The Harrison times., 1919-03-01

they see a husky private who fought
at Chateau-Thierry, st, Mihiel salient,
and Argonne Forest stride by them on
the sidewalk.
II these gentlemen object to wearing
the silver service cheyrons denoting
service on this side they need not wear
them if my amendment is adopted;
but in the name OF justice do not deny
TO the boy who braved the submarine.
who fought the Hun in the air, who
grappled with him in the narrow
trenches where flowed the blood OF
the brave, who met him face to face in
no mans land-do not strip him OF the
golden insignia which is his coveted
badge OF courage that he honorably
wears and should continue TO wear,
although objected to by the gentleman
from California and the bold, local
knights OF the garter, the booted and
spurred captains and majors and colo
nels who advanced toward the insolent
foe no farther than the bloody salient
of Dupont Circle NV.
Yes; in the name of democracy strip
these heroes Of all that will show that
they marched and fought and bled in
Italy, France, and Belgium. Palsied
be the hand OF any man who would
reach out an enviOus finger to pluck
from the coat sleeve of the humblest
private the golden badge OF glory
earned by him in the hard service OF
his country on the shell-gashed hills
and valleys of beautiful France.
| recall that when the prosecuted
and innocent Dreyfus was declared
guilty through unholy Vaccinations OF
a corrupt military clique in France that
they took from him his sword, broke
it in two, and cast the pieces at his
feet, which action was taken to en-
phasze his disgrace. To strip from
the uniform Of our returning fighters
their saffron badges of honor would
be on a level with the unmerited hu
initiation visited upon Captain Drey-
fus, condemned alike by fair men in
both military and civil circles through
out the world.
The gentleman from California, ar
guing further in support Of his pecu-
liar position, gave utterance to the
following statement:
am told that in some Of the demo5-
ilizing camps the young men who come
back from the other side will no. sa.
lutte an officer who has the silver
chevrons.
Ho,rible Shades of the great cap.
tain, of Hannibal of Pompey, and OF
Charlemange. Send for the judge ad-
vocate at once, let him polish his
spurs, grind his bayonet, sharpen mis-
maiden sword, and condemn without
benefit of clergy and execute "a once
thiS presumptious and Hnsuborlinate
varlet!
1t is barely possible, Of course, that
the young man who failed to salute the
officer who wore silver cheyrons may
have lost an eye in the fighting around
Metz and may not have seen the Off.
Ger mentioned by the gentleman from
California; and it may be, and it is
not such a grave crime, that the situa-
tion referred to was similar to ,he one
described in the third scene Of the
first part Of Shakespeares King Henry
the Fourth. Now the gentleman from
California is reported to be distin-
guished Shakespearean scholar. in
deed, it is said that he was at oaa time
popular and talented interpreter Of
the great masters lines on the stage.
| wonder if Hotspur was not discuss.
ing, in the scene mentioned, an occur
renee in some respects descriptive OF
the surroundings complained of in the
words last quoted from the speech Of
the gentleman from California