes like
The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1918-08-16
GUARDED AS SACRED THING
Trust, Once Accepted, Must Be Held
InvioIate in the Bottomless
Depths of the Soul.

There is nothing adds so much to
the strength and power of character
as unflinching loyalty to sacred trust.
"Not to be trusted!" What blow
these words would be If they were true
Of many of those we treasure as
Jewels among our friends.
Unlike the secret-of which, when
only hint of it appears, 1t is quickly
scattered abroad to Jingle the ears CT
the curious-the sacred trust is silently
and safely guarded ia the security OF
the lips that are sealed, and the pen
that would unfold is inkless! 1t is
lodged where the eyes of the curious
can never penetrate, nor the misch1eV-
GUS tongue reveal its mysteries.
Nor is it to be found on the hon
ored parchment, and with those who
are highly paid for trusts protection,
but is written in invisible words, and
the bottomless depths of the soul. Safe
1t is from the "spite thrower's dagger"
safe in thought, where no whisper or
sound can steal its sacredness; ever
conveying, ever adding strength and
courage to the trusted. 1t is the only
armor needed to find the worth OF
"friend."-W. Stewart Royston.