The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-05-23
ny II. T.. BURTON
Special 1orrespoD,leut

ST LOUIS. May 2J.-In waEing
their wonderful nght on the fields Of
| France Go help make the world safe
Tor democracy. the boys OF the Amer
lean Expcditionnry force developed
some remarkable qualities Of chnrac.
l ter that must needs be preserved for
the hencnt OF our nation in the opin.
ton OF 1t Cot Theodore Roosevelt.
Jr.
went 20 1t Col Roosevelt and
asked him just what qualities the
war developed In our troops as he
himself leading his mon, watched
them come into being under the ter.
! rifle shock OF battle.
1T was great experience and !
would not have missed II for the
world watching the finr reaction
/ tho American character showed to
experiences over there declared the
colonel. his eyes lighting In true
Rooscyritian style. 'and am
mighty glad 20 be able TO relate some
Of tho inspiriting things that came
under my observation.
''The first effect the war had on
4 K
said the colonel was It's American.
iking effect when the boys entered
the army they were OF many tradi.
lions. but when they Kots into the
thick of things on tho other side
they were straight Americans. and
nothing else. Tho mctamnrphosin
was az astonishing as Il was crafty
Ing.
Proud 10 he Americans
Tho regiment commanded was
particularly good for study. for IL
was really a little cronH section OF
tho whole United States. II con.
taincd not only men from every state
In the union. but from every walk OF
civilian lifo and drawn from every
strain ~ foreign blood. In my own
headquarters group. for instance.
there were men who's, ancestors
came from all parts ~ Europe. there
was my laison officer. Kramer. who
was educated In Germany. there was
- ncouf. French Canadian. who
had settled Ina Massachusetts,. there
was Glover. a Nirginian OF straight
English extraction. there was fio
lacco. from Italy. and ScrRt. Murphy.
~ Irish blood. And IN our regimen,
there were many other races repre-.
snntcd. including Poles. Rusalan
Jews ana Greeks
Yet every one Of thea, men
thought IN perfectly straight Amer.
can nationailsn. and were extremely
proud ~ th. fact that they were clil.
Eena % this country This pride cx.
tended even to those who could not
speak English when they came 60 IA
"a fact which was demonstrated By
their frantic efforts 60 learn English
~ soon as possible. the language
that they wished 90 speak no, be.
cause Il was more convenient. bu,
because they preferred Il TO any
other.
Applied Democracy
The second great effect the war
had on the chsNraetery OF tho Ameri.
cans who fought In q. seemed 10 me.
was tho defnorraiixinE effect. The
boys In tho army found that our
brand OF democracy IL not merely a
Ahibooioth. bu, an operating force OF
our daily lives Pun and favoritism
did not 70 In the A. Il. r.. and our
boys learned this mighty faat--all
Of them. And they have come hona.
With n realization OF our real A-nerl.
man democracy.
Among our forces men wer.
chosen for whatever places they
were best fitted for. regardless Of
their civilian position. The result,
was real. not theoretical. democracy.
This resulted In officers often he.
Ing chosen from the ranks Of say.
chaufrcufs or walters. while there
were under thsfn many priva,ea who
had been business and professional
men In private life. For instance.
there was n private who was city
editor OF n great rnld-Wes,ern daily
before the war. and In one regiment