Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-05-10
Ottumwans Fill Theater And
M. E. Church To Hear
Soldier Tell of Boys In
Trenches; Crowds Unable
To Get In Opera House.
INITIATED INTO
, LOCAL ELKS LODGE
(From Tuesdays Daily


church. Wild applause greeted the ap
pearance of the G company man
straight from France, with his message
from the boys, to home folks. Follow
ing Corporal SINNERS talk, $4,000
was pledged at the two meetings fol
the War Savings Stamps drive.
Corporal Skinner whose two precious
days at home were sacrificed to the de
mands OF the public, in its desire tc
hear news direct from the boys in
france, was hurried from the opera
house to the Methodist church, and
then back to the opera house. Even
after the speaking there, he was taken
to the EIks club, and gave short talk
to the members.
He was initiated into the B. P. o. E
and when ono of the members passed
the hat, everyone of the seventy-five
men present contributed. This resulted
In good sized collection which was
presented to Corporal Skinner.
v. L. Wilson, city chairman of the
w. s. s. sales, was in charge of the
meeting at the opera house, and L. A.
Andrew at the church DR.. F. E. Day
made stirring talks at both places. At
tie Grand he shook hands with Mr..
and Mrs. M. H. Skinner, the father and
mother of the soldier, and with Mrs.
Merle Skinner, his young bride, and
led the cheering in their honor. 1t be-
came tumultuous when DR.. Day quoted
the mothers words to him yester-
i day afternoon, I'm glad he came
/ home; it's 30 good to see him, but l
wouldn't have him stay. If he shouldn't
come home. I'll know he was doing his
duty" and q suspicious number OF
handkerchiefs were to be seen.
]. J. Smith and J. F. Weber spoke
1t the opera house. F. w. Simmons
TALKED st the church. The High School
Gioe club pleased the waiting audience
With several songs. Tho seats on the
stage were occupied by Shriners. Of
which lodge Corporal Skinner Is a
member.
WIFE GOES WITH HIM
The First Cavalry band played be-
fore the meeting from to O'Clock on
Main street, in front Of the CONNER
cial club, and then paraded to the
opera house, where after playing
number Of patriotic selections 1T dis
handed.
Mrs. Skinner accompanied Corporal
Skinner, at q. m. today to Chicago.
Atelegram received by his parents this
noon says that they will leave for
Washington, d. c., tomorrow morning.
PRECEDENT TO REVIEW SOLDIERS
The three Iowans, Corporal Skinner,
Sergeant Hawkins of Red Oak and
Private Montgomery of Stuart, have
been ordered to TT. Myer, Va, where
with others Of General Pershing's vet
Grams III this country for patriotic
DfopogAnda work, they Will be re-
viewed by President Wilson according
10 Geographic information received
from the central department head
OesFters ut Chicago today. The men
nay return to Iowa later.
TALKS TO FRIENDS
Corporal Skinner talked to the big
audience as II he were among small
number of intimate friends. Everyone
there was his friend, OF course, wheth-
or he knew them or not. They smiled
with him and when he became serious
40 did his audience. He told them
friendly gossip of the home boys, just
the things the mothers and fathers,
sisters. brothers. wives and sweet
hearts were hungry to hear. He
near to Ottmwa and gave everyone
glimpse of that life Of hardship and
comradeship, sacrifice and danger, SUI.
fer1ng and compensation. Often he
reiterated the phrase, ''But we don't
complain"
SAYS HE WAS LUCKY
Corporal Skinner was modest !
enough to say that it was simply luck
that he was one Of the few to come !,
back to the states with his message |
from the boys. But after hearing him !!
talk last night it appears that whoever |
chose him did 1t wisely and we'll. For !
surely not many boys without exper-
fence could develop into such an easy, |
smooth speaker.
Get behind the boys, your boys of g !
company, and all the boys, they're not
Soin to stop or give in. Get behind
the War Stamp drives as you did the
Third Liberty loan. Don't you think
the Iowa boys felt fine to know that
their state was the first 10 go over the
top? Get behind the Red Cross and
the Y. M. @. A. and the X. Cs who are :
doing a wonderful work, and the Sal !
walton Army Life would be even
more Of hell over there If 1t wasn't |
for the work of these organizations"
"You can be proud Of every member
Of G company" continued Skinner
"And III take back the message to
them that you are backing them up.
but you've got to do your part and see ,
that what tell them is true, that you
are supporting them in every possible !,
way"
'If we don't get artillery and air
planes, we'll whip them with spades.
We're itching to get at them, to get
them out of the trenches and then
light them" 4
he was sorry he couldn't talk to the