Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-05-02


Chicago Tribune-New York News syndicatg
Incorporated
Copyright: 1885: BY Roger Buriingam
IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE
An Episode Of che World War In WhicI
the Ninth Commandment Plays Al
Important Part
~ T WAS HEAVEN back there in tn,
transport II was in the woods thu
trees we're all shot TO hell, ths
ground was like smallpox with ole
shell holes, but IL was safe. ThS
line had moved up before we came Il
had stopped moving. It was eight mile,
ahead Of us SO the light stuff could
not reach us and the heavies went way
over, blowing through the sky like stern
busineSs-like express trains
We were machine gunners and gol
/ this refuge because we had horses. We
used the horses with hmbers-English
style-to carry our guns when the go
ing was safe. Other times we carried
them on our backs. The army thought
horse was worth half a dozen men
So there was likely to be a place like
this to keep them in. Here, too, they
kept the rolling kitchens, the type
writer's, the rations, the red tape. the
clerks, the horSeShoers, and the cooks
all the things that must be kept in
tact to hold the integrity Of an outfit.
We we're there q month. The line
ahead was steady, so our duties were
occasional. We'd go up, few guns at a
time, shoot barrage, and come back
those who survived. Here when the
sun shone you could strip, pick over
your underclothes, wash them and
yourselves. You could lie on your back
naked on blanket, which was delight
full, You could sleep nights and eat
hot food.
George Rathbone commanded our
company and Second Lieutenant Win
throp commanded the transport. That
meant that whatever the rest Of US did,
Winnie stayed back here. He'd see that
horses were hitched for us and limbers
ready to carry our guns as far as we
could without endangering the horses
and when we came out he'd send the
hmberS to meet US. But he himself
never had to go up.
We were glad of that. We were glad,
first, because Winnie was the young
est Of us; Just boy, he was Often
when I looked at him I thought of
that song, 20, My I'm Too Young to
Die" the Canadians used TO sing. Win
ME was too young to die. We were glad,
second, because, in spite of his youth,
married. Most Of us had gone to the
wedding-it was at Camp Dix month
before we Sailed-and we had fallen as
much in love with Caroline as time and
conduct becoming officers and gentle
men permitted.
Was George Rathbone more atten-
tive than the rest of us? Tt would have
been natural-he and Winnie and Car
oline had all come from the same home
4r,xyyp1 md trfn Ofharc hoH f3pVar soon her
before. But I remember that after the
wedding was over she put her hands
on Rathbone's shoulders.
Take good care Of him, George,
she said. Bring him home safe and
sound"
He did not answer-what could he
say? A war is a war after all-but he
looked at her long time Perhaps l
should not remember his look If the
things that happened later had not
happened. Perhaps my imagination has
been at work for, after all, even the
things that happened do not prove
anything. War does funny things to
peoples minds it brings them to quick
changes and snap judgments and quick
decisions Winnie's and Carollnes
decision, for instance, just before Win
ME sailed. But it seemed to me there
was, that day, in Georges look. more
pain than Caroline's little request had
called for. We were still long way
from the war and none OF us yet TOOK
casualties very seriously.
At any rate, after Winnie's wedding
Rathbone seemed to change. He had
always been a stern officer, keeping
rs all up to the letter OF the regula-
ions, but we had respected that. he
VAS a good leader with mature Judg-
nent and he had a good head for the
mechanism of machine guns and their
ire We felt, also, that we could rely
m his GOODNESS in an emergency. And
IF duty he had been genial enough In
lis blunt way.
Then in the month before we sailed .
lie grew taciturn and kept TO himself.
thought it was because he pore Ms
responsibilities heavily and, after all, :
here was q good deal to do, keeping ,
rack of guns, equipment. and men ,
citing them all packed and embarked. !
had a good deal of sympathy with !
nv company commander with all that
a his hands, but In that month many /
4 the boys got TO dislike him. !
Their feeling did not change when i
re got to France. They we're mad at
i'm for trying to keep parade ground
discipline in the field where certain
mount of give and take was the thing
q our civilian army. And then ne
eemed to be perverse- "ornary the
ord was-about some things: for in
lance, he tried every one Of us in sue
ession as transport officer when he
lust have known that Winnie was
ne only one Of the lot who had ever
ome within kicking distance CT a
orse.
But It was not until we had got our
aptism and come back to our paradise
! the woods that / ever heard any
affection on Rathbone's CUTS.
We had time there for gossip. One
ay when we we're lying shameless and
Apply in the sun, Sheehan and Casey
egan TO talk. Sheehan and Casey were
eutenants commanding platoonS up
} the time that our casualties burned
D such paper organization.
Hum" said Casey. hear Georges IN
ne for promotion"
Promotion my eyebrow" said Shee-
an. using a slightly different express
on.
''Yup. Major"
TN the states"
"Yuh. that's right, Camp Dix"
We'll" said Sheehan. further he
It's away from US the better" III
made a great effort and rolled over