The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1919-07-03
F|FTY-N|NE STARS
AND NONE OF GOLD
e. Church, Souh, Honors the Young
Men who Went From Its Pews to
Service in War-Returned Officers
Told of Experiences.

flag that was laid away in the archives
Of the First M. E. church, South, with
appropriate ceremonies Monday night.
The putting away of the flag, which
syrnbolized that SO young men of the
congregation had helped during the
great world war for human rights was
an event unique in Mena church cir
cles.
II was a most interesting event,
nevertheless, and from the time the
orchestra began with the strains of
Arkansas" until the audience closed
bv singing America" there were
happenings that thrilled and stirred
the audience that filled the big church
auditorium.
Half a hundred young men in the
uniforms Of the military or naval
service of the U. S. A. added touch
Of color to the occasion and served as
reminders that now peace has come
the khaki and the blue can be laid
away along with the service flag.
The feature of the program was the
appearance of four well known young
men of Mena, in full uniform, who
told Of army experiences while in the
service. To some the experience of
speaking in public was evidently hard
er than going into action, but they,
like the lads at Chateau Thierry, re-
fused to retreat and the home folks
had the pleasure of hearing some in
teresting recitals.
Captain Lige Horner, Mena's most
notable representative in the great
war, was given an ovation when he
stepped upon the rostrum wearing the
Croix de Guerre, the decoration con-
ferred upon him by the French nation |
foy notable service in action. Captain
Horner also has the added distinction |
Of having been advanced from lieuten-
ant 70 his present rank while in the |
battle line on the western front.
Captain Horner, however, did not |
tell what most of his friends and fell /
low members would have liked to hear
about. which are his personal expert |
ences on the front, but praised the
men who helped put the Hun on the /
run. He declared that the winning of |
Americas part Of the war was due
70 the intelligence of the American
soldiers and their ability to think for
themselves. He exp essed gratifica-
tion that he belonged to an army that
never backed an inch from the
menace Of the great German military
machine.
Captain Horner gave his opinion
that the peace treaty was good one,
and exprest a hope the men who made
it possible will never have to go back
to France. He told also of his COM
pany of Indians, probably the most
unique Of any in the entire army, and
caused merriment by relating some
experiences with them. Like the 9TH
ers, Captain Horner exprest pleasure
N returning TO Mena.
The speaker also answered the gen.
eral query of the effect the war might
have on the relation Of soldiers to
Christianity. He believed the expert
ences of the fighting men were such as
to give them greater confidence in the
doctrines Of Christ and gave as an IL
lustration the statement of hard
boiled subordinate. who after being
under heavy FIRE at the front declared
1t had made "a meter man out of me-"
Lieut. Grady II Forgy was unable
to be present and respond to the
speaking assignment of "Our Dough-
boys" Lieut. Little Riding of the
aviation corps, gave. an interesting,
tho brief, account Of the air service
and furnished statistics to show that
this branch of the army had an inn
portant part in whipping Fritz.
Ssrgt. Elmer II. Sapp, asked to
speak on the topic, "Time Spent in
France" made hit when he an
nounced that if the folks wanted to
know what he thought of France they
could ask him on the street, as the
church was no place for him to ex-
press himself. Sergeant Sapp thank
&c the home folks for the part they
played in keeping up the morale of the
men at the front, declaring that it
wasn't the chow that did it, but the
spirit of the people back home.
Mark p. 0lney gave the welcome ad-
dress and the response was by Sergt.
Dudley Lauck, of the Motor Trans
port Corps. Mr.. Olney also presided
at the ceremony of placing the serv-
ice flag in it's metal casket for pre-
servation. He read the names of the
oS young men who are represented by
stars on the flag and stated that all
but two of them have safely returned
to their homes.
One Of the pleasing features was the
original song composed and sung by
Judge II. W. Finger. 1t was entitled
Stay Awhile Longer in Arkansas"
and was written in His Honor's own
peculiar meter and sung in his mimi
taole style Of music The song told
OF how Polk county fighting men, hav-
ing helped whip the Hun, had come
oack home to help boost for good
roads and other improvements.
Other musical features were the
selections by the High School orches-
ira Cradle Song" by Miss Ethel
Depew Henderson; "The Hun Is on the
run by Taft Brothers quartet, and
Dear Old Pal of Mine" by Mrs.
Claude H. Williford.
Miss lone Goff gave a reading of
Fut Him On At the close Of the
program refreshments were served. X