Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-25
MAJORITY OF LoYs R-Tu NINA
FROM WAR ACCEPT FORM.
Err PORTIONS.
FACTS DISPUTE PLANT
or one GoYs fATa-a
Dad Says Year Spent Soldering Ha5
unf,tysd San and Msds Him Worth.
less-Maj GRITTY Fall Into Old F,aesa
Readily AItho Showing Some s,sus
OF unrest-C. e. Wilson's O5ssrsa-
tons.
snectnl to limos. Repsb l!can.

Special to Tines Republican.
Hampton, March e5.-In the railway
depot of small town local resident
entertained the waiting travellers with
an exposition OF his views regarding
the probable effects of military exper-
lence on the boys OF this country who
were called to war. Take my own son
for example" ne said. His experience
has ruined him. Before he went away
there never was a better boy 10 do
chores and work of al kinds around the
place. He was the first one up in the
morning and always had the hoNes
fed and the barn chores done before
l was out OF bed, He was gone about
a year and since he has been back that
kid hasn't been to the barn three times
in the whole two months. He doesn't
amount 10 anything at all. He's just
ruined. Not the same boy he was
when he went away. That's what war
does to them"
Better judges of human character
than the selfish father who wished TO
remain in bed while his son fed the
horses do not Eagree that the home
coming soldier has been ruined by his
military experiences or that his earlier
customs and purposes have been
greatly changed. And judging from
what Observers have noticed, all the
discussions that have occurred over
plans of finding employment for these
men or placing them on farms has
been so much wasted time and energy.
Rural Mail Carrier Stenebraker of
Hampton, tells that practically all the
boys who went from homes along his
route 20 back to their old work as they
return. some on the farms they left as
their fathers helpers, others or neigh
boring farms. and still others as
renters N the same community.
County Agent Thomas says he had
calls for twenty farm hands a short
time ago and that within very few
days he had placed all but eight of
these, securing his material from the
discharged soldier ranks. This official
also says that many farmers are be-
ginning the season with the full in
tention of doing their work without
outside help but who will be glad to
hire help as son as it becomes more
available.
Ex- County Supervisor John Nc
Grath declares he SELDOM sees any uni
formed country boys in town and con-
eludes that they must be back at their
old Jobs.
Auctioneer Sanders, who is also a
farmer, has just received letter from
his former hired man, now a member
OF the Thirty-third division, asking for
hissold place as soon as ne gets back,
and has answered telling him the
place viii be ready when he comes.
d. W Mott, one of the big farmers
of Franklin county. is said to be hold
ing several foreman jobs for men who
have not returned from across the
seas.
In town the same story ~ told Of
men coming back TO the work they left
Banker Robinson and Cashier Wolfe
cited cases of positions in banks being
held for those who formerly filed them
and Frank Dirst. insurance man, men
toned office men and others back at
their old work.
One business man, p. C. Murphy. OF
Hampton, however, believes that
large degree of restlessness and change
of occupation and mode OF life is to
come as the result of the wartime
period, and his views were corro-
borated by returned soldier himself.
L. H. Esslinger of Sheffield, who spent
seventeen months in a southwestern
camp while he goes back to his old
/ business admits that a year and a half
with 10000 other men for associates
doesn't exactly tend to fit a man for
business in a small town and thinks
that time alone will tell the story Of
the soldier staying by his old time
work.
IN one Grundy Center business
establishment a returning soldier will
| be welcomed TO his former place,
especially by the one who is ''substitut-
ing" during his absence. The Owen
brothers operate cleaning and press
| ing business there. also similar
establishment in another town. One Of
them went to war and the other being
| a married man placed his wife in
charge OF the place and since last July
she has remained there with one
female assistant. Some of the heavier
work is sent to the other town but
| Mrs. Owen weight not much above
! 100 pounds) producing a sixteen pound
fat iron remarked, This is heavy
| enough work after it Is used a few
! hours"
| Last Saturday afternoon farmer
was blowing in a stubble field near the
town of Steamboat Rock. The fall
blowing season did not end except
with the year. About ten weeks In
which no field work was done In Iowa
| in the past twelve months. A good