The Ordway new era., 1918-09-13
With the Boys
Here and There
From Harry Lyons

Harry H. Lyons. former manager of
the Arkansas Valley Railway Light
and Power Co. plant here. is station
I'd at the present at Fort Leaven-
worth He has written the following
very interesting ioiter and in 1t Is All
appeal that no true American can
pass unheeded. Harry was one OF
the most faithful workers for the
sale of Liberty Bonds and War Saw
ings Stamps whtn here and his re-
ference to these should be remember
ed. The letter follows:
FIT. Leavenworth, Kans.
Sept. 8, 1918.
My Dear Mr.. Giffin:
BY the interval elapsing since you
last heard from me, you may think
/ have had time to get lover there,
settle this little dispute. and be back
However, l can truthfully say that
in the aforesaid interval l have never
worked harder. nor ate more. liz my
life. You lave undoubtedly heard
the expression, 'There is something
doing every minute" Well, thruour
some of the territory l have covered
it seems to me there are hundreds
of things doing every minute. At
this camp there are over seven thous-
and men all in the signal corps. 1t is
without a doubt one OF the greatest
sights you can imagine, to see all the
Battalions going thru the diEerent
courses of training.
Few people realize the importance
of the signal corps.
1t is the very nerve system OF
the army. 1t is with very great
pleasure that we here at Leaven-
worth, talk of how the signal
corps, or Liasian system as II
is called, kept up uninterrupted
communication under great diff
culties during the recent drive.
Something which has never been
done on such a large scale be
fore by our allies.
There are miles and miles of wires
run both on the surface and under
ground, to keep the commanding ot-
ficers in touch with every movement
of the troops. Radio is not used in
the trenches, as it is possible for the
enemy to pick it up. What is known
as T. p. S. and Fuller phones are
used. There are a great many MODES
of communication which are used In
different emergencies. and in which
we must all become very efficient.
l enjoy the work immensely. Ii
is almost like going to school again
only working a double shift.
Our Battalion, 1T is understood
will be one of the first to leave here
during the next movement OF signal
corps, which we think will be within
the next six or seven weeks. We are
all anxious to go. and the word cannot
come too soon.
This world game of war is a ter
rible thing, but anyone eligible who
misses it will have missed one OF
the greatest physical, moral and In
structive lessons patriotic American
citizen has the opportunity to learn.
l wish it were possible for all
our home people to go thru some
of the camps and see what the
boys are doing. and see what I'm
Gle Sam is doing tor them. They
would see where some of their
money goes from the sale of War
Saving Stamps and Liberty
Bonds. We are fed well, and
clothed we'll, which IS absolutely
the foundation of a victorious
army. You can feel well repaid
for your every effort to try and
make the Ordway people realize
the necessity OF backing the boys.
When we know our home people
are sticking by us, there is moth
ing we cannot accomplish.
We have fine camp here. 1t is
not a cantonment. We live in very
modern barracks, and have pleasant
surroundings, with a grand Y. M.
c. A. in the middle of it. When any
one says "Y" our hats come off, for
1t i~ sure the true friend of the SOL
dier.
1t would be a great pleasure to me
II could visit Ordway and see some
of my old friends before 1 leave the
good old U. S. A., but as our colonel
told us in talk the other night, we
have not a minute to spare. We owe
1t to the boys who are e.already over
there to get over and help as soon as
possible, in consequence the war will
soon be over and the more of our
boys will come back. However. / will
never forget my Crowley county
friends, nor the kindness they have
shown.
With my very best regards to you
and all inquiring.
Your friend,
HAIRY LYONS,
Sd Train, Bn Signal Corps Co. T.