The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-12-08
MACHINE GUN TO
Continue SERVICE
pittsburgh's War time
Guardian Assigned to
Practice Work.
WANTED IT AS A RELIC
plan to Retire 1t as Reminder
of Strenuous Days Failed
by Default.

PITTSBURGH. Dec '.---Thcrc Il
N be no peace for Pittsburgh's Ion,
var iatrumcnt--a machine gur
. and truck. city council has abro
y gated is former action which woult
have insured tho relic of the war al
honorable career as n memorial o
the days when the city had to bu.
a regular shooting iron to protect
the great city-county building an,
,he mammoth courthouse. and thu
rest Of the city.
The gun was purchased durinl
the war at the behest Of the re
serves who took the place of th'
Rational Guard regiments here VIII,
lad gone to war.
n the Germans landed at New
York. tho trip to Pittsburgh oveI
The Pennsylvania railroad would l.;
a short one, 1t was argued anC
pittsburgh would be one OF the frs
objects Of attack by the German
because tho great Wcstinghous,
plants and steel mills here were
turning out enormous quantities o:
war munitions. including shipload
after shipload Of finished shells for
England. the United Statos and
other allied nations.
Surely Pittsburgh would be quick.
ly visited II the Germans landed on
American soil. so city council
bought "A machine gun. Everybody
vas doing something to win the
var, and IL the nine councilmen
we're too old 10 go to the front.
they, at least, could supply gun
t,r the reserve militia to shoot with.
4 machine gun. 1t was solemnly
stated In city council. would be Just
the thing to defend the city against,
the Germans.
Woe TO the Germans.
A high hill overlooks Pennsyl-
yania station like that in Cleveland
at union station. A machine gun on
TOD Of the hill above Pennsylvania
station could spray bullets upon all
incoming trains as they rambled
into the train shed. Fine scheme.
The city would be saved from the
Germans--by Pittsburgh's lone ma
chine gun.
Finally, the armistico was signed.
Later the reserves which had been
recruited by the state for the dura-
ton OF the war, decided II was
time TO quit. Didn't Hiram john
son and other great statesmen in
Washington say so? No matter II
President Wilson still clung to the
idea that We were still at war. the
war was over 30 far as the Penn
sylvania reserves were concerned.
Council was told the war was over,
and that since the Germans were
no, coming the city's machine gun
was no longer needed. II would Dc
q good idea, the reserves informed
city coun3l. to "retire" the city's
machine gun. The reserves sug-
gested that the gun he sent out to
the Eighteenth regiment armory.
Nix" replied council to the sug-
ecstlon. This war piece has safe
guarded Pittsburgh and should be
honorably retired surrounded by
proper recognition of - historic
value" council said. Let the state
provide its own equipment for its
soldiers TO practice on" was the
ultlmatum.
But city council is ficklc. Colonel
Dunlap, OF the Eighteenth regiment,
sent another request for the de
fender of Pittsburgh" and council
has decided 10 let the regiment have
ihe sun. II was a case OF "old
horsc,' and not n word was said 10
prevent tho gun from going back
into miscellaneous service again
no friend intorceded for the gun