South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-31
NJ CHM WRITES
Of LIFE IN ARMY
SOCiOIOgiSt Assigned TO His
Duties of Chaplain at
Hattiesburg, Miss.

Pleasant experiences OF chap
lain ia Uncle sam S army are re-
lated by the Rev John McGmn. C.
S G.. professor Of sociology and
ethics az Notre Dame university. IN
"a letter written 20 the Very Rev
Dr John Cavanaugh, g. S. G.. Fr.
NcGiun is one Of the six f-1m the
Notre Dame faculty who volunteer
ed and is stationed at Camp Shelby.
Hattiesburg Fr. McGinn for a time
acted in the capacity OF an ad-
wiser 20 the Associated Charities Of
south Bend
lie writes
Camp Shelby
HattIesburg. Miss.
Dear Fr Cayanaugh.
81 believe that j am the only
chaplain in camp who takes mill
tary drill. You viii be amused at
the Way ] got into it.. one morn
ing . happened 10 be standing near
the officers drilling quarters add
miring the lineup Of splendid young
men-majors captains and lieuten-
ants when suddenly 7 saw the ma
or in charge motion for me 10 come
over. did and as I got % the line
he said: Fall in ] nearly fel
over. for ] had never paid even so
much ass ordinary attention tos the
boys drilling AT Notre Dame Wen,
boa five minutes I was running ali
over the field. ITO the rear. march,
squads. right" right front into
line march" about face" all
sounded different but meant nothing
10 me. what a miserable looking
rookie i must have been that morn
ng as ] crashed against captains
and stepped on the heels and toes
OF majors They all took il fine,
however. whispered instructions and
guided me as gracefully as they
could under the circumstances. BIT
there is big difference now and i
am mighty glad that ] had the
courage 10 pull through the first few
days OF trial and tribulation.
With Sanitary Train.
IT ann quartered with the sani-
tary train. which is located near the
base hospital where most of my
work is done This sanitary train
is composed Of eight companies
four field hospital DUTIES and four
ambulance outfits. Each morning
] say mass at the X. OF @. build
ing. which is within easy reach OF
my quarters At ] make the
rounds Of the wards I'm the base
hospital. There are over 1900 pa
tients. and 7 try TO get into each
ward several times "a week. Be
sides these visits ] am subject o
emergency calls from the base. In
the afternoon i supervise the Eng
Hsh classes among the men at the
hospital and I'm the evening 1 teach
French Co tlie nurses, about so of
them attending. Please DO not let
FIR Doremus know about this.
My masses on sunday are at
1850 i'm the hospital and at 10 IN
"a movie theater. which is so located
rs to get the Catholics from several
regiments I'm addition to these
duties / am supposed 10 look after
the athletic activities OF the sani
tary train.
Secs y. u. Men.
"I frequently see Lieuts. Dundon,
Holland. Miller. Fitzpatrick. Nee
han. MCNuIty and NcOsker They
are wonderfully fine fellows. good
soldiers and fine practical Catholics.
We are proud OF the showing they
have made. for they are making
Notre Dame known i'm the way YOU
would have her known. This much
should Doe told Of McNulty: After
three years of residence at Notre
Dame he had 10 inquire about the
location of the presidents room. I
That is a record. or at least a
mighty good performance.
ct never have an unhappy mo-
ment-except when 7 think that ]
missed going across hy the fail
ure of Fr Davis 10 pass the first
examination He was assigned TO
shelby. YOU know Had he passed. I
be would. no doubt. have come here
and would now be on my way.
3 envy him and FIR. O'Douueu but
hop they Will reserve a corner Il
the great vineyard over there for
the chaplaius who are now at Shell
by
For the past few DAYS I have
been taking the gas instructions.
Each of us has been provided with
a mask. and for one hour at a time
we practice the art Of putting them
on Six seconds are allowed for
taking the mask 1ut OF the bag and
adjusting 70 20 the face. II is a very
disacreeable device but quite neces-
sary. according 10 the latest re-
ports
Near Being Gas~cd-
ct came pretty near being gassed