New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
ROMANCE HAS NO
 PLACE IN B|G VAR
Drummer Boys, Camp Fires, Etc.,
 Abolished From Scenario

Washington, April 5.-The p0mn and pageantry of war fast arc dis appearing.
 The days are gone when a "thin red line" advancing with cOors flying and
 bayonets eleaming, presented the crl- cmY with easy cannon fodder In the first place, the resplendent uniform has been discarded by all bel
 igerents for one of somber, inccn- spicuous hue. The reason is obvious the human target is delineated with dangerous distinctileSS when bright colors are worn. For almost the same reason, bayOnets are no longer bur nished. A raiding party, lurking in No Mans Land, cannot afford to have it's presence betrayed by the gleam of light from a star-shell on polished piece of steel.
 Moreover, the reginental standards usually are left at headquarters. A color-Sergeant probably would find hims in difficult position if con- fronted With the necessity of fighting off an enemy and keeping the flag waving at the same time.
 Drummer Boy Disappears. A sad feature of the present war Is that there will be no youngest drummer boy.' For many years the
 
 tinction in the Civil War has been dying off by hundreds, SO perhaps l many post-bellum controversies have been averted by eliminating the pic turesque boyish figure.
 The barc of bands usually has been associated with memorable advances 1 of troops, but the musicians now can be convinced very easily that trench concerts might prove unhealthy. There still remains, however, the szirl ] of the bagpipes-
 The general of the lace -enCum bered uniform and flowing hat plume has passed out with the horse hair sofa period, so far as field service is con- l cerned. In the gloomy corridors of l the state, war and navy building there are on display in glass cases nanni- kins attired in the uniform worn by American soldiers at various periods 1 of the countrys history. X continental warrior, clad in a, blue coat with buff fac1ngs and wearing a perilously bal anced three-cornered hat, compares 1 but poorly in apparent efficiency with 1 the trim fighting man of today. The garb of the modern American soldier ! is developed along strictly utiltarian 1 lines. The dull khaki tone blends into the landscape at q distance and the broad-brim campaign hat offers pro- 1 lection from the sun. The tin hat ] or steel helmet worn In trench war ] fare also has been adopted by the eX- peditiOnary forces.
 The civilian. however, still finds room for mystification in endeavoring 1 to find why the .bluejacllets still wear the halO-Ike hat and broad bottomed trousers, apparent survivals from the 1 days of the frigate.
 No Swords for Officers. No narrative of a heroic charge h wars of bygone days was complete without a picture of an officer leading his men with sword In hand. Now 1t isn't done. The man with the sword readily is distinguished by the enemy as an ofFcer-and such. a desira ble target for rifle and machine gun fire. In Civil War days, and as recently as the Spanish War. soldiers and off, cers were represented as gathering nightly about the campfire. In his tory and fiction, descriptions are not l lacking of the anxious officers who studied out plans for the morrow 8 campaign by the fickering blazes Campf1res in France. if built at all are located deep in a dugout, as thei- presence above ground would serve admirably as a range-fnder for the foes artillery.
 But the element of individual and mass gallantry, nevertheless. still sur ViVeS-and to a greater extent. As long as history lives men will remem- Der the stand of the French at Yer dun, English tenacity at the Somme, the wild recklessness of the Canadians at Vimy Ridge, the sacrifice of the
 Anzacs at Gallipoi, and the proverhial courage of the Irish, who. it is said, charged into q whitening fire at Loos kicking a football before them.
 The Americans of the eXpeditionarv
 forces have had their baptism of fire
 and have not been found wanting.
 Traditions of a nation are things to
 uphold and to increase.