New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-05

have lifted a noble ideal above business;
developed q national spirit; gained a ma
tional soul. And their private lives in
France, generally speaking, are clean and
honorable.
1t is the same American spirit, the same
national soul, from wherever the boy halls,
whatever his trade or his parentage. Cap-
tai and labor, Jew and Gentle, North and
South, East and West, native and immi-
grant-the boys have come to know each
other; the Melting Pot of war has delivered
its gold
Among our troops there are no better
fighters than the Italians: Jew waded
into the Vesle under heavy fire to bring in
his wounded captain; a Choctaw Indian
crawled through a she'll ridden area to de-
stroy bothersome German listening post,
and a Chinaman was awarded medal Of
honor for heroically sticking to his Job OF
message carrying during an important and
hot engagement.
Perhaps the Nth Draft Division offer-
the most concrete unit illustration of what
the war is doing for our boys Here il
division gathered entirely in and immedi-
ately around New York City, representing
all classes, with about third of them
Jews On arrival in France they were con
sidered rather doubtful quantity, and
were slow in reaching dependable form,
but they made one of the best records in
the army-for which not the least respon
slble element was the very good class Or
their officers. What such training means
In building up and Strengthening a national
spirit among the Jews of our country, who
are popularity thought to be neither mar
tial nor national spirited, is, from every
human angle, too patent to require point
ing out by me.
The truth is, my observation and eXperi-
ence in France, as well as on wilderness
expeditions, have taught me that the most
necessary essential to success is leadership,
and the army never lacked that quality even
when trained experience was at a minimum,
because the elements of the fighter, of the
leader, are inherent in the average Amer
lean born
But, while fighter the American Is
in the very forefront as caretaker, camp
housekeeper, so to say, he is second rate
compared to the British, and his horses
and general equipment show Though thus
far he has kept the essentials of his arma-
ment in workable shape. It is where the
American superfciality comes TO the sur
face.
Our poor horses during the Argonne drive
were sight to make the gods weep. Mostly,
they were culls, from America, left after
our short-sighted, parsimonious government
commission had refused to pay over about
$3.50 head, and so allowed the British and
France sold US at $500 to $70o head. And
France sold US at s4o0 to $500 cad. And
they were poorly handled and cared for
the honest fact being that our average
American boy no more than his average
father. is a horseman.
BY contrast, it is worth trip into the
British area if only to see the spic and
span condition Of their motor lorries. gun
carriages, limbers, harness and general
equipment while their fine horses, as to
quality and condition, rejoice the heart.
did not see as many motor trucks out OF
commission in month in the British area
as l might see in either the American or
French area on any given few days travel.
The English buy first class stock and ma
terlal and keep 1t in first class condition
1t is the reflex of this war, that, in fight
ing for the Allied ideal of justice with hon
or, Of principle above expediency, the boys
set up high standard for their own conduct
and subconsciously yielded to its influence.
And this development of moral character.
this awakening spirit for God and country.
is going to be powerful uplifting forcs
in our land when these 1000, 10000 boys ara
once again back in their home towns, dis
trlbuted throughout the United States
For the greatest thing coming out of this
dreadful war is that the delverance of til.
world from the German menace has brough.
us new spiritual realization of our responsi-
biiities, new spirit of union between nations
abhorrent of venal competition and secret
combination, which the peace conference
must eFzstsll'ze and 4 -5ssaasAA .,<x. ,