The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1922-11-17

The Rotary Club went up to Idaho
Falls on Wednesday of last week and
met with the club there in social
and patriotic meeting. It was in the
nature Of a celebration of Armistice
Day, and the principal feature Of the
evening was an address by Major
Leslie Minis, who served with the 91st
Division in France. He was at the
front when the armistice was signed,
and we give part of his very inter-
esting address:
Four years ago this evening was
in the little village Of Waarghem,
Belgium, and little did I think at that
time, that within few short hours
the greatest war Of history would
come to close. The 91st division,
with which I had the honor of serv-
ing, had just come up few days be-
fore, from France, and it seemed to
us at that time that we were In a
soldiers paradise. In the Argonne
forest, which we had just left, all
towns and villages had been abso-
lutely destroyed. A dry ditch was a
wonderful thing to sleep in, and a
dugout was comparable to the presi-
dents suite in the Hotel Utah. But
here in this part of Belgium we were
In territory just recently evacuated
by the Germans, who had held It for
four years. The houses were nearly
all standing, and most Of them in
fairly good repair, roofs were still
In place and at times we were even
fortunate enough to find beds.
believe that on that night four
years ago, no one, In our section at
least, had any idea that peace was so
near. We were making our plans for
the advance on into Brussels. At
that time we were q part Of the army
Of King Albert, with us was the 9th
division, the rest of the American
army being far away to the south.
We had just completed three day
rest and were to go into the line
again the next morning. That day
our intelligence section intercepted
q message, or rather an order of the
Boche, which read about as follows:
1.-THE 91st American division is in
our front, they are expected to at
tack at dawn, any man bringing in
a prisoner from that organization will
be given 10 days leave"
Why they thus honored our organ
ization l do not know, but l do not
think that any German soldier ever
earned his ten days leave.
he
the morning of November 18th that
the firing was to cease at II a. m. on
that day, it was difficult to believe
that the war was actually won, and
it was only when the noise and cla-
NOR of hell itself gave way to the
realized that our task was about
done. The silence was but momen-
tary. After having been keyed up to
the breaking point for months, liv-
ing under conditions all but univ
able, and with death the momentarily
expected thing, the let-up was ter
ribly sudden and complete, but no one
SO far as l know knelt down to give
thanks; almost to man they threw
their helmets in the air and yelled
II want to go home"
Having fought their fight as men,
even as supermen, and having borne
their hardships and dangers as only
men could bear them. they became in
the instant, the boys they were at
heart, and they wanted to go home tC
their loved ones and to their friends
Perhaps some of them had in mind
extravagant promises made to them
as they marched away, with the flags
flying and the band playing, wher
the soldiers uniform was universally
respected.
Those who expected that all those
promises would be fulfilled or theil
own hopes be realized on their return
from war have been bitterly disil
lusioned, and they know that the sol
diers of peace and the soldiers o
war are very different beings in tn,
minds of the people This is con
ditiOn that has always obtained an,
always will obtain, and service mel
have no quarrel with it. But tn
NouSC iOi WIFI Oul COIIlI ducS lOuS IL
and bled and died is a living sacred
thing, and it is something that will
endure, something that we will con
tinue to fight for whenever and wher
ever it may be necessary.
Have we kept faith with those VIII
died, does it seem now that the sac
ritices they made have not been i
vain, was it worth the price the
paid? In spite of anything that ma
be said to the contrary, l think tina
it was worth the price. it cannot hav
been in vain. But have we ker
faith with those who sleep in on
many fields of honor? In the las
few months we have permitted thing
to he done that are a disgrace to an
civilization.
In Herrin, Illinois. early last sun
mer, occurred the wholesale murder
of american citizens, in their ow
land. that is without parallel outsid
of Russia or Turkey, and have thes
,,,uriaro ham hrouyh< ~ ;,,ct,o.