davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28
American Soldiers Anxious to Get

American Soldiers Anxious to Get
Ont of Northern Russia.-The an
lnouncement from Washington tnat
American troops in north Russia are to
be withdrawn at the earliest pos
sible moment in the spring writes the
Archangel correspondent CT the As
sociated Press, was received with JOY
by the troops themselves, but onciai
circles and also the Russian popula-
ton are anxious to know Whetner
other troops will be sent to replace
them or whether it means the complete
abandonment Of this front. Naviga-
tion is now closed except for ice break
ers incapable Of carrying large num-
her Of troops and according to naval
advices, June will be the earliest
month for the opening Of the Ice noes.
The American troops affected by the
announcement are the Three Hundred
and Thirty ninth Infantry and one bat
TALON of the Three Hundred and Tenth
Engineers, all draft forces entitled 10
rehabilitation after the conclusion OF
the war. There is considerable spec
ulation in Archansel whether they
will be replaced by regulars or ma
rines.
De Witt c. Poole, Jr.. counselor Oh
the American embassy, has issued the
following statement:
"In connection with the Washington
announcement to the American en-
bsssv in Archangel the embassy states
Il understands this announcement re-
,ates only to the disposition OF the
American troops now here. 1t does not
determine one or another the general
question of the continued presence Oh
an American force in northern Russia,
nor is it understood to disclose q de-
cision as to the future American policy
in Russia. Determination OF this
awaits for a further discussion by the
peace conference at Paris.
From a consultation with compe-
tent transportation authorities II ap-
pears that with normal ice conditions
the earliest possible moment at which
considerable bodies Of troops can be
moved away from Archangcl Will be
in June"
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28
ARMY OF HALF MILLION.
Looks Like Congress Will Provide for
il Before IL Quits.


il Before Il Quits.
Coincident with the final enactment
of legislation providing for resumption
Of voluntary enlistment in the army
under the national defense act Of 1915
limiting the military establishment to
175, 900 men, the senate military COM
mittee approved and reported to the
senate the annual army appropriation
bill with provision for q temporary
force Of about 53S,000 men after next
July 1. IS
The increased force for the next rs
cal year was recommended by the war
department, but legislative provisions
authorizing 1t were stricken out in the
house on points of order.
/ = 1t Is explained that the enactment OF
voluntary enlistment Immediately is
for the purpose of enabling the war
to enroll now any men OF
the present war army who desire to
continue In the regular forces.
Before approving the regular army
bill with its appropriation Of $1.250,ooo.-
600 the committee adopted an amend
ment providing for the establishment
of an independent bureau OF aeronau-
tics to combine the activities now be-
ing conducted under that head by the
army, navy and marine corps. THIS
plan has been vigorously opposed py
,ba adpofnist ration
The director Of the bureau, to be
appointed by the president, with the
consent of the senate, would receive q
salary Of $4,000 and would not be ''n-
der the supervisor Of any cabinet OF
fcer. An assistant director at $4,000
salary also was provided.
Increase in the entire bill over the
house provisions totalled about $780,.
O00, 900, large part Of which was Tor
the pay Of enlisted men on the war
basis of $50 a month.
Creation of a social hygiene board
and other agencies with fund OF w.
100000 to wage campaign against So
cial disease was provided under an
amendment approved by the commit
too, which also restored provision Tor
continuance of present organization OF
the war department until congress en-
acts a permanent army reorganiza-'
ton measure.
House amendments stricken out IN
cluded one authorizing enlisted men
seeking discharges to submit their
cases to the secretary Of war In event
of disapproval by commanding officers'
and another aimed to prevent officers
Iforbidding social intercourse between
officers and men of the same regiment
| while off duty.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

A French inventor claims the per-
lection of device for airplane engines
that will permit speed of 200 to 800
miles per hour, and the higher the
machine rises the greater the speed. 1t
is further claimed that a trip across
the Atlantic can be made in a short
days flying.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

Chas. S. Whittemore, general audltoi
Of the General Electric company al
evanston, Mass, has been arrested on
a charge of holding up paymaster III
December last and robbing him o'
$4,000.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

The French bark Helene was sunk on
last Saturday, off the Virginia coast, as
the result Of a collision with the Nor
wegian freighter Granzfjord. Sixteen of
the crew Of the Helene were lost.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

Admiral Won Tirpitz, credited win
being the instigator of the German
ruthless submarine warfare, now llVlns
IN Switzerland, is said to have lost MS
entire fortune and is practically penni-
1oaq
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

Princess Patricia, daughter OF 'he
Duke of Connaught, was married IN
London yesterday to Hon Alexander
Ramsey, q commoner, OF the sritish
navy.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

One of the German long-range guns
used in shelling Paris, is soon to be
placed on exhibition In that city.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

Julian Story, noted artist and por'
trait painter, died in Phiiadelphla
hospital last Sunday.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28
No Doubt of Verdict?

When 1 think Of the homes upon
which dull despair would settle where
this great hope is disappointed, l
should wish for my part never to have
had America play any part whatever
in this attempt to emancipate the
world. But I talk as if there were
any questions. I have no more doubt
of the verdict Of America in this mat
ter than 1 have of the blood that Is In
me.
And so, my fellow citizens. l have
come back to report progress and 1 do
not believe the progress is going to
stop short of the goal. The nations Of
the world have set their heads now to
do a great thing, and they are not 60
ing to slacken their purpose. And
when I speak Of the nations OF the
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

The Cotton Factory Times, the organ
Of the operatives, anticipates that the
employers will again bring forward
the argument they have previously
used against shorter week, including
that Of foreign competition. but these
arguments" it says, will nave less
force today because Of the progressive
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28
Tribute Of a Humorist.

Tribute CT a Humorist.
One of our American humorists'
meeting the criticism that American
soldiers were not trained long enough
said:
TT takes only half as long to train
an American soldier as any other, be-
cause you only have to train him one
way, and he did only go one way, and
he never came back until he could do
it when he pleased"
And now do you realize that this
confidence we have established
throughout the world imposes bur-
den upon us-if you choose to call it
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

meaning Of what l nave SHOWN you
and you will know then what Amer
icanism is. It is not 110,ooo,o00 people
alone: 1t is 100000 people who have
lived through struggle, and who have
won through work. Let US never for
get that"
We have nothing precious that does
not represent struggle. We have noun
ing of lasting value that does not re-
nresent determination. We have noth-
ing admirable which does not repres-
ent self-sacrifice.
would give to the man whom l
wish to Americanize (after he mad
earned the language Of this land a
knowledge of the physical America, SO
as to get an admiration, not only OF
its strength, Of its resources, OF what
II could do against the world, but that
he might have pride in this as land
of hope and land in which men had
won out.
would take this man down south
and would show him some OF the
schools, would take him up north
and would show him the cut-over
lands of Wisconsin and Michigan.
which are waste and idle. I would
take him into New York and show him
the slums and the tenements. lwoald
show him the good and the bad. |
would show him the struggle that we
are making to improve the bad condl-
tions. I would tell him not that Amer
lea is perfect, that America is finish
ed country. but I would say to him.
America is an unfinished land. Its pos
sibilities shall never end, and your
chance here and the chances OF your
children shall always be in ratio to your
zeal and ambition"
America, we dare believe, will ever
remain unfinished.
I would have that man see America
from the reindeer ranches Of Alaska
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30

ut is upon the unconquerable re-
sistance Of the Verdun front" wrote
Won der Marwitz, the German Cen
eral. in captured orders, that the fate
OF the western front-perhaps even of
our nation-depends." No one can
now deny that the General was right.
Lieut.-Col. Frederick Palmer OF Gen.
Pershing's staff has said:
ANY one who had suggested IN 1917
throwing troops In an attack into the
Argonne Forest would have been dis
missed as mad"
AS 1t was, the French advised en-
phatically against attacking the Ar
gonne frontally. After their four
years Of Unbalanced trench positions
there they protested that the fores;
could not be penetrated. Well-the Ar
gonne Players, the 77th's troupe OF en-
tertainers. dedicated a song to Major
Gen. Robert Alexander the divisional
commander, which perhaps answers
the French unbelievers:
They didn't think we'd do it, but
We did,
They didn't think we knew the way
to fight.
But from Chateau Thierry to the
home Of the Huns
You'll find the footprints OF Broad
ways sons.
They didn't think we'd do it, but
We did
The pale face rockies that they
used to kid
When Jerry fell in the Argonne
wood
He got merry hell and got 1t dog
gone good.
They didn't think we'd do 1t, but we
did,
Yes-you know darn we'll we did
Men and officers are agreed that q
large share of credit in the doing
OF 1t belongs to Gen. Alexander. WHO
came to the division in its most try.
ing days on the shell ridden, gas in.
fected Vesle River at a time when the
organization ives cropping for its soul
The General was Il constructive force
in helping his men to find divisional
elan that ultimately ranked the OUTFIT
according to Lieut.. Col. Palmer
among Americas foremost divisions
And perhaps the best place for a divl.
sional commander 10 seek establish.
ing divisional soul is where Gen. Al
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30

TINE only American division
to conquer the Argonne
l. Forest"
Thus will New York city acclaim its
"Own''-the Seventy-seventh Division
when the returning vtctors arrive.
Despite all claimants to the un
oauailcd honor Of having "taken the
Argonne wood" the fact is incontest-
able that New York's Own" alone is
entitled to the distinction.
Some confusion naturally exists in
the civilian mind as TO the topo-
graphical aspects of the famous
Meuse- Argonne offensive, the real
determinant OF the war. The situation
is clarified by the simple explanation
that the Argonne Forest was part of
the Meuse-Argonne line, the forest
being it's western limit. the Mouse
River its eastern boundary.
Twenty American divisions par
tjcipated in the Meuse-Argonne often
sIve. But only one division fought its
way completely through the renowned
Argonne jungle. That division was
the Liberty Division the erstwhile
miscellany of civilians. more than
forty races and creeds, from the
melting pot city from the Bowery,
Riverside Drive, Third avenue, Harlem
and the Bronx.
Germans' Strongest Defence.
Tie Argonne Forest-given a wide
berth by Napoleon-was spoken of by
Gen. Pershing in his official report as
"generally considered impregnable. "
French tacticians regarded the forest
as the Germans strongest single de-
fence on the whole line--from the
North Sea to Switzerland. II was the
bastion OF the famous Kriemhild
stellung system of defences which pro-
tectedthe Montmedy- Sedan lines OF rail
communications the eny7ny's source of
troop and munition supply for one-half
of the whole front. The Montmedy-
Sedan line, "our life artery" as the
Germans called Il. once brought under
the fire OF American guns, meant-the
armistice.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30

eXander sought it---elbow 10 elbow
with his doughboys in the actual firing
Ii1le. II was for his personal encour-
agement OF his men in the Argonne
that the General was awarded the
ID. S. c. ... ..,....
) The achievements of the Seventy
seventh are not summed UP, however,
in its conquest OF the Argonne. Its
record includes the following honors:
It drove a greater distance than
any other division in the Meuse-
Argonne offensive-fifty-ni and a
half kilometers, or nearly thirty
eight miles.
1t was tho only division that
fought throughout the entire often
sive, receiving two army corps cita-
tons
1t was the first National Army
unit in France.
It was the first National Army
unit ordered into both quiet and
active sectors Of the line.
One OF It's detachments immortal
ICED itself as the Lost Battalion"
Where the Division Fought.
The divisions seven months in
France during hostilities fall into
seven natural groups, marked by its
| itinerary, which covered almost the
whole extent Of the front:
In Flanders.
In the Son.ne.
In Lorraine.
At the Vesle River.
At the Aisne River.
In the Argonne Forest
South of the Mouse River.
| The Seventy seventh, variously
known as the Metropolitan Division
and the Liberty Division. as an organi-
zation was to be the test of all citizen
soldiery. Surely, from cosmopolitan
! New York's five boroughs, II from any
place, would be drawn every manner
of American. How would they ANAL
gamate? How would they Withstand
assail defeat the Boche, archfghter OF
a race of trained swordbearers?
| What better way to learn, how
quicker to observe the momentous ex-
pertinent, than to send the first Ma.
uonal Army unit at the earliest posi-
Bile hour?
] NJ" II must ne commonly KNOWN
| that at the inception of our military
machine the National Army organiza.
lions. composed exclusively of drafted
men, were TO be numbered by regi.
ments from 301 up. To the Regular
Army regiments were assigned the
numerals between 1 and 100; Will,
the National Guard outfits We're to rur
from 101 to 200.
Our own division included the 305th
S06th, 307th and 3OSth Regiments OF
Infantry; the 304th, 3O5th ana 306tf
Regiments OF Field Artillery: tn,
304th, 305th and 306th Machine Cur
Battalions; the 302d Regiment of Engi
neers: the 302d Field Signal Battalion
and the 3O2d Trench Mortar Battery
together with the divisional medica
units, wagon trains, headquarters staff,
and military police.
Numerically the Seventy sixth Divi
sion, a New England body in training
at Camp Devens, Mass. was the frs
of our experimental soldiers" Blu
actually the Seventy seventh was tn,
pioneer BY the early spring Of 1911,
Devens was not yet ready TO put a full
strength division Of 27.063 men or
transatlantic waters, Upton was.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30

headquarters the They
through German parties and reached the Colonel
following Communications reeabhed
attack when October the seventh Of the
Col Whteey command again cut off, completely that
relief could reach them five days. during this time
the bcaguered detachment of the and its
stand.
The following nstment takes the reader from the divisional
training Upton Long Island with glimpse the morale
departing through the submarine Liverpool
England Channel Calais raiders
their bieng training British
they shifted down the line threatened
a for the British They left the Somme to traverse
front
where with the French they took herr
of for the first time.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30

1t is true that there was a little
eleventh-hour confusion. Some COM
panies received as much as u third of
their required quota of go men in
material that had been but recently
uniformed in the depot brigade and
trained indifferently. And that on the
very eve of our sailing day.
The Process of Making Fighters
Officers were inclined to grouse
somewhat at such conditions. Since
September 1917 after three months OF
arduous work themselves at the first
Piattsburg, they had been arduously
moulding the shipping clerk, the
grocer, the sweatshop worker, the
who-not of New York's heterogeneity
into the single mindedness of good
soldering. II had been no easy task.
An entry in my diary of that time
under date of February 20 has an
interesting bearing here:
Most OF the men. it seems TO
me. have devoted no real, serious
thought TO the future-which is to
say, the trenches. Your true New
Yorker (who the devil is the true
New Yorker. anyway. in this col
lection?), whether he. be in multi
or o. D.. takes things as they
come, And it is not so much in
difference, / believe. as downright
mental laziness-lack Of imagina-
ton.
Time and again, for example,
In bayonet instruction I have
this drill like a lot OF jellyfsh!
Get a German out there in front
Of you. Remember that only one
of two things can happen-either
you'll kill him or he'll kill you.
Take your choice, Now
imagine you've got that needle at
tne< uasc of his throat, as the book
says. When you get the command
Long point" shoot IT out as 4 upon
the snap and punch with which
! you used your arms depended
whether or not you We're ever going
TO use them again! Grind
the enamel off your teeth, Now
yank out your knife along the same
line that You jahbed II in. Remem-
Der there are bones in his body and
maybe your blade got embedded in
| them, Make 1t forcible because
| you'll need that bayonet again.
Maybe his blood Els spurted into
your eyes, Wipe it off-and pass
on to the next one
! "Oh, I've been just as CORY as
| that about 1t. Had to. Couldn't
get them stirred up enough even
then. I'd watch their expressions
for some telling effect Of the fruity
words. Blank, mostly as un-
| emotional as IL they We're reading
! carpet cleaning ads In the subway.
So uncomprehensive have they
seemed that often thought We were
taking an unfair advantage of them
leading them into a bottomless
pool that they thought a mud
! puddle.
| Here's an odd fact. The men in
| whom might be expected the least
! bloodthirstiness were often the
| most intelligently ferocious in
their work. Such men as Manson
for instance, an anamic, slim,
tim!dvoiced designer of women's
cloaks and suits in civilian life.
! And again, our Irish Squad
s2eeksas o: them Captain Breci;-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30
NPEHF'e31T q" TIC 1%<S'e'Tr1e Fo7<eS' :
History of New York City's Own
Shows Them Sole Conquerors of
Germans Strongest Defense in
Whole Meuse -Argonne Line
Lieut.. Arthur McKeogh's Story
of the Gallant 18th Division

This is the first of a series Of
three authentic narratives
of the overseas adventures
of New York's Own" the
Seventy-seventh Division, NO to the
signing of the armistice.
1t was a detachment of this or
ganization, as is generally known,
that gained historic fame as 1.-THE
Lost Battalion" Of which Lieut.
Col. Charles W. Whittlesey was
commander. Lieut.. Arthur Nc
Keogh, formerly Of THE EVE
MING SUN editorial staff, and
member of the New York bar, was
Col. Whittlesey's adjutant at the
beginning of the Argonne Forest
attack. The battalion's line Of
communications was cut tenn
porarily on the fourth day Of the
advance and Lieut.. McKeogh, with
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30

enridge says-quoting from what We
can't recall-'Ah, me- was a pale
young curate Then Pale they may
have been five months ago; sturdy
most OF them are now; but 'curates'
for their unobtrusiveness. their
quiet demeanor, they have always
been. 1t was not until we gave
them a soccer football that their
Celtic strain showed out"
Things Change at the Front.
Reading this now in the light Of
what has gone between, | can see
wherein We must have been sensing
then that values were TO undergo
change at the front-surprising, in
credible change. Our Irish Squad was
one Of the first to bleed. Our in
terminable bayonet drill was half for
, gotten for want of use.
But to revert. The training Of the
| selective troops had been strenuous.
Now It was March. BY that time each
set of company ofiicers-six per COM
pany there We're in those untried DAYS
had organized and drilled, as n total,
>.
More than $1,000 men passed through
the personnel department before $1,000
were permanently selected. From
time to time there had been transfers
and shiftings of personnel already we'll
assimilated and measured OF in mental
as well as physical capacities down TO
squads, unit! officers became dis
heartened at the need of constant re-
building.
1t was like erecting a great brick
factory chimney and standing off
smugly to survey the finished shaft
only TO sec that some one had removed
bricks all along the column and that
/ smoke was eXuding at many places
The daft, so to spesh. was not good.
But. said the higher ups" specialists
were needed here. there or the other
place: chauffeurs, railroad operatives,
stenographers. And forthwith Corpora
Carburetor who had his squad we'll In
hand, packed his blue barracks has
and from an infantryman of parts
was chameleoned overnight into a
motor truck driver. The system OF
classifying the men upon induction
improved, OF course, as the military
experiment went forward. But thai
was after our time.
What mattered such shortcomings
however, what mattered anything II
the face of the stupendous fact that
our little jour de gloire had arrived
| We were actually about to Nndicatc
the oft sung song-we were really
going Overt"
Departure of 3Osth Infantry.
Father knickerbocker nodded his
Curls consistently when for the frs
time "A regiment OF selective men
the 3OSth Infantry peacocked dowr
Fifth avenue in February under wha
looked like complete equipment tC
civilian eyes. The press of tn,
metropolis lauded MS immoderately a,
trained hghters-because our platoon
lines were straight. Thereupon, under
hesitant official consent. about 10000
Of the division paraded i'm snow whitet
New York. The turnout proved To be
such stimulus TO patriotic ardor tina
Secretary of War Baker not only
sanctioned, but even encouraged
similar demonstrations In all thu
sixteen cantonment cities Throughout