The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-11

and Stripes, Official newspaper or the
American expeditionary forces
ceased publication.
Having finished the task TO which
II was dedicated. and since practi-
cally all the A. T.. II. has returned
home, those who for so long have
labored to give the doughboys a real
newspaper of their own, have closed
up the shop and are now also en-
route due west for home,
THE Stars and Stripes is up at the
top O. the mast for the duration OF
the war;" ran the opening bow edi-
torial in the first issue. that of Feb.
8, 1918. So with all the combat d.
visions, save those In the Third army,
out of France, and the Third army
being served with its own official
newspaper, the paper proclaims the
end of the war;, and goes out.
In a lengthy article in the last
issue, which came off the press on
Friday. June 10, we find the follow
ing:
Is left of that A. f. F. which the Stars
and Stripes was created to serve. and
throughout sixteen and half months
according as God gave 1t to see the
light before saying good-by to the re-
naming members of the most home
sick and most likeable army on earth.
the Stars and Stripes feels that it owes
report on itself and its activities
during those sixteen and half months
made to the man to whom 1t owes its
being, its reason for existence, and its
unparalleled support throughout-name-
ly, the Yank. enlisted man. For 1t
was old John w. Doughboy-usng
sense-that made this sheet what it
was, by setting up before it those ex-
amples of heroism, pluck and endur-
ance which it has been its privilege and
glory to chronicle for all the world to
read.
SO, Yanks, since the paper belongs to
you, you have perfect right to ask
what the Stars and Stripes did in the
great war. Well, here is our story:
We Didn't Win the War!
ITO begin with, the Stars and Stripes
is, as far as we know, the only subdi-
vision Of the A. Il. f. that does not
claim to have won the war single
handed. Why this is so, we cannot
tell Perhaps it is because we have
never had more than two marines on
the sheet at one time. Just now one
of these is away somewhere Gas usuaD
and the other is but recently acquired.
Perhaps 1t is because-rumor to the
observation-disclosures have no
recruited from the overseas
Y. NJ. c. A.
True, a certain chafming Y. M. c.
A. damsel was, a while back, attached
to the Stars and Stripes for rations,
and earned her Stun with vengeance
by feverishly sewing on insignia ana
things Just before Secretary Baker in
spected us; but since the main attraco
ton left she hasn't been around here
much. They are that way, them wom-
en-. Y's or otherwise. (By the way,
Janet. our blouse is shy two buttons
and we can't go aboard ship that way.
YOU know. Cmon round as soon as you
read this, won't you?)
"Nor-stil further to explain our re-
ticence about claiming to have won the
war-have we had more than one nj. r.
writing for the paper at any one timej
,lthough that is hardly fair, since the
n. P.'s really had that title wished on
hem. There is at present one hard-
boiled ex-Top Soak of NJ. P.'s around
mere. but he is SO scared OF Waiy ne
doesn't peep. Then there is a very
iossy serge uniformed person who, upon
1eing accused of redtabbedness, has
+iIv explained that he'd only been SER
yeant- ma joring around the provost
acknowledgements office; SO seeing tnat
ne writes poetry. we let him stay. Inc
1nly paper he asks for is copy paper
SO lIt iSoN Va Wv 49,
We are content to rest on the APP
,raisal, of two of our chiefs, one tne
:. inc, the other the former COM
general of the s, .: s., ana
lert in the struggle. Said Gen. Per-
;hing in our anniversary issue:
1.-The Stars and Stripes :. mas
,een an important factor in creating
md supporting the. excellent morale
which has at all times characterized
he American expeditionary forces.
And Mai.-Gen. Harbord one of our
Oldest and best hackers, told us in the
The Stars and stripes has played an
part in the highly organized
BUSINESS we have carried on to deteat
SUPPOSE we let it go at that, for the
resent, and get on with the yarn.
Bucks Outvoted Sam Brownies.
To sum up and add a bit to what we
old in that anniversary issue lour
months ago-and we told most every
hing then--the Stars and Stripes was
;tarfed on a shoestring and doomed in
he course of twelve months to circu-
alton of 526 900. Its staff at the pc
Timing consisted of one frantlcally
Energetic and everlastingly pepful sec
md looey of infantry (he's a major
,ow). as officer in charge, one equally
ooey of marines (he's a first now,
me ditto frst looey of infantry as ad-
,ertising manager, one never ehersellC
,uck private of leathernecks as ART
lie Aertment and one forced to- e-ener-
;etic buck private OF machine guns as
,e seen from this that the paper started
mt lust as humbly as it possibly could
md still keep up appearances. More
suck privates were added later, and
Immediately proceeded to outvote nell
nut of the officers at all editorial con-
erences..
Born In a Log Cabin.
The first office of the sheet was In
he back room of a little converted
hop on the Rue st. Jean, in the Town
# Neufchateau. then used as the neId
,ress headquarters of the A r. r;
ding of great but deeply grieved war
correspondents, the plaintive pleas Tor
mercy from the cruel, cruel censors'
he urgent demands for more WOOD lot
hat damned old stove by (censored),
md the rigors OF, the Vosges, climate
vas born. 1t is a far cry from the
resent high palatial offices in the
-redit Mobilier building on the Rue
raitbout in Paris back to part owner
hip-and sometimes not even tnat-m
hat little room in Lorraine. But what
an0ldate LOT Iue plcSlutliCs 49,
cred from having been born in log
abin? min, -
Then as now, the composition and
makeup of the paper was effected at
he plant of the Continental edition OF
he London Daily Mail, at So Rue gu
,entier, Paris, whittier week before
he appearance of the first number.
our printer Yanks from the Twenty
inth engineers had been dispatched: In
he early days and for quite time
fter, the printing was done on the
iaips press, but for the last ten months
he press run has been made at the 1
liant of lie Journal 100 Rue de Richie
leu, Paris. From the very beginning /
British printermen and French engrav-
RS have colaborated with the sweating: !
enimed Americans who, below, ground
n the Nails plant. have made the stars
nd Stripes possible these sixteen and |
half months; so that it is really. in /
o small sense, an international affair. !