Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-09
Former Guard
Good Soldiers


Csatlaues frsn Psss One
many Of these former guardsmen tell
mo that at home we do not yet fully
realize that ere this war is won the
United States must face a casualty list
that will fill pages and pages Of our
washington. From others I have con-
iicting opinions; that we understand
very completely what is before us.
that we are. those Of us across
sensible Of what we have to do.
My personal opinion is that the
second general view Is In error. and
that We need the casualty list to have
get the INNER meaning Of what is be-
fore US.
The National Guard contingent are
we'll ''set up They show considerable
military knowledge, and / think. from
such contact as / have been able to
have with their officers. that these lat
ter are OF the stun that will be heard
from In modern methods Of warfare
Their training goes on, both officers and
men, with a vim and dash encourag-
Ing to see.
Again I go back to my pals. the ma
rines. / ran over the other day and
put In n few hours talking with rank
and file. one of tho latter "A former
fellow worker In America. found him
banging a typewriter for all the world
as IL he were writing a story with the
dead line near.
II am company clerk now" he said /;
"and it's some job! Rather like Il.
Had any news from home lately? I am
revising for the battalion records the
subscriptions our outfit made In the sec
ond Liberty Loan. Some of 'em II 20
broke for a while. l fancy. from the
ar,oInts subscribed. Come on outside
ane see Jimmy"
Jimmy is n Mexican ant bear, trans
ported far from home. He seems to
thrive on II. too He was chained TO a
tree and had made tracks In the mud
around II. He was, as usual, hungry.
eating anything from a cigar stump,
| from which he CAREFUL stamped out the
fire first, to a live frog.
"He may pine for ants said the ma
rine, but II he does nobody could tell
Jimmy has coat of fur that would
make a lady's mum and some more. II
Is thicker. / am told. than any Mexican
ant bear ever wore. Jimmy's pedigree
| Is short and sweet. He was bought In
Vera Cruz, lived at the Philadelphia
navy yard for spell and came over
to France some months ago with soldiers
Of the sea.
The men of the force, rank and file,
are beginning to receive Christmas pres
ents from home. A batch came in with
the last post and has already been dis
tributed. These packages In the main
are marked mot to be opened until
Christmas morning" Others. at least
six that saw. had inscribed upon them !:
This is n Christmas present to be OPEN
! ed right away" one Sammec before
me opened his in the postoftice 1t con-
tained a sleeveless sweater and six pairs
of hand-knit socks.
welcome to Willy. you. he said.
THAT girl of mine has some sense. for
this is the place to wear that stuff"
Many of the Sammees are buying pres
ents and sending them home, Their gifts
are unimportant. not because they would
not wish them more so. but because
their purchasing power is limited to
small shops and travelling peddlers
through the villages and towns in which
they are quartered. After all. "the
value of gift lies in the giver."
Their offerings will perforce consist
largely Of handkerchiefs, small laces,
handmade. and certain articles peculiar
to this training country. They are also
permitted to send home, for the holiday
season only. personal photographs, and
the picture postcard taboo has been
raised for the nonce. with the proviso
that nothing indicative of localities be
mailed.