16 HARRISBURG A BEEHIVE OF WAR INDUSTRY Everything From Shells to Plates For Ships and Big Mounts Made Here The city's part in the war was a record of which the municipaltiy is proud. Every call for men whether for the Nation's armed service o for the big industrial plants was ngrwered to the full Quota. Harris burg, it will be remembered, es caped two draft calls because of the heavy volunteer enlistments. While many cities found it neces sary to call on the Federal govern ment for money and assistance to meet the greatly increased demands. Harrisburg points to its accomplish ment without the aid of one single outside agency. Harrisburg money. Harrisburg men and Harrisburg Initiative fur nished the backing for every in dustrial project, expanded every fa cility for war and home work and kept its home life normal. Street ear systems, public utilities and business ventures which did not benefit by the profits made in many war contracts were kept in success ful operation under the strained conditions. Profit by Jjessons learned The lessons learned during the war are proving of immense benefit to local industries, businessmen said to-day. Plants which have been expanded have been kept busy and the increased facilities will mean much in the future when the demands of peace begin to make themselves felt. Then, too. it was said, that thousands of men have received invaluable training in many lines of skilled endeavor which has increased their earning power many fold. At Steelton the Wg plant of the Bethlehem Steel Company is ready to go ahead on a much larger pro gram than would have been at tempted before the war. Thousands of men have been trained in sterl making and the facilities for turn ing out high grade products are much increased over 1917. The plant made millions of shell casings, plates, girders and other war mu nitions. The same is true of the Central Iron and Steel Company. Here plates, for steel ships were turned out in huge quantites and its prod ct now is found on every one o* the high seas. These plates were found by the Emergency Fleet Cor poration to be of immense value in hurrying through the building pro- I gram which materially aided in j beating down the enemy. A Now Achievement The story of the Harrisburg Pipe ! and Pipe Bending Company has j been told many times. Shells'with-j out number were turned out for i big and little guns for the armies of : Uncle Sam and his Allies and for the American Navy. Sleel eases also were made for gas containers. Day ! and night, week in and week out the big plant kept working ever/ one of the twenty-four hours to pile up munitions behind the armed men. At the plant of the Harrlsburg Boiler Manufacturing Company ail energies were turned towards mak ing the big complicated gun mounts used for the heavy artillery which T T nr]e Sam was sending*to the front. There the achievement was slow and painstaking. A new Industry was developed and skilled workmc n labored under new conditions. The his mounts turned out before the armistice was signed were marvels of their kind. The great guns weighing many tons could be han dled on them as readily as the old fashioned light pieces could be pointed. The part played by the Jackson Manufacturing Company was not quite so spectacular but almost as important. Here hundreds of the familiar steel wheelbarrows were turned out for the government. They played a big part in the war where work was to be done as w.li and honor gained. Two Millions of Men Passed Through the City How many soldiers passed through Harrisburg going and coming dur ing the war is not known. One rail road man estimates the number at a million. Another believes 2.000,- 000 would he nearer the figure. Many of them left the trains here for a hike through the streets and thousands upon thousands of them were entertained by the canteen workers. HARRISBURG HAD 2 JOLLIFICATIONS HARRISBURG went into the war enthusiastically and showed its loyalty on every occasion, but there are two occa sions that will stand out as typi cal of the spirit of the city dur ing the conflict. one was the j night the news came in that the marines and the men of the 28th Division, our own Pennsylvania troops, had stopped the Hun at Chateau Thierry, had halted the mad rush on Paris and had hurled the pride of the German Army battered and beaten back on its long retreat toward Berlin. The whistles tooted and the hells rang out. ttie telephone exchange was swamped with calls for in formation—and when the tidings got about the town went wild, the bands came out and a parade followed that lasted until*morn ing. Tlie Telegraph kept the people informed by special edi tions, and each fresh dispatch was greeted with renewed cheers and howls of delight. II was a night to he remembered. The other demonstration came when the Telegraph flashed to the Mayor's office the news that the armistice had been signed. This came after the town had been fooled by a fake dispatch a few days previously, but, thanks to wise heads, no formal celebra tion had been held, so that in the early hours of Monday morning. November 11, when the Asso ciated Press, through the Tele graph. gave the real news, the whistles cut loose again, and the bells rang joyously and the peo ple turned out in a celebration that turned itself into a go-as you-please. everybody happy, pa rade that kept on the move dur ing all the rest of the night, all the next morning, during the aft ernoon and up to late evening, when the paraders halted and vent home because they could N lot keep it up. it was the big :< st celebration in Harrlsburg'." .hole h story—the most sponta neous and the niost joyous. MONDAY EVENING, HOME DEFENSE WELL PLANNED IN WAR TIME Harrisburg Citizens Formed Reserve Corps Which Was Well Drilled and Armed For Emergency; Purely a Business Organization With No Fancy Frills; Officers Helped to Inspire Selective Service Men and to Prepare Them For Noncommissioned Officerships in the Train ing Camps Organization of citizens for assist ance to the civil officials during the absence of the military inen dur ing the war was effected very promptly in Harrisburg and not only home defense, but military train ing was provided by a body of resi dents of this city who drilled regu larly for over eighteen months. In the far greater importance of every thing attached to the city's lighting men, the mobilization of resources for war and the numerous lines of activity which national defense called upon the patriotic people of this community to do the extent of the work of preparation to uphold the hands of the constituted auth orities was not generally realized. It was carried on quietly and while no occasion ever arose to necessitate a call by either sheriff or mayor for support of the citizens plans were all worked out for a speedy assemb ling of men from every walk of life for any service that might be re quired. As soon as the declaration of war made certain the early summoning of the National Guard units, so well organized ami fit and ready after Mexican border service, steps were taken by residents of Harrisburg to provide a boilv of men upon whom a call could be made in event of any trouble arising at home during the war. In May several informal meet ings were held and the first days of June saw tilings in full swing and and over HOfi men enrolled to form a home defense organization. The first meeting was held .Tune 2 In the courthouse with Vance C. McCormick presiding and a commit tee composed of Henry M. Stine, Koss A. Hickok. W. P. Maguire, W. M. Ogelsby, I,eon Ipwengard. Norman \V. Keani. T. P. Moran, Evan H. Gabriel, Frank M. East man, and others selected to prepare and report a plan for permanent organization. The Harrisburg He serves were formally organized as a result, a charter secured from the court a call issued for ail men in terested to join in the drills. Vance C. McCormick was elected the first president and A. Boyd Hamilton, sec retary of the civil organization and James P. VcCullough, treasurer. Major A. M. Porter was chosen as military commandant. The first drills were held in the City Grays' Armory, but the lower end of the city's is land was secured, electric lights erected and outdoor drills held twice a week from June 10 until October 1 wben indoor drills began. Karl.v in July a battalion was formed, the company commanders being William A. Muore, Company A: Francis H. Hoy. Jr., Company B: Koss A. Hickok, Company C, and Harry C. Iloutz, Company t). Major Porter was commandant, A. Boyd Hamilton adjutant, and John F. Sweeney sergeant major. The Re serves drilled rain or shine and took part in farewell parades and ~ip October began semi-weekly drills in the City Grays' Armory. While coal shortage and severe weather pre vented the armory being available for regular drills in January. 1918, officers meetings were held and plans made for service in event of calls. Heavy drafts were made upon the Reserves during the winter by operation of the selective service and a number of its men also en listed in various branches and went to army training camps. Members of the Harrisburg Reserves formed the Steelton Reserves and assisted at the organization of defense bodies at Hershey, Paxtang and Httmmels town. At the close of the first year's WOMEN WORKED j DAY AND NIGHT Canteen Department Keeps, t'p Its Labors Despite Wars' Kntling ' I 1 lurrisburgers who have calmly! concluded that the war is over; that j the great work has been linished j and that all now is happiness over | the wonderful victory, can easily ; I he convinced of this mistaken atti t tide by observing almost any day I 1 the activities of the loyal women at ! the Pennsylvania railroad station, ; j who comprise the canteen service .of the Red Cross in this city. These I women have not forgotten the sol ! iliers and sailors who puss through i llarrisburg daily; hundreds and I ! thousands of them. Many of them ] 'have been crippled for life; others! j blind and mentally injured. Some j i hurrying to happy homes and dear' j ones and others going on and on they know not where, but all are j greeted and treated alike by these ( ' willing workers. To impress one with the vastness jof the undertaking by the ljarris | burg women, one must only realize that they have furnished food and j other refreshments to the number of ,at least 50,000 more persons than j (here tire men. women and children j tin Dauphin county. They have fed ' a number of men equivalent to every | inhabitant of llarrisburg twice over, j From the beginning of this work until September 1, last, these active' canteen workers have met 939 trains, j | representing at least 10,000 cars.! I They have served food of all kinds to 249,932 soldier boys and sailors. ' Among the latter were 25,549 j wounded soldiers. Not only have j they furnished food to these dough boys. but have looked after their wants in a hundred other different | ways: as for Instance the reports of . one or more trains will give a bet ter impression of the task. One re port reads as follows: "August 27.-—Special from Camp Dix to Camp Pike; 24 officers, 230 men. 3rd Div. Marne. Furnished can i teen service; also 35 gallons of cof fee. Procured for train Bfi cups and 80 plates. Worker telephoned sot . diers sister upon request of soldier. 1 Sent 7 telegrams. Sent word to Columbus for breakfast for men." i Another train report rends; "On No- 21, from Governor's Is-' land to Fort Uenvenworth, Kan.: nine guards nnd 52 prisoners; 35 of ! whom had life sentences. Acting ' under orders from Philadelphia we , served fil hot dinners for which Red Cross paid. Philadelphia a'so re quested us to telephone Dayton, O. 'o have breakfast ready for there men and send a message on ahead. I work, William Jennings succeeded I Mr. McCormick as president and ! Major Porter turned over the mili tary work to Captain H. M. Stine. 1 The four companies were consoli | dated into two, F. H. Hoy, Jr., and V. Harvey being the cap- I tains. Hater on Dr. W. 1— Keller succeeded Captain Hoy. Drills con tinued until late in December, 1918. when they were discontinued, but the men who had been trained by a year and a half of drills remained on call. The Reserves had a membership of over 000 during the war. In ad dition to training men for a call by the city or county authorities the work on the Island and in the armory gave men valuable prepara tion for tlie army, many winning commissions or warrants. In the summer of 1918, the Reserves spe ! cialized in street drills, hollow ! squares and other formations for | riot duty being worked out. Ritle | and shot gun squads were organized I in each platoon. Over 101) Reserves gave their ser vices in training men in the draft age, in the school of the soldier and squad work. Men were detailed to the Island for the benefit of the men three times a week and meetings 1 organized at which doctors, lawyers, ! insurance men and others addressed | the drafted men just before they left for camp. Members of the Be- I serves were members of the boards I of instruction in Dauphin draft dis i triots Nos. 2 and 3. Meetings were arranged and talks given on perti [ nent subjects followed by drilling | of drafted men on Saturday after noons for over three months at Klizabethville, I.ykens, Halifax, Mil lersburg, Gratz and Williamstown in the third district and at Hum nielstown, Hershey, Penbrook, Pax tang, Dauphin and Eueknow in the second. The services rendered by the members of the Reserves who gave up three evenings a week and Saturday afternoons for three months to drill young men in the city and in county towns have j brought many thanks from the men | who were given the rudiments of I army work The automobiles and I arms were furnished by the Reserve members and the Red Cross organi zations at the tow r ns visited provided supper because the drills began soon after noon and lasted until dark on Sal urdays. When schools rropened in 1918 k drills were conducted twice a week at Central and Technical High Schools. Capitol Park Extension was used for these drills which lasted until December as a part of the school cause. All expenses of drilling were borne by members of the Reserves, who also provided the gray shirt and gray service hat uniforms for them selves. No contributions were re cetved except for purchase of shot guns and menihers paid for the prac tice ammunition. During the active drilling period data relative to age. military experience, knowledge of firearms, residence, telephone facili ties, place of work, means to reach quickly and ownership or proximity ♦ o men owning automobiles were In the hands of officers so that men "could he summoned in short order on a call by the mayor or sheriff. In the Reserves were former sol diers of the regular army, Philippine veterans, former guardsmen, mem bers of rifle clubs, college athletes, hankers, lawyers. railroad men, businessmen, doctors, in short, men of every walk of life. Officer had no money or rations for these men. The men were most ap preciative, and on departing gave three cheers for the Red Cross." Aside from the supplies ordered and paid for by the officers in charge of the various trains during the month of August, the canteen fur nished gratuitously the following: Meal tickets 219; coffee 361 pints; sandwiches 458; hot meals 10: bananas 3,125; apples 6 bushels; peaches 2 bushels; ice cream 37 gal lons; chocolate 2,819 cakes; cigarets 750 packages; stamped postal cards 8,440. The good people of this city, as everywhere throughout the United States, have frequently heard and read with much sadness of the ter rible experiences of these soldier boys. Mentally they have suffered Willi these brave boys; especially the blind and the crippled, but these canteen workers in Harrisburg on duty day and night, have been actual witnesses time and time ugain to (he tales of frightfulness that the war lias wrought, and many tears have been brushed aside to bring a bit of cheerfulness into the life of some youlli who battled and suffered and will always suffer, that this country will continue to be safe for all. It has been very noticeable to these canteen workers that into the lives of these boys there has come a spiritual life, and encouraged and l.ed on by this power, these women who comprise the loeal canteen ser vice, seventy-five of them at least, do each day a Christian mission for some beloved son and brother. This wonderful work will continue until all Is over. The officers of the canteen are Mrs. Francis J. Hall, chairman; Mrs. W. H. Gaither, as sistant to the chairman: Mrs. J. Milev Jones, vice-chairman and Mrs. G. 11. Orth, executive secretary. Motor Messengers Were on Job Early and Late No story of what Harrisburg did in tlie war would be complete with out an account of the part of Motor Messengers of the Red Cross played in the war activities of the com munity. These devoted women, most of whom owned automobiles and all of whom could operate a car. donned the uniform prescribed for the serv ice early in the war, and they were on hand early and late for what ever duty they were called upon to perform . They hauled everything the Red Cross required of them, from tired soldiers to packages of surgical dressings, and from Red Cross workers to Christmas pack ages for soldiers. Theirs was a labor of love. Out in all kinds of weather, driving cars when their friends were safe In bed, tired but pers'stent in their duty, they stuck to the job and won the plaudits of their fellows and the commendation. HJURJUBBTTRG lifNfAf TELEGRAPH P. & R. HAD BIG FORCEIN FIELD: Went as Unit afid Were in the! 414 th Telegraph; Many Others Too Prominent in the World's War was a unit representing the Phila- ' delphla and Reading Railway em- ! , ployes. It was known as the Four Hundred and Fourteenth Telegraph j Battalion. There were two compa- : nies and from the time this unit i landed in FYance until the return j home it was a case of hustle. At the head of this unit was Ma j jor M. A. Laucks, of Harrisburg, 1 ; trainmaster for the Reading. His staff included: Adjutant, Lieutenant Roy R. Webber: Captain W. J. Me- Connel, surgeon; Lieutenant Ralph L. Redline. supply officer. | Company D. Captain Harry Evans, ! , First Lieutenant Isaac L. Davis, Sec- , ! ond Lieutenant A. N. Peters, j Company E, Captain William | | Knight, First Lieutenant Richards , W. Hull, Second Lieutenant Joseph ! j A. Wallace. This unit had an interesting his i tory. Very little has been published to date, but through Major Laucks, who kept a complete history, as- I sisted by Joseph Winters, of the i Reading forces, the following rec- | | ords are given to the Harrisburg j Telegraph: ! During the months of November and Devember, 1917, and January, I 1918, the Four Hundred and Four- I tecnth Telegraph Battalion (Rail road) organized in the Sixty-. ! ninth Regiment Armory, New York City. The instructions issued by the chief signal officer. Colonel Reber, at New York City, were to the effect i that this battalion was intended to j • construct and maintain telegraph ' I and telephone lines upon approxi- j j mately 100 miles of railway in | i France: also to install and maintain ! I telephone and telegraph instru- I ments, switchboards and also neces- i sary electrical apparatus in train dispatchers' offices located at rail- j way division headquarters and in offices at stations along the above mentioned. 100 miles of railway; ap proximately twenty offices, and fur ther to construct and maintain visual manual block signals for governing i and protecting train movements. i After the installations as outlined j above were made, the battalion was j to dispatch and regulate the move ment of trains on this 100 miles sec- j tion of railway, in accordance with the American system of train dis- j patching, based on the operating 1 rules of the American Railway As- I sociation. For the personnel of this bat talion the chief signal officer at New York City called upon the Philadel phia and Reading Railway and the Erie Railway to furnish the re quired number of men to form one company each; the men of these companies to be men of the neces sary qualifications. In addition the chief signal officer directed that the major of the battalion and the cap tains and lieutenants of each com pany must be men of extended rail road experience In the actual oper ation of trains on American Rail ways by the train dispatching sys tem. The, writer of this narrative was selected by the operating officials of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway for the post of major; was commissioned December 15, 1917, and reported for duty at New York City December 26, 1917. By January 15, the necessary number of men having been recruit ed, the battalion was organized into Company D, composed practically of all Philadelphia and Reading Rail way men, and Company E, made up practically all Erie Railway men. The organization of each company was on the following lines: The cap tain of each company was assigned to duties that were practically equivalent to a local superintendent of telegraph lines on an American railway, viz., to construct and main tain the telephone and telegraph lines and instruments as well as the manual block signals on that section of the railway to which his com pany was assigned. The duties of one lieutenant were equivalent to those of a chief train dispatcher, while the duties of the other lieu tenant were to maintain in work ing order all line and electrical ap paratus. Below the lieutenants in each company there were three distinct lines of organization, viz.: The train dispatchers' section, composed of first class sergeants to be train dispatchers; sergeants as signalmen In most important signal lowers, and corporals and privates as oper ators in the remaining statifuis. Next the linemen's section with one mas ter signal electrician and necessary sergeants, corporals and privates; then the manual block signal sec tion to be composed of one M. S. E. and necessary pumber of sergeants, corporals and privates. The duties of the major of the battalion were to be similar to the duties of a general superintendent of telegraph on a railway In the Unit ed States. The organization completed, the chief signal officer at New York in spected and passed the battalion and ordered >t to dutv In France, where It was understood the need for such an organization was most urgent. Tn accordance w'th instructions received, tlie battalion sailed from New York Harbor on the White Star T.lne S. s. Adriatic, arriving in Rlver pool. England, on February 16 1918; moved from there Wlnnall Down Rest Gamp near Winchester. England Departed from Winchester on Feb ennrv 21. arriving, at Sonthn lpton. Fnelnnd. same day and srfling from that port the same evening on the ■tenner Monr's Qneen. arriving at T.e Havre. France, earlv on the morning of Februnrl 22. 1918. The eommand moved to Rest Cnnin No. *. near Re TTn'cre. the sawn niorn- Ine. Departed from T.e TR-ivre on the evening of February 23. oriroute tn Cldnon fTpdre et France, nrrivlne at that town at 8 e'tock on the mornlne of February 25. Upon arrival at Chlnon wrl'ten instruet'ons from the rh'pf signal of ficer at Tours. Cnlopet Wallaee. were I'rfl'd to the writer hereof, to the efert that the Four Hundred and Fourteenth Toleernnh B,attnlinu would construct telertheoe .and tele. prnnh Ppes hetween PR Vnznlre .Tet. eo the outskirts nt Tnnrc- Tro| •'antler*, on the Tours-St. Naznire tipe. n distance of approximately te-tv miles Tt was anenrent from these In structions and other 'nformatten at '■and that the battalion would not he placed in the service for which •t was organized. conenuentlv an entire reorganization of the enlisted personnel wa- neenfinry. esneclallv In the train dispatching sect'nn of e-eh company, whose It wan ncpon erv to make ergenntn and cor porals of men who could Y. W. C. A. HAD BIG WAR WORK PART THE Young Women's Chris tian Association, through its general secretary. Miss Ella M. Stitt, was very active during the period of the war in all man ner of war aid. From giving its rooms for meetings of all kinds to organizing and conducting classes, the Y. W. 0. A. was al ways on the job. Over 500 people were enrolled in Red Cross classes, which were conducted by doctors and nurses secured especially for the work and who contributed their serv ices gladly. The classes were di vided into four heads—First Aid, Surgical Dressings, Dietetics and Hygiene. The majority of the Red Cross work of the city, in so far as class instruction is con cerned. was originally begun at the Y. W. C. A. Telegraphy classes were likewise formed and had .many members. Every girl living it? the Y. W. C. A. building during the war was a member of the Red #ross and a Liberty Bond subscriber, 100 per cent. Americans. Entertain ments for the benefit of the Red Cross were likewise staged by the Y. W. C. A., adding many dollars to the treasury of the Red Cross. telegraph and telephone construc tion work. The necessary reorganization was effected, the chief signal officer at Tours promptly furnishing the need ed motor transport and working tools, and at the end of six weeks the work assigned to the battalion was completed. The battalion was then ordered to La Souterraine, (Creuse) where a forty-five-mile section of the Bor deaux-Bourges line wns built from Grossieux, near Limoges, to a point just north of St. Benoit du Sault. Thence the battalion was ordered to Periguex (Dordogne), where a twenty-five-mile section of the Bor deaux?Bourges line was built from Periguex to a point just south of Mussidan (Dordogne). Also Com pany D installed a complete tele phone exchange of twelve lines in the office of Lieutenant Colonel Neft", general superintendent of railways at Periguex. running necessary lines for phones to the various offices un der his command in the building, and running lines to Camp Chemier, a point five miles south of Periguex and there locating telephones and switchboard in the offices of the lo cal commanding officers of the en gineer of the railway operating troops. From Perigdeux the battalion was ordered to Chateau Renault (Indre et Loire) there building a .twenty five-mile section of the Paris-Tours line from St. Pierre de Corps, near Tours, to St. Armond. Company E. in addition, constructed and rebuilt nef- lines for local telephone and telegraph service in and around St. Pierre de Corps calvage plant. After completion of the abo\'e projects, Company D, of the bat talion, was located at Orleans (Loiret) where that company con structed fifteen miles of the Paris- Tours line between Coulmier and Artenay. Company E joined the battalion at Orleans after their work at St. Pierre de Corps was finished. After completion of the project at Orleans the battalion was ordered to railroad service in the advance section, and headquarters established at Liffol-le-Grand, Vosges, for duty with the Trans portation Corps on the Est Railway of France. From this point train dispatching telephone outfits were installed over the line of the above named rail way. Train dispatchers from the battalion personnel were located at Verdun. Riffol-le-Grand, Iszsur-Tille and St. Florentin, and operators, and telephone installers from the battalion personnel lo cated at various stations over this territory. From the period extend ing December 5 until June 1, the above personnel maintained railroad telegraph service for the Transpor tation Corps over this territory. It must be understood, however, that no train dispatching was actually done because of the prevailing French Railroad system of train operation, which the French Rail way authorities refused to abandon for the American system. The tele graph and telephone communication thus established enabled the bat talion to expedite the movement of American munition and supply trains through this advance section over the East Railway to the Ameri can Army of Occupation in Belgium and Germany. On June 7 the battalion was re leased from its duties and departed for the United States via Le-Mans and Sa. Nazaire, arriving in the United States June 28, final demob ilization taking place. July 3 at Camps Dix and Mills and various other camps to which the soldiers were sent. Any narrative of the movement of and the work done by this bat talion would be very incomplete without calling attention to the com mendable spirit with which the of ficers and men rapidly learned and accustomed themselves to the work of heavy construction of telephone and telegraph lines, a work with which they were totally unfamiliar. Company officers whose civil oc cupation was that of chief train dispatchers, rapidly acquainted themselves with the necessary quali fications to direct the men under them in the line of work to which they were assigned. Enlisted men who were telegraph operators and only accustomed to indoor work be came quickly proficient in digging post holes and setting poles. As the work progressed, the enlisted men learned to climb poles, string wires and do skillfully all the work of a telegraph lineman. As a result, the oi gan'zation, when released, repre sented an efficient heavy telegraph und telephone construction battalion as well as a railroad operating bat talion as it was when it arrived in France. From among the enlisted men there also developed an efficient mo tor repair gang. The battalion had at one time twenty-three trucks, three automobiles, together with twelve motorcycles, all of which were kept in running order and re pair during the entire period of our work in France. Tt is worth while to remark that the discipline and conduct of the men composing the battalion was above the average, there being but one ense of general courts matr'al; the offender in this case being an enlisted man who was transferred to the battalion as a cook by the army authorities and was not enlist ed by those who were Instrumental in the recruiting of the Four Hun dred and Fourteenth Telegraph Bat talion. Philadelphia and Reading Rail way boys from Harrisburg, Ruther ford, Hummelstown and Steelton. members of the Four Hundred and Fourteenth Telegraph Battalion and other units in the World War: Emmit M. Kline, John R. Parker, A. B. Russell, Jacob Strlne, Walter I M Vanaman, John W. Snook. John HARRISBURG 27TH LEGION CHAFFER I Organization Proves Popular AVith Veterans of the (ireat War The inception pf the American Legion, an organization of all per sons who were in the United States military service at any period be tween the date of the declaration of war with Germany and the signing of the armistice, took place in Paris shortly after the conclusion of hos tilities. Representatives from every division in the American Expedi tionary Forces, including both of ficers and enlisted men, were called into session to formulate the skele ton of a patriotic legion that would transcend any previous organiza tion previous organization in point of numbers and effectiveness. The originators, however, did not lose sight of the fact, that there were several million whose disap pointment at not getting across was great, and whose right to member ship in the Legion was equal with j the men in the A. E. F. Aceord- I Ingly, action was deferred and a | caucus in this country was , planned |in which every district should be I represented, and a big convention held in St. Louis in May of this year. At this meeting the American Legion was really started, and it was decided to hold the first national convention in Minneapolis, Minn., on the first anniversary of the signing of the armistice, November 11, 1919 In the interim between the twe conventions, local posts have sprung up in all parts of the country, under j the guidance of State Executive Committees, and a drive for a mil lion members by November 11 has met with a big response. At the present time, Pennsylvania is sec ond among the' States of the Union in the number of posts organized under charters granted by the Na tional Executive Committee of the Legion, and Harrisburg, with a field of over jliree thousand service men and women to work on, should be one of the strongest posts in the State. 27tli Post Harrisburg's was the 27th post to receive a charter, which was granted last May. After the Na tional convention in November, all organizations will be made perma nent and new charters will be is sued with the names of all men who are enrolled as charter members up to that time inscribed on the manu script. In addition to Post 27 two other posts have sprung up in this city, a Pennsylvania Railroad Post, which already boasts several hun dred members, and a colored post, which it is expected all the dusky fighters of this vicinity will join. No name has as yet been selected /for Post 27, but sentiment appears to be strongly in favor of calling after Lieutenant-Colonel Frank E. Ziegler the ranking officer from this city whose death occurred in service. Objects of Society Certain guiding principles, the ap plication of which bids fair to make the American Legion a powerful factor in the life of the country i for years to come, nre contained in the preamble to the constitution, and are calculated to answer any questions that may be asked as to the why and wherefore of the ex istence of such an organization of war veterans. The preamble says: For God and my country we associate ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to main tain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred per cent. Americanism; to pre serve the memories and inci dents of our association in the Great War; to include a sense of individual obligation to the community, State and Nation: to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might: to promote peace and good-will on earth; to safe guard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, free dom and democracy: to conse crate and sanctify our comrade ship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness. Already in varous parts of the country. Region Posts have proven their right to existence by taking an active part in the suppres sion of unlawful disturbances, and it is an assured fact that Har risbnrg's posts w'll very soon he or ganized as an effective combination against any untbward events that may conceivably arise. Tt. Miles vohert M. Stnmbnugh, •E'm"r 1,. Wiley, •Albert E. Creigh ton. *oliver A. Tieiders. Morr's R. Achey. John E. fronton. Clyde E. T.ees, Milton H. Jnoobv, Darrell R. Gallagher. Harry T Snyder, John W. Smith, Earl F. Rlaokwoll, George Wilev, Raymond J. Book. Merritt R. Householder. John J. Stouffer, James B. Routsong. Henry Revin, Henry F. Evans, Harry E. Patterson, Paul E. Batdorf, William M. Bann rniller, Ernest F. farlin, Paul F. Burns, William K. Pressler, Carl M. Smith, Rewis E. Kline, Harvey A. Spayd, William J. Parsons, Dewey Deimler, William M. Alt house, George P r Smith, Paul G. Fasnacht, George W.Walker, Frank lin Rudwig, Charles G. Sell, William Price, Jr., Samuel J. Shaak, Artie R. Fixler, Hobson C. Wagner, Jacob W. Kramer, Charles K. Messorsmith, Samuel R. Hoover, Albert C. Brosius, Samuel E. Bowers, Ray R. Souders, George W. Kishbaugh. Jr., Earl I.einl>nch, Arthur'G. Bruaw, Earl C. Billig. Harry R. Bricker, Herman E Mvers, Miles R. Early, Franc : s W. Ritchie, Harry M. Wnrfel, E. C. McDermolt. Randis B. Baeliman, Frank A. Sherman. J. Paul Iluni mel, Raymond J. Graeff, Claude J. Schuyler, David E. Fetterman, Roy Bricker, Daniel J. P. Yeingst,'Philip C. Harlan. Conrad C. Blummenstlne, James W. Grant, Earl E. Stout, Harry B. Yetter, George S. Hostet ter, Tony Defretis, Santoni Reoreto, Micheli Barattuca.- Millard F. O'Neal, George M. Bates, Ross W. Fulton, Walter H. Heiges, Samuel C. Turpin, Curtis R. Miller, Edward D. Kimmel, Martin' G. Reed, William N. Taylor, Edgar W. McCrone. R. W. Wolfensberger. Emile A. For tune, M. A. Raucks. Irvin J. Keller, George C. Mullen, Morris C. Witmer, Ira F. Rutz, Joseph N. Cohtck. John Winter, John J. Kavanaugh, Earl H. Bentz, John W. Swartz, Robert P. Seaman. Edward P. Buffington, Harry D. Buffington, Ray Nelligan, George W. Spotts, George S. Kohli, Cletus E. Cline, Beroy F. Buford, Paul B. Levan, Emmons P. Hess, Albert W. Reed\ Charles K. McFar land, Maurice J. Reaman, Harry E. Hummelbereer, William Stelnbach, Mnhlon J. Hemperly. •Deceased. SEPTEMBER 29, 1919. FAMOUS 28TH BIG FACTOR IN BEA TING KAISER'S ARMIES Pennsylvania Guardsmen Made Wonderful Record; in the Midst of Hot Fighting From Time They First Struck Foe Right Up to Last Minute of Conflict' In chronicling events in the his tory of a military organization, even: in such unhappily condensed form as a single column, dates and the names of places are of paramount importance. One reads between the lines, and for that reason the fol lowing brief history does not at- i tempt to take up the work of the l famous Twenty-eighth, or Iron, or Keystone, Division from a descrip tive standpoint. To the mere who went overseas with "Pennsylvanias Own," certain j French nomenclature has a familiar j sound and brings back a flood of memories. Among the towns, rlv- I ers ami offensives where history, was made In a few short months are the following: Champagnc-Marne Aisne-Marne Ourcq Fismes-Fismetto Vesle Oise-Aisne Villette Varennes Do Charmel Chateau-Thierry Meuse-Argonne Thiaucourt Apremont The first unit of the Twenty-eighth ! Division went into action on July 1. j 1918, when two platoons of the One Hundred and Eleventh Infantry at-I tacked Hill 204, west of Chateau- j Thierry: the result was a division general order which highly com mended the work of these men and urged the entire division to follow their example in the trying days that were to follow. When hostilities ceased, at 11 I o'clock on the morning of the eleventh day of the eleventh month I of 1918, the Iron Division was a part of the Second Army, under command of Lieutenant General Lee Bullard, of Alabama. The camp was at Heudicourt and St. Dizier. Throe Commanders From the time of its induction , into the. Federal service until the | demobilization period, the Pennsyl vania Division had but three dffer- j ent commanding generals. Major j General Charles M. Clement, who , commanded the division before it j became a part of the United States j Arqiy, was succeeded at Camp Han- | cock by Major General Charles H. Muir, ol the Regular Army. "Un cle Charley," as the latter was af- | fectionately called, directed the j training of the division in the j South and remained in command | on the battle ltree until he was pro- . moted to command the Fourth j Army Corps during the Meuse- Argonne offensive, when Major Gen eral William H. Hay succeeded him. On the return of the Iron Men to the States for demobiliza tion, General Muir was sent hack to his old outfit and brought his men home. Baptism of Fire The Keystone Division received ts baptism of fire far sooner than was | expected. T*he plan of the Allies | and General Pershing was to give j each new American envision, as it came across, six months of experi ence behind the lines and in sup port positions and quiet trench sec tors, brigaded with the French and British, before pronouncing it ready j to take over its own division sector j in the line. Just about six weeks , after the Twenty-eighth set foot on French soil, however, it was sent into action along the Marne to help stem the tide of Germans who were making a final desperate attempt to break through to Paris. The Penn sylvania men became veterans over night, as it were'. Heavy casualties marked the fighting, but these j new-old veterans never faltered and j it was only a short time till the j ' French pirened on them the sobri quet of "Men of Iron" and the en- j tire division lind earned the right to , wear the red Keystone as one of the "fighting red" divisions of the j A. HA F. , I Statistics are cold-blooded things and represent truth only when they are understood and analyzed. For j example, the Twenty-eighth AJlvi-1 sion is credited with havireg ad- | vanned but a few kilometers during the time it was in action, compared j to some of the other fighting divi- j sions. The fact is, however, that 1 one kilometer of hard-fought ■ I ground frequently reflects more j credit on the outfit taking it than ( I ten or more kilos mean to a divi- 1 I ciore that simply follows up an ene- Imy retreat over that length of ground. Pennsylvania men had | nothing handed to them on a silver p'atter and had to barter lives in I I exchange for territory gained. I Major Frederick Palmer, ASBO- ' ciated Press war correspondent, who was attached to Pershing's headquarters, has the following to say of the Iron Division in his book, ( "America in France:" Artillery Fire Heavy "The Forty-second had been on ' ! the left flank of the German uttack. j • Americans were also engaged on the 1 right of the Marne, where the Get - ' I mans had maintained their lodge- | ' ment nc- the river below Dor- | j mania. The outposts facing them on j ! the morning of July 15, in that , 'wooded and hilly region, were four | 1 companies of the Twenty-eighth Dl- j vision, which had as yet no battle experience except that of phase B with the British. German artillery preparation was no less thorough here thare it was to the eastward. Troops in the outpost positions of , the men of the Twenty-eighth, who j i were under French direction, were | scarcely expected to hold under the i bombardment which precedes the advance of infantry ire a great of fensive effort. They were only a I , handful, but they made a fight of j !it They used their rifles as best they could. Buffeted by shells, | swept by enfilade machine gun ; fire some of them awaited their fate ' as thev kept on firing; others, sur- , i rounded, cut their way out and took j their wounded pickaback to prevent | I them from falling into German j 1 hands; others were left on the field ( ' wounded and dead, and a few were I taken prisoners. They were not i strong enough to stop the waves of | 1 the Germans In their persistent ad- | 1 vance, but their tenacity slackened > and weakened the attack as a ter i rier dog "v>• harass and delay a bull in a charge. Nothing more , dramatic had happened in the an • nals of the A. E \F. thus far than : the experience of these four com panies." The four companies were B and C of the One Hundred and Tenth ROTARY CLUB AN ACTIVE WAR BODY , THE Harrisburg Rotary Club was a very active force for Rood in all manner of war work. "When volunteers were go ing to the front, the Rotarians held a big mass meeting at the Orpheum Theater and the men who enlisted as the result were pledged the support of the club in the field and all of them as sured of work upon their return. The. soldiers who kept in touch by correspondence were supplied with tobacco, money, when they needed it, and were constantly the recipients of friendly and en couraging letters. Some of them were entertained at the home of Rotarians when they visited the city. The Rotarians also got be hind the Thrift Stamp sale when it was slipping, and, with a min strel show, the tickets of which were redeemable to their face value in- Thrift Samps, raised more than $6,000 and got hun dreds interested who had not pre viously owned stamps. The club rent many of its members into the service, most of them coming back as officers ,and it has one gold star or? its list, that of Rob ert A. Roll, of the marines, who made the supreme sacrifice. Infantry and L and M of the One Hundred ar.d Ninth Infantry. The chief of staff. General Peyton C. March, expressed the official opinion of the War Department as to the merits of the Twenty-eighth Division when, at the time of the parade in Philadelphia on May 15, he wrote as follows: "The parade of the Twenty-eighth Division' in Philadelphia calls to mind the unusual service of this splendid body of men. The Iron Division was pre-eminently a fight ing division, having, spent eighty days ire line, and forty-nine of these, or considerably more than half, in active sectors. It suffered heavier casualties than any other di vision of the Army drawn from the original National Guard, and among the divisions that served in France its casualties were fourth in num ber, being only surpassed by the First, Second and Third Divisions of Regulars. Fifty-eight of its mem bers were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for exceptional gal lantry. It was one of the four Na tional Guard divisions selected for the first Army of Occupation, and the divisions chosen for this pur pose were from the most effective. A Proud Record "The Twenty r elghth Division re turns to its native State with a rec ord which has caused ita numerical designation, Twenty-eight, to be re tained as one of the numerical des ignations of the permanent divisions which it is hoped to establish for the Regular Army. Its record is not only a matter of pride to Penn sylvanians—all Americans are proud of it." As a memory refresher, the dates that follow are milestones in the path of progress in the history of the Twenty-eighth Division: 1917 July 15 —National Guard of Penn sylvania called into Federal service. Aug. s—Designateds—Designated the Twenty eighth division and made a part of the Army. Nov. 15. Reorganization at Camp Hancock, Augusta, Ga., along war-strength specifications. 1918 May 3 —Division sails for France. May 18—Division headquarters arrive at Calais. July I—Two1 —Two platoons of the One Hundred and Eleventh Infantry at tack Hill 204, west of Chateau- Thierry. July 7—Division designated as re serve for Thirty-eighth French Army Corps. July 16—One Hundred and Elev enth infantry enters the line on the Marne. July 27 —Fifty-fifth Brigade takes over Ourcq sector from Fresnes to Roncheres. Aug. 6—Twenty-eighth Divisionr relieves the Thirty-second Division along the Vesle river. Sept. B—Twenty-eighth relieved, by French Sixty-third Division. Sept. 20—Prepares for great Ar< gonne drive. Sept. 26—Battle in Argonne be gins and Twenty-eighth advanced beyond Chatel-Chehery. Oct. 9 —Relieved by Eighty-sec ond Division. Oct. 16—Twenty-eighth Division, takes over Thiaucourt sector. Nov. 11—Armistice signed. Nov. 18—Division wins right wear gold chevron for six months! service overseas. 1919 March 10 —Review and Inspection by General Pershing. March 24 —First unit of the divlj sion. the One Hundred and Thira Trench Mortar Battery, arrives In Iloboken. May 12 —East, ur-'ts reach thtq country. May 15 —Division paraded Philadelphia. Colonel Leonard P. Ayres, chiefl of the statistics division of the gen eral staff, which recently issued % book on the American effort in the war with Germany, has some inter esting facts about the Twenty eighth. In one place, the number of sol diers furnished by all States of the Union shows that Pennsylvania was second with 297,891, or 7.93 per cent, of the total. New York alone leads us. The Twenty-eighth Division spent thirty-one days in quiet sectors and forty-nine in active fighting during their entire time on the front. They advanced ten kilometers against the enemy, but this informa tion is very deceiving, as the ten kilos taken by the Iron Division were ten of the most difficult to be taken during ths entire attack. They took 921 prisoners, which ta very significant to the careful ob server. The casualties suffered by the Twerety-etghth Division were the v fourth greatest in the entire A. E. F., battle deaths numbering 2,531 and the wounded 13,746. HORLICK'S TH E ORIGINAL MALTED MILK Avoid laitetlee* & Sobstitotee
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