Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-03

rope, will just be SOL Fritz has II
The Britisher said so.
| A corporal in a line company a
Camp Sewer was sentenced to the jul
la few weeks ago because he refused
to march at double time when hi:
commanding officer ordered him so L
do. He didn't have the click. He vii
have It when he gets out. That!
cruel and unreasonable. did you say
Well, it's a cruel game we are en-
gagged in and we can't win unless We
give perfect support and co-opera'
tion to those selected to lead In the
game-froIa Mr. Wilson on dowr
through the corporals. II that cor
poral had gotten away with his in
subordination, other corporals would
calculate that they could do like
wise. The thing would spread unit:
hardly anybody would have the
Click" and all OF us would be Sol.
There Is something attractive about
this army life. Most OF we drafted
men didn't like it at first: but there
are few among us who would get out
if we could now that we know good
many of the ins and outs OF II and
now that we have q clearer concep-
ton OF the meaning OF II all and a
keener understanding of the necessity
of it all. know n lad who could get
a discharge any time he might make
application for 1t because he is slow
| ly dying with Bright's disease. But
he won't apply. 81 wouldn't be out OF
this for anything" he has told me
often when l used to slip into his
tent late at night to talk over the
happenings of the day with him. Il
am afraid they are going to discover
my condition some of these days. he
would tell me occasionally, "and slip
me out of the army instead Of into
the trenches. Nobody is looking to
me f. anything. nobody Is depend
ent upon me for support. A man on
the outside who hasn't close relatives
dependent upon his support, isn't
man. I'd be miserable out there" And
then on more than one occasion as he
has finished a speech like that. I've
seen him seized with q pain across his
back that would gather him into a
knot, and a space Of five minutes
occasionally elapse before he recover
ed, while a drop OF blood would issue
from his mouth caused by biting his
lips to keep from crying with pain. I've
seen pains strike him on the drill
field or on a march and 1t would seem
that the torture was greater than he
could possibly bear and he must give
up.
I know q lad who is suffering with
fiat feet. the arches Of both being
completely broken down. He Is very
much afraid that he is going to be
thrown out, or at least not permitted
I to 90 across With his Company: Il
would break his heart If such were
to happen.
A mate, knowing how worried he
was about 1t all and how anxious he
was to go, suggested the other day
in n half jocular way to him that he
didn't understand him ut all. he
couldn't see why he should want 10
go to the front and suffer consider
able hardship and in all probability
death, when he had a good chance to
get out OF 1t all quite honorably.
You are a blankcty, blank fool"
retorted he of the broken feet. Think
a man who has been putin out for
the last seven months like have been
doing wants to miss place In the
sun. I amt strong on education like
some Of you guys and don't know
exactly what all this fight is about,
'ceptin that we are right and that
every young man who can be in 1t is
here or Is going to be here and over
too. Out of It? Why by-gosh ! am
going over with the rest of you bucks
If I have to have my blamed old feet
cut Off and wear stills or ride. n
horse. which Is worse"
Do you still doubt my statement that
those who are in it are proud to be
in It and wouldn't be out until Fritz
Is SOL? Here's another incident cor
roborative of my assertion.
There is, or rather there was, a
very popular young officer In the
Thirtieth who recently lost his CON-
mission and who promptly enlisted In
the same branch Of service from which
he lost his commission.
But like Achilles Of old. he didn't
sulk in his tent. History that relates
of the smallness and narrowness oi
certain American officers In the war
of the Revolution and the Civil war
because of personal interest, didn't
repeat itself in this officers case at
least.
He wore civilian clothes for week
or so after his resignation. He never
told me, but I imagine that week or
so was as q hundred years.
Then he quietly enlisted in that
lbranch of service here In which he
formerly was high and influential.
He did 1t simply and quietly. He
Is a buck private now.
didn't hear him say 1t. In fact
don't know him personally but only
by sight, but understand he remark
ed to a friend the other day: i
would rather be in hell than out oi
the army in this great crisis"
Whether he said 1t or not, he feels
that way about 1t.
So does every other red. blooded
soldier.
That Is the click"
| Jas. D. Grist