The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-04-05
With The Colors
BY Gus Durdan, Des Moines, Iowa
Sons Diary.
SERIES NO. 7.
Sons Diary.

D0Cs xOtlls-NAy AAA0V AsSJ =
the "Y" is finished and soon WILL
seek my couch and thereon rest my
weary self for the task Of the morrow.
/ am very tired this evening, not so
much in body as in mind. Really one
cannot imagine how heart-rending it
is to try to do something for q people
that little appreciate what you are
trying to do for them. All day have
sold stamps, issued writing paper,
written letters for those who are so
unfortunate as not to be able to write
for themselves, and advised along all
lines. It is hard work and there IS
more work here than the secretaries
are able to do.
Dec. 19.-Well, well, at last! The
ghost has walked. No, no, there are
no spirits in the army, neither liter
ally or figuratively, unless they are
smuggled in after taps and sent away
before reveille.
What wanted to say was that to-
day is pay day. I was indeed sur
nrised to know there was so much
money in the old U. s. A., as had
been without cash for so long. Every
one had q handful of bills. And it is
not worthless paper, as was handed
out during the civil war. There is the
richest government in the world back
ing up every bill with stable security.
What do the boys in the army do
with money? No one knows. Some
eat it up. 1t is a very common thing
to see a man with three or four ward
cakes under his arms. The canteen
house is filled with loafers. No, they
are not loafers, just plain lazy steve
dores in blue coats, spending their
money for cider, apples, oranges and
cookies. There are stores here that
are making great profit selling only
ward cakes, fig newtons and cider.
Some men are dressing up them
selves. I will describe the stevedore
regalia (it is not uniformly tomor-
row.
But all the boys are sending some
thing home. The postmistress at the
nearest postofhce is already worked
down writing out money orders. AS
the boys say, "She has gone up
tree to stay" Some are sending
home S., some $5, all something.
The gamblers are also busy. Their
games began when the first dollars
were paid. This camp is filled with
human vultures, who prey upon the
innocent boys. They first cheat the
boys out Of their money, then bully
them around if they say anything
about it. Tomorrow some men will
be broke, but the vultures will be
spending the money Of their prey.
The camp is astir early today. The
bluecoats are going over. All OF them
have their haversacks on their backs,
their travelling rations, and are wait
ing to board the train for somewhere
along the Atlantci coast, from whence
they will set sail for Somewhere in
France" Some are happy to get
away from this, as they call 1T, Cod
forsaken hole, some are sad, but all
are appre6ensive. Yet even the sad
ones are doing their best to keep up
appearances, and live up to that old
traditional valor Of the black soldier.
That the home ties might ever be
firmly riveted, the boys are sending
special delivery letters to their loved
ones, telling them that they are Ego
ing over"
Ever since I have been here I have
been trying to find out why the steve
dores are rugged out in the fashion
that they are. cannot understand
why they should have distinct uni
form, or rather dress, from the other
soldiers Of the national army. Yet
they have it, and it is not for them
to question why.
/ suppose the best way to describe
i stevedore's habit is to note the ar
8 Raliavae GATAR RA Of Z