Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-01-08

When the Boys Come Home
Let Them Wear the Khaki
s Ragged.
Editor .Edgefeld Advertiser:
have two bouquets to throw this
morning. One to you for the para:
graph in your editorial of November
20:- Honor to whom honor is duep
AS you say, let General Pershing
have all the honor and all the flow
ers due him, but by all means render
to the soldier the honor that is due
the soldier, the man that stands be-
hind the gun. 1t is the private soldier
that will cause the names of Foch
and Pershing to ride down the ages.
1t was the American soldier who
went cover the top" and dipped the
Huns out of their hiding, and got
them out in the open, which has
brought great results. The other
bouquet is for the Rev. F. a. Weaver.
for his timely and beautiful article
on Thanksgiving. | fully endorse
every word he has written. think
every one should do what he says on
that day, and every other day, for,
there is so much truth in what he
has written. Write again, your letter
is an inspiration.
L notice that when our soldiers.
come back, they will be allowed to
wear the Khaki uniform for three,
months only:
Well, President Wilson is the great
est man in the world, and I, have!
never known him to- do a single rash
act. He has been walking the tight,
rope that has been stretched across.
the sea with.its wrecks and dead, and.
he will make the journey safely over.
this ocean of blood and peril: We,
must keep silent and hold our tom
CUES. but, oh my, I do want the.
brave boys to continue to wear the.
uniform. Iadnlire it And then we do
notwant to see these young heroes
and conquerors shift then, so quick
I, - $4a R ,,i1,ts;s II
"The uniforms Of our brave Buys.
have been tinted with the purple
and gold Of triumph and victory wen
on the fields of France" And as they
come back to US covered with glory
and immortelles, by all means let
them wear the uniforms of khaki,
ragged"
There is no man that loves a good
soldier more than l. know some
thing OF soldiers life. Then /
have some other reasons for wanting
them to wear the uniform. 1t will tell
me that he has been ''over there"
The American soldier is a manly
man, soldierly soldier. He is a crea-
ture of interest everywhere. He
wears a halo no other can hope to
gain. This true American soldier
bears cur national colors in life; he
wears them in death and with angels
and archangels his soul passes into
the great beyond; his body is wrap
ped in the winding sheet OF the ma
tion's love, and will there sleep until
the trumpet shall sound in that morn
ing.
These brave heroes of America
have paid the debt this nation has
been owing France for over a hun
dred years. They have nobly and
bravely fought the battles, and won
the victory for humanity, democracy
and christianity. Now let them con-
tinue to wear the khaki uniform as
they wish. They have gone through
mud, sweat, fire, smoke and blood
and have come through it all victo-
rious.
Yes, give General Pershing all the
flowers that are due him, but do not
forget to give the "bright roses and
the white lilies" to the brave boys
who stood behind the guns.
And the Red Cross brigade, God
bless them! They have been and are
still, Angels of Mercy, Joans of Arc,
"Ths Uncrowned Queens" Of the
army, they have stood at
the front unafraid, caring for the
sick and wounded, bathing their
bleeding wounds and cooling their
fevered brows, whispering words of
inspiration as soft and sweet as an
angels prayer. Such sacrifice and de-
L IL