The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1918-03-27
P0MP AND PEACANTRY
OF WAR DISAPPEARS
NO YOUNGEST DRUMMER BOY"
A SAD FEATURE OF PRE-
SENT WAR

WASHINGTON, Mar. 90 The |
pomp and pageantry of war are fast
disappearing.
| The days are gone when thin
red line" advancing with colors fly
ing and bayonets cleaning, presented
the enemy with easy cannon fodder
In the first place, the respondent
uniform has been discarded by all !
belligerents for one of somber, incon-
spicuous hue. The reason is Obvious
Human target is delineated with dan
gerous distinctness when bright col |
ors are worn. For almost the same
reason, bayonets are no longer bur
nished. A raiding party, lurking in
No-Man's Land cannot afford to have
its presence betrayed by the CLEAN
Of light from star shell or a polish |
ed piece of steel.
Moreover, the regimental standards
usually are left at headquarters. A
color sergeant would probably find
himself in a different position if con
)fronted with the necessity of fight
ing off the enemy and keeping the |
flag waving at the same time.
A sad feature of the present war
is that there will be no youngest
drummer boy" For many years the |
proud individual who held the dis
tinction in the Civil War has been dy-
ing off by hundreds, so perhaps ma
ny post-bellum controversies have
been averted eliminating the picmr-
esque boyish figure.
The blare of bands usually has been
vances Of troops, but the musicians
now can be convinced very easily |
that trench concerts might prove un- |
healthy. There still remains, how
ever, the slIirl of the bagpipe.
The general of the lace encumber |
ed uniform and flowing hat plumes
has passed out with the horse hair
sofa period. so far as field service is
concerned, In the gloomy corridors of |
the State, War and Navy buildings |
there are on display in glass cases
manikins attired in the uniform worn |
by American soldiers at various per-
lods OF the country's history. A con
tinental soldier, clad in blue coat with |
blue facings and wearing a perliously |
balanced three cornered hat. compares
but poorly in apparent efficiency with
the trim fighting man of today The |
garb of the modern American soldier |
is developed along strictly utiltarian
| lines. The dull khaki tone blends |
into the landscape at a distance and
the broad brim campaign hat offers
| protection form the sun. The fin
hat or steel helmetworn in the trench
warfare, also has been adopted by the
expeditionary forces.
The civilian, however, still finds
room for mystifcation in endeavor-
ing to find why the bluejackets still
wear the halolike hat and broad bot
toned trousers, apparent survivals
from the days of the frigate.
No narrative of a heroic charge in
wars of bygone days was complete
without picture of an officer leading
his men with sword in hand Now, it
isn't done. The man with the sword
readily is distinguished by the enc
my as an officer-and as such de-
sirable target for rifle and machine
gun fire
In the Civil War days, and as re-
Gently as the Spanish War, soldiers
and officers were represented as gath
erng nightly about the camp fire
In history and fiction. descriptions
are not lacking of the anxious officers
VINO studied out plans for the NOR
rows campaign by the pickering
blazes. Campfires in France if built
at all, are located deep in a dugout.
as their presence above ground would
serve admirably as a range finder for
the foes artillery.
But the element of individual and
mass gallantry never the less still sur
VlVes-and to a greater extent. As
long as history lives, men will rem
ember the French stand at Verdun.
English tenacity at the Somme. the
wild recklessness of the Canadians at
Vimy Ridge, the sacrifice of the An
zacs at Gallipoli, and the proverbial
courage of the Irish who. it is said.
charged into withering fire at Loos
kicking foot ball before them
The Americans of the expeditionary
force have had their baptism of fire
and have not been found wanting.
Traditions Of n nafinn nrn III mir. a..