The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-27
Jinin Up With Them
Legion Boys
BY MA JINfKINs.

w
larry of the American Legion, and we
amt neither of US what you'd call
Jiners, at that, not belonging to mores
seven or eight organizations apiece.
But EFF we had to drop everything else,
I'd a'gone into the auxiliary.
We talked it over Mirandy and me,
and come to the conclusion that there
amt nobody much a'goin' to remem-
Der that our boys went acrost the sea
to fight for liberty, except those of US
whose hearts went right along with
them. = Other folks may have spurts
Of remembering, like when the 35th
reunion was held, but it ain accOrdln
to nature that they'd kneel mentally
before our boys for the ideals that
made 'em feel thai there was other
things more precious than their lives.
But us that underwent the agony Oh
waiting for news, and Wonderln =
wonderin'-nights when other 1olks
was sleeping-we amt never forgot
ten, nor couldn't if we wanted to. IL
is a scar scared onto our souls-but
it's a scar we're more proud OF thah
anything the good Lord ever sent US
Now that it's up to us to let the
bows know that their valor amt alto
gether forgot. it sorter seemed to MI
randy and me that we'd oughta JON
the auxiliary, seem as the boys be-
Ionged to the Legion.
During the time they was in the
training camp and in France, wed
been held together by great common
tie and the most comfort we got was
outen the Military Sisterhood. IL Was
a sweet association, and nothlh can
take away the memory OF II.
All over the United States there
was women orga nizations of relatives
of the soldiers that sprung up anu
with practically the same motlVe@-1oI
mutual heIpf1lness and comfort, ana
to do what could be done for the SOL
diers. ,5
some. like the Military Sisterhood, |
spread out into several states, pu1
there want none of 'em which spread |
into ALI, the states. There amt no |
body can compute the spiritual VaIus |
that those organizations was in keep
ing up the morale of the women al
body knows, KEEP up the morale OF the /
BOYS in the trenches. And then the
war ended, and the boys come nome
and they was fireworks and speech
maxim and enthusiasm. Ihen coIhe
the calm of peace.
When the American Legion belt it's
first convention. naturally the ques-
ton of an Auxiliary come up foT
men are just like little boys groweo
up, bless EN-. They cant get aioHs
without their women folks.
They didn't want that they should
be embarrassed like what the Civil
war veterans had been, over having
several different women organlzatlonIS5
been animated by the same fine mo-
tfves in the beginning
OF course all the women's organlZa-
lions as had been formed during the
war. had representatives up there at
MINNEAPOLIS to try and get their own
particular one to be made Auxiliary to
But la. how could they expect those
poor soldiers as had faced the Hunsa
without flinching. was goin to be able
- toll Of athREG
tionsl a.,
Judging in a baby show would be
a snap to what that would a been.
There wan no one as could rlghIullS
saw. This yere's the finest organiza-
tfon This we're was first organized.
This we're has done more for the SOL
diers. This we're has the biggest mem
bership. This yere has tho most in
fluential members.
OF course all them women felt that
wav about their own organization ana
7 reckon didn't none of them hesitate
to saw So till the poor soldiers must
a thought. How happy could be
with one were tether dear charmer
away,'-only in this case s II na9 49, ~
he plural. as they was half dozen dear
OF course us folks out here in To- Ia
pekv thought that the Military sister '
hood had ought to be made the auxl-
iary But la there was some soldiers
from, eastern states as had never heard !
of it. and I reckon as how they was I
folks back home where the others hao la
their stronghold as thought the same /
about their pet organizations. !
Them Legion men was pretty smart +:
and they got out of starting hair pull
ing among all those different women
ny sayin', wen just organize our OWL
auxiliary and you women can all come
in as want to that are eligible
or course some of the women just
11t-f doll
home and says. IF we can't be the
auxiliary, we won't come in at all:
But there amt no real broad-mind-
ed woman as would argue that away,
I'm sure. and here in Topeky so many
of the Military Sisterhood women has
come into the auxiliary that it shows
they amt none of that spirit among i
them. II
1t maybe amt much VIC can do for
the boys. now peace times have come,
but If we CAN do anything. it pretty
near has to be done thru their own
organization.
We give 'em sandwiches and coffee
at their last regular meeting. and you
should a seen how pleased they was.
They sung all their songs and it
took us back two years to the time
when we couldn't bear to hear them.
The unit the Jimkins boys belonged
TO marched away to the tune of THE
Old Gray Mare" played by Doc Nor
rison's band. The sound of that tune,
whites the boys was fightin' over =
there, was moren some of US could
stand.
But they come back, and marched
up Kansas avenue to the same air.
Mebbe there's a thrill like to what we
mothers felt then. in the. future. but
can't nobody make me expect It.
Then again at the reunion, when the
bands played it. and the boys yelled
an hollered, the remembrance ofe1hat
thrill, followin the heart ache the
tune had caused those other times.
Just brought a lump to the throat that
wouldn't stay down without mite o.
swa llerin' And this night at the Le-
zion rooms. when the same men and
boys who had lived thru the hell of
the Argonne and who had left some of
their comrades there, stood up and
sang that there song with pep and en-
thusiasn, the same lump came up, and
had To he sWa llared al over again. |