The Ocala evening star., 1919-05-24
ALVIN YORK BETTER
Man THAN ACHILLES
HOmer's Greatest Hero Would Have
Been a Piker Compared to the
DOughboy from Tennessee
ASSOCIATED Press)


Washington, May 24.-Sergeant
Alvin G. York of Pail Mall, Tenn,
wearing the congressional medal of
honor and the French Croix de Guerro,
called on Secretary Baker today, be-
ing introduced by Congressman Hull
of Tennessee.
"You are a brave man. / congrat-
ulate you," said the secretary.
Leaving the war department. Ser
geant York visited the White House,
meeting Secretary Tumulty.
HOW YORK WON HIS MEDALS
New York, May 24-Sergeant Alvin
c. York. of the 328th infantry, who,
at the head of detachment of seven
men, killed 20 Germans, took 1872
prisoners, including a major and three
lieutenants and put 36 machine guns
out of operation, arrived here yester-
day on the transport Ohioan wearing
the congressional medal of honor, and
the French Croix de Guerre. Sergeant
York's home is in Pail Mall, Tenn,
and he was greeted on his arrival by
a committee from the Tennessee So
ciety of New York, who propose to
show him what the folks back home
think of him during his four days
stay in New York.
Sergeant York won his honors in
the Argonne drive last October. He
was then corporal and was sent out
with detachment of 16 men under
Sergeant Early to silence German ma
chine gunners who were endeavoring
to protect the advance of German
battalion. Sergeant Early and seven
OF his men were almost Immediately
killed and Corporal York took COM
mand. He silenced machine gun after
machine gun and when he returned
with his prisoners the proposed Ger
man attack had ceased to be even a
possibility.
Sergeant York will be the guest of
honor tonight at banquet given by
the Tennessee society at which Maj
Gen. George S. Duncan, his former
division commander will speak An
other guest will be Joseph Cummings
Chase, who painted picture of Ser
geant York at the front by order of
the government.
The sergeant, who is an elder in
the Church of Christ and Christian
Union at Pail Mall, and who was fol.
time listed as conscientious OBJ
jector," declared it was "the hand or
God that guided us all and brought
about the victory"
Il feel heap stronger spiritually
than when | went away" he said. "No
man could pass through what have
without feeling that way"
Sergeant York said he was consid-
ering entering the ministry but had
not yet determined on his future.
Discussing the report that he was a
conscientious objector, the sergeant
said:
81 was out on the field at Camp
Upton when a letter was received
from my pastor saying that I was a
conscientious objector. I was not.
don't approve of taking human life
unless it is necessary, but l consid-
cred it necessary when my colonel and
my captain explained that the fight
was for democracy, the peace of the
world and for humanity. Then / de-
termined to fight"
From the Waldorf Astoria, where
Sergeant York was installed by his
friends, he talked over the long dis
tance telephone with his mother in
the little Pail Mall grocery store five
miles over the Kentucky border. After
greeting her, ne sent his love to his
seven brothers and three sisters.
The first thing that met the eyes of
L
ed into the room, which had been pre-
pared for him, was a framed photo
graft of his mother on the bureau.
When he had finished the elaborate
dinner spread for him in the great
dining room of the Waldorf, Sergeant
York announced with satisfaction
"that's the first square meal I've had