The Ely miner., 1943-10-28
The major, former criminologist

The major, former criminologist
and schoolteacher in Birmingham.
was a lean and mischievous-looking
infantry officer with a gift of gab
and camaraderie with the enlisted
men. He sauntered into the Service
Club, noised it about that he was
going to talk, and hooked up the
public address microphone.
Here it comes," said an unhappy
acting corporal. Here comes the
higher brass, to tell us the worst. 7"
The major cleared his throat and
looked over the crowd which gath
cred about him. ST know that this
is your Service Club" he said, sand
I'm staff officer barging in on you.
Before !, was an officer, I was an
enlisted man. And, as an enlisted
man, I've done more KIP than any
man in this ROOM"
A little of the tension passed and
the major lapsed into one of his
conveniently absent minded ram
bles. "In fact, I went on KIP every
time they inspected my rifle.
Couldn't keep the thing clean"
He paused. "The main thing that
has us worrying this afternoon is
the very same thing we're being
trained to protect. It's what they
call the American Way-and they
spell it with capitals.
Il have my own ideas about the
American Way. think the Ameri-
can Way is shown in you boys whose
parents paid school taxes so that
you could know what it was to cut
hooky. It's shown in the men who
pay two dollars to see a wrestling
match, not to watch the wrestlers
but to boo the referee. It's the good
old go-to-hell American spirit and
you can't find it anywhere but here.
"You and I both, when we were
called into the Army, brought our
homes with us. We've been thinking
less about war than about getting
back home after a while-back to
our girls and our wives and our
civilian jobs.
well, we know now where we
stand and we don't have to worry
about whether we're in for long
stretch or a short vacation. That
should be cleared up now. We know
that we've got only one job now
and we haven't time to worry about
the one at home.
you're worrying because you're
not prepared soldiers, you're not
ready to fight yet. When the time
comes for you to go, you'll be ready.
You'll have your fundamental train
ing before you leave the Replace
ment Center.
Spending your duty hours at
work and your leisure hours at worry
that's no good. That's what the
enemy wants for you.'
II guess that's all, boys"
He turned to leave the micro
phone, but returned as if he had sud-
denly remembered something.
"The regular variety show will
go on tonight at eight O'clock" he
said.
Ia
They come and they 60 from the
Replacement Center more quickly
now, or perhaps it merely seems
that they do. The training cycles
have not been cut down much, but
the turnover of men seems greater.
Perhaps it's just that we notice the
arrivals and departures more, now
that war has given them grimness.
We call the train-the one that
brings in recruits and takes out SOL
diers-the Shanghai Express. The
term probably was used first by
some disgruntled soldier who put
into, it the bitterness of a difficult
transition from civilian to soldier.
Now the term is used with certain
tender fondness by the permanent
personnel of the Center, we who
watch the men come and go.
The melancholy moan Of a train
whistle is heard in the distance of
the night and a sergeant clicks his
teeth wistfully. Here she comes.
boys" he says. Here comes the
Shanghai Express" The sound of
the whistle Identifies all that touches
the heart of a soldier.
There was a group Of new men
coming in this morning, down at the
railroad siding. Their new uniforms
hung strangely upon them, conspicu-