South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-03
Odd Complications In Military Statutes
By N. P. Babcock

OF course, there may be some
mystic code or signal, known only
! to soldiers and sailors, by which
knowledge is conveyed that any ap-
preaching figure is of superior rank
70 themselves, and therefore, entitled
TO a salute, but 10 the plain, every
day civilian in New York, a strict
maintenance of this necessary ETH
quette, appears decidedly compli-
Gated
1t can be no puzzle TO the sailor
whose tapping trousers are at each
stride bringing him nearer 10 the
majestic figure in white duck, to
discover that the latter is entitled to
salute, and the jaunty flat-topped
caps they wear. distinguish officers
from privates among the multitude
OF our men in khaki who throng the
streets.
Distinctions are not always, how
ever, as obvious as in these cs ses,
| for TIE variety of uniforms now
abroad in the streets is quite equal
to the variety of growths one meets
in a forest.
You catalogue the latter as be-.
! longing to the family of trees, but
unless you have made a special
study of it. you cannot from their
| foliage tell to what particular tribe
of tree each of the various speci-
mems belongs. And yet in the seem
| ingly unimportant variance in size
and shape of leaf. lies knowledge OF
the widely different purposes each
is called upon TO fiji. in the scheme
1 OF nature.
So it is with the representatives
Of army and navy we meet every
side; they all belong 10 the family
1 Of war. but blessed if you and I can
tell from study of their foliage. "
what part of the globe is their orig
inal habitat; what particular domes-
tic function they are now serving;
which of them await transplantins
lin France. or which of them have
been made-much against their will
TO take permanent root in this
country.
The question whether soldier:
from other lands while visiting here
are supposed TO salute American
officers, had not previously occurred
to me. but from an incident that was
Witnessed the other day, l presume
such must be the case.
There were two Australians and q
| Canadian 1t is perfectly easy tC
pick out the Australians, because. al
though they wear a khaki-coloreC
soft hat, like our own boys. one side
of its broad brim is turned up anC
fastened by an ornamental meta
badge against the crown, giving Z
rakish and picturesque effect 10 the
sombrero. The hat has also Z
leather chin-strap with the use o.
which. however, the majority of tht
Anzacs dispense.
This trio was approaching tbs
doorway Of one of the city's larg,
department stores. on the Sidewalk
was a respondent figure in uniform
with a profusion of gold braid anC
buttons. standing at attention! Hi
eyes were fixed upon an approaching
limousine His face wore an ex
preston OF earnest expectancy, a.
though that vheicle were about Z
aught some individual of exalted
rank-possibly a major general.
His uniform evidently puzzled tn
three visiting soldiers. Quite likel.
il looked to them almost too good u
be true. but being in the country o
one of their country's allies. the.
were prepared to take 60 chances o
committing a breach of military Ell
quette Up went three hands L
three hats in a fine salute. II wa
then the turn OF the saluted one L
betray a condition of puzzled uncer
tainty. Should he. or should he moi
as chief porter and carriage opene
OF that great dry goods emporium
return the salute? Deciding upo
the former course. he brought
! dignihed hand TO the visor OF hi
splendid cap. and then crossed IN
, sidewalk 10 assist a lady-shoppe
from her car.
, Into a subway car recently cam
a handsome young officer. Althoug
p his uniform was OF the color an
/ texture OF that worn by our ow
2 officers. there was something VI
[ usual and puzzling about it which
! could not explain until I notice
that the trousers instead OF bein