The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1918-07-27
NOT THE TIME
TO STRIKE
Says the Soldier Fighting For
His Country and He
is Right
BOYS LIKE DECORATIONS

SOluleT Ill r fTduCe is HUl Ouly 6CIIihS
proud of his own division, regiment
and company and tcalls them pet
names but he has also reached the
point of having a personal affection
for his own equipment. He thinks
his gas mask a little better than any
other fellows. He feels about his
rifle as man feels about his favorite
tbacco, pipe or billiard cue. In other
words, the American recruit has be-
come thoroughly soldier and his
household gods for the time being
are the things he lugs around on his
back to save-his own life or end that
of an enemy.
l had an illustration of this today.
A very high spirited American sol
dier, just from the front, carrying
his rifle, and forty-one pounds OF
equipment, trudged up three spiral
ul5lllo VI oil al . W Iic pdlio oiiiSO VI
The New York Times to see the Amer
ican papers. He stayed nearly all
day poring over the Times files, thus
devoting % per cent of four days
leave to catching up on home news.
France is a great country" he
said, but two things get on my
nerve. l never can find out the name
of the village in which l am fighting,
and you would never know from the
French newspaper that there was
such a place as Glens Falls, N. Y.
Now Glens Falls is a regular place.
come from it,
He was searching the Times files
as he talked. Suddenly there was a
grunt of delight:
Now, there's something about
Glens Falls right here he said. Il
knew there would be. 1t says that
the paper mill men are not going to
strike. Well they'd better not. This
is hell of time to strike in Ameri-
ca. They're getting lot more now
than | got in the paper mills. But
you would think that the French pa
pers would say something about
Falls once in while.
about that other things that
bothers me-not knowing the names
of the places where we fight-some
French villages are just ne street and
two long rows of houses. Sometimes
the name of the village is painted OH
the last house. We were fighting
through one of these streets the 9TH
er day when l saw the name, but be-
fore had time to spell it out shell
blew off that corner of the house and
| never knew where | was.
Il felt kind of sore because | haG
got this cross of war just outside that
village the day before for taking a
message through shellfire. Now some
body will ask me where | got it and
il don't know they'll say I'm ia
ker"
He showed me the cross of war on
his coat with a silver star added tU
the ribbon. The cross was for max
ing his way from one she'll hole to
another under heavy fire with an i'm
portant communication. The silver
star hod been added because the sol
dier had risked his own life to bring
in a wounded French Lietenant. He
also wore a ribon showing service III
Mexico.
Il want to get all do!led up in
these crosses and things like a regu-
lar Frenchman before go back
home" he admitted. Some fellows
say they don't Gaze, but all are Graz,
for EN-. was hoping I'd get some.
thing all the time, era awling among
J those holes.
"Of course, the star was differen
because you don't think of medals
when you've got wounded maj
across your back.
He turned from medals to equip
ment and thrust his rife into m!
hands.
l. That's the best rifle in the Ameri
can army" he said, 'just lift it. Bal
ance it, I've used sixteen all told il
Mexico, the United States and Franc,
but that's the best OF the lot. Beinl
a corporal and an expert marksman
| Fan generally get a gun to suit me
THAT one you've got in your hand
there is almost human. I believ /
would load, aim and shoot all b