The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-05-30

ecfentiouS Objectorw answered key
Honey from the corner of the firebay.
well, what with this bloomin' war on
and blokes goin' west by the thou
sands. pacifst or conscientious objec-
or Is one Of two things, he's either
linkin' coward or bloody pro-Ger-
nan. But It's funny the way some O
hem blighters, with their West End
IDEAS back In Blighty, changes their
minds when they gets out here In the
mud, and gets their first glimpse Of a
wooden cross. It's either a firm
squad up against a wall, bloomin
V. G. (Victoria Crosse or a rest in
peace sign over their nappers for
them. A strange thing it is, but true;
those blokes never go through the
trenches in an ordinary way like we
do; it's case Of extremes, no in-be-
tween stuff.
Next time you're on burial party,
take a look at the third cross from the
left in the fourth row as you enter
the cemetery. You know that path
that leads through the orchard just off
d.
Engineers) dugout; well, under that
cross rests bloke who back in Blighty
professed to be pacifist. He wouldn't
blinkin' well volunteer, not likely; they
had to draft him, an when they did he
refused to fight, so they stuck him In
the N. G. c. (noncombatant corps) and
handed him pick and shovel and put
him to repairin' roads and diggin
graves. Well, 1t didn't take long be-
fore he was properly fed up with his
Job, and he threw down the pick and
shovel and grabbed up a rifle an bayo-
net. Oh, yes, he clicked it all right
and went west. In fact he was buried
In one O. the graves he helped to dig.
I suppose some O. those college officers
called 1t the iron of fate or some 9TH
er blinkin' high-sounding phrase, but
VIZ knows that 1t was only common
ordinary luck, cause we all knows that
II you're going to get it, you'll get 1t,
no matter II you're gentleman's son
OF a bloomin' chimney sweep.
'"This blighter I'm telling about was
In my platoon when / was in G COM
pany, an he used to give me the prop
er pip with his arguments against
fighting and the likes O. that.
'The first time / met him was in st.
Armand; our bat was in the rest bill
lets awaitin' new draft before going
up the line again. You see we had
clicked it pretty rough at Fromelles,
an a platoon looked like a blinkin'
squad when 1t lined up for parade.
was playing house in that estaminet
right across from that bashed-in
church on the corner when his labor
battalion came through and took over
billets Just opposite from the esta.
minet. I was sitting near window
md watched them pass. A sorrier
bunch of specimens of men I never
saw; 1t turned my blinkin' stomach tc
look at them, what with their pasty
faces, stooped-over shoulders and
struggling gait. Right then and there
admired the Germans for their sys
tenn of universal military training. Il
England had of had little more OF II
there never would have been wal
and right now we would be in Blighty
with our wives and nlppers, instead OF
sitting here in these bloody bitches
waitin' for shell to come over witt
our name and number on 1t.
after the labor battalion took ovel
billets several OF them came into the
estaminet and sat at table near me
They started to discuss the war ant
voice their opinions about the tor
hats at home. This bloke I'm a talkiD
about was the loudest of the bunch
he seemed to lave a crouch on every
thing In general. I listened to him &
few minutes chucking his weight abou
until 1t bloody well got on my nerves
Chucking up my game Of house-and
Ind paid half franc for my board
tool leaned over to him and said:
"'You must be one of those bloomin
conscientious directors we reads abou
In the papers, one o. those blighter.
who don't believe In fghtin' but |!
willing to sit back in Blighty and lie
us blokes out here do your blood.
fghtin' for you, while you gets a blink
In good screw (salary) sitting on {
high stool in some Office
"He turned to me and answered
It's the likes O. you who volunteered
for this war what keeps 1t goin'. 1
you had all refused to go at first, Their
wouldn't be any war?
II couldn't see 1t his way at all, ant
went right back at him with: Yes, ant
II 1t wasn't for us volunteering, thu
bloody German flag would now be fly
ing over Buckingham palace and KIM
George would be In the Tower of Lon
DON
''I1e thought a minute or two an,
answered. We'll, what Of It; one flag
rs good as another. and as for tn
Alooinn' king what did he ever do TO
UV but make you pay taxes SO b,