The sun., 1919-03-31
THEY BOOST AND KNOCK.
An Inside Illumination OF Our Sol.
diers' Enduring Americanism.

uiers Enduring Amer1Cnnism.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-sE. En-
closed is a copy OF . letter I have Just
received from my brother. a sergeant
In field hospital corps OF the Second
Division. now stationed at Bendorf.
Germany.
OF Colonel Hsyward's views prompted
me to- send this to you. as II seems to
me TO describe tie situation 80 we'll.
My brother is q man OF calm judg-
ment. and am inclined to give much
weight to his viewG J! b. {.
DETROIT. March 70.
LETTER FROM A SOLDIER IN TIE FIELD
] have been in the ssrvice nearly six
teen months. and by virtue OF two SER
vice stripes am called an "old timer"
have had chance to digest mentally
lot about this mans army and some
time I'll use my acquired Vocabulary In
relating experiences ana observations.
Tho war Is still on and we are still
bound not to criticise-there have been
things to criticise. But II there 10 q
predominant American characteristic It
Is knocking. And the next prominent
characteristic Is Dragging. When we
have sympathetic audience we knock
when 1t isn't so sympathetic or has
claims OF Its own we bras. Hence IL
Is that the returning soldiers coming
to a sympathetic audience--homs folks
knock. and the Americans here do the
Same among themselves. But let q,
n
question, for instance (they do not tell
us anything-none of them claim that
Bits side won) and you would not be-
lieve that the same people are talking
can understand the stories told by
returning soldiers and have some to
tell myself. But let me remark that
have seen what few enlisted mon have
seen-the workings OF the whole A. E. F.
from the time boat 10 unloaded with
supplies to the loading Of boats with
wounded going home.
! have not seen events chronologioally
that way--I mean I have seen wounded
men leaving st. NaEaire long before
saw them at the front-but have seen
almost the whole works. And I want
to say that the American machine has
well. and I, for one, would not condemn
In general the work over here. It has
been great, start to finish. But do
say that between the great and good
minds originating and developing the
whole machine and the little bits of
guns like ourselves carrying out orders
there are a number OF men who assume
the importance OF the big guns and the
credit of the little guns-and with them
the trouble lies.
Also let me remark that the combat
troops have had the meanest work. tho
fewest privileges and advancements
the real physical suffering and a total
lack of comforts was what Is called
here an IS o. s. - tthat is merely
another bit OF exaggerated knocking),
and have had dose Of the rough stun
in front. But I vote for the front and
the combat troops. because the men are
real men and the officers are real men.
and both together face real dangers and
go through hell without rewards. and
kick no more than the others. and are
prouder OF America and the American
army than even you people at home are
I do not urge you to take with a
grain of salt the things returned soldiers
tell. They probably tell the truth.
have not seen much In the papers But
1 would canton you that corresponding
to every kick there IL something worth
Dragging about. There are stories OF
peanut minded. would-be Prussian on
that worship their officers. have seen
Ia Lxl-
diers duciSing work. forgetful of the
purposes for which they came. and not
caring a whoop for the needs of the
other men--lots like that. have seen
the reverse.
The whole situation sums up to this !:
the soldiers have had mighty hard trials.
not only at the front and not only in
a physical sense. We are constitutional
Knockers. therefore you people will get
a black picture; but I wish any OF you
who might feel bitter on our behalf
might sit in with a crowd after, say, a
ball game with rival division. Then
you would And out which Is the best
division over here, the best officers In the
A. E. F., the best outfits, the most
gains. &c. You would hear the same at
the other camp. The esprit de corps
Is fine. My Indian head on my left
shoulder ia the best lodge button in the
world. But these same men will knock
by the hour, knock the French, knock
America because OF prohibition. knock
the G, IL q. because Of rehabilitation
priorities. knock the s. o. g., knock the
Y, everything, so that stranger to the
atmosphere would be blue. But We are
Injured TO It all. and are a part of II.
and II Is our way.
Even Pershing has been quoted as
saying that knocking Is n sign OF a real
Cor regular) soldier. He knocked II he
said that, didn't he? Now violence
never comes from this perpetual hubbub.
A political campaign at home brings
out the same characteristics in rival
partisans. 20 does league baseball. and
a foreigner like Wells might take Amer
leans at their own word and say that
Congress Is dumb and political leaders
crooks. &C, ana then wonder with what
consistency an American can claim his
country and Government TO be tho best
in tho world-which II Ia.
So. too. civilian America Is like the
foreigner. II hears the eternal grumble
OF the soldiers who have been away; it
hears It because Il is sympathetic. But
suppose II were antipathetic. Then you
would hear OF glories-gold would not
be bright enough to paint the picture
now done IN a monotone OF gray or
black.
/ have refrained from generalites
about Germany as much as I could IN