Evening star., 1919-02-26
Presidents CHEEKY Words.


and Mrs. p. J. Ryan.
Presidents CHEEKY Words.
During the trip home President
Wilson frequently walked about the
lower decks and quarters where the
two thousand or more troops return
ing from France were gathered.
Young Ryan said the President was
most democratic and always had
CHEEKY word for the men. He said
the President manifested much pride
in the men in uniform and took a
deep interest in their welfare. He
was ever anxious to know If they
ere comfortable.
.aTbe first time President Wilson
presented himself in our part of the
ship" Corp. Ryan said, "he walked
quietly among group OF men, none
of whom at first recognized him.
had seen him in Washington, but L
was standing over near the rail, some
distance away. at the time The group
which he addressed first either were
souatted or lying about the deck
They readily answered the greeting
and inquiries of the civil stranger I
Suddenly some one nearby gave ou.
the tip that it was the President, and
in an instant the bunch were jump
ing to their feet and standing at rigid
attention.
"At this the President smiled and
told them to sit down and be COM
PORTABLE After a/few more words.
the President moved slowly along the
deck among the other men. He
stopped at the little group in which
was. I shook hands with him, as
did the others. and when he asked me
where / was from, I answered that l
resident of Washington"
From Western States.
Corn. Ryan was the only member of
the old Sd Regiment in his battalion.
He said the men of the latter were
principally from the far western
states, and although splendid ag
Eregation of real men, he missed his
old guard comrades-the men with
whom he had drilled and paraded in
Washington and with whom ne served
on the Mexican border.
When the Sd Regiment was alb
sorbed by the newly formed 4lst Di-
vision tSunseD early in the summer
of 1917, his company, along with
the 161st Regiment of that division.
They trained first at Charlotte n G,
and later at Camp Mills. 1t was while
st the latter that young Ryan was
Va where he was assigned 10 ship
ping stock work The latter part of
March, 1918, found him aboard a
transport bound for France. He was
assigned to duty at first at a supply
depot and later was transferred TO
the medical detachment of the 146th
Machine Gun Battalion. which was
then stationed at ST. Afghan
This outfit had been picked for
training purposes, and during the
nearly twelve months young Ryan
was with IL in France it was kept
hs,at1C in IN a egf
in and about ST. Afghan. Becau of
this the men were prevented from
taking part in the real activities at
the front. No matter how valuable
and necessary may have been their
duties in France. the returning SOL
.siier is indeed a chagrined individual
who has not been "out in the fun" as
they express it. All of them express
the same regret. and say that they
would have given anything 10 have
been able to be right out at the front
During the summer when every
thing was in the course of prepara-
tion for the great offensive which
finally culmina ted in the defeat Of
Prussianism Ryan met his older
brother. Cornelius, who was in an
artillery outfit and who now is on
the Rhine. They have not seen each
other since. as soon afterward the
elder brothers outfit got into the
thick of the fighting and after the
Germany with the army of oecupa-
-1ion.
Young Ryan Is with an outfit which
is bringing home fine and proud
Tecord. The 146th Machine Gun Bat
TALON comes back TO America with
honor. II finds itself in the unique
position of being an almost entirely
different group of men from those
who went 10 France a year ago in it's
ranks. This is due TO the rather uu-
usual service which the organization
has rendered since it left America,
While in France it trained at
-Champcol. department of Loir-et
Cher. as well as at st. Afghan. The
men trained by them for the front es-
tablished the reputation of being
among the best trained Of replace
ment troops. The battalion has train
ed. equipped and forwarded to the
front more than 1000 machine gun
ners for the Army. Besides this, two
complete Marine Corps companies
were instructed in the art of manip-
ulating the machine gun and were
later sent forward highly efficient in
6 this art.
The standard of efficiency. both as
, soldiers and instructors, that has
been attained in this battalion in
their years service in France is a
. source of pride 10 every one who is
: in the battalion. and the divisional
left shoulder. is mark Of distinction
TO it's wearers.
Maj. Frank Estabrook is in COM
: nand of the battalion which return
ed on the George Washington. The
outht was sent direct to Camp Dix
Wrightstown, y. j., where the men
i~~iu await demobilization. j.. r. Y.