Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1918 — American People Should Not Forget Foremost Fighting Man in the World [ARTICLE]

American People Should Not Forget Foremost Fighting Man in the World

By FRANK J. KIRCH,

Private, 38th U. S. Infantry, Headquarter* Company,

3rd Division. Camp Greene, Charlotte, N. C.

The regular of our army is an independent, care-free fighting man, •who will never complain in any circumstances. I should like to say a word in behalf of this straight soldier, who goes ahead with his task and does not whimper because the other fellows get all the “goodies” and attention from the folks at home. So much has been made of National army men'and National Guardsmen, whose home ties are, perhaps, stronger than those of the regulars, that, the man who enlisted under Uncle Sam’s flag to fight as a “sureonough regular” is receiving less thought and less of the good things of life. The regular will not .ask for anything except that which is his due (from the constituted military authorities. He can growl, perhaps, as (frequently as any civilian, but he growls only when he knows he is not getting what the law intends he shall have. For mollycoddling he cares not a bit, but he is just as human as any selective service mart*or National Guardsman in this whole broad land. In these days, when solicitude is felt for the selected man and Guardsman, let some heart thought go out to the regular. He does not get as many letters from home as the other men get. Frequently the regular has no family ties except those of the great human family, but at that he appreciates it when he knows he is being remembered. No one ever asks about the fighting qualities of the regular, because the question is unnecessary. He is licked only when he is dead. He doesn’t ask for kind thoughts or kind gifts, but he is grateful if he receives them. The American people should not forget the foremost fighting man in the world, the United States regular, and they should try to convince him in some way that they appreciate the fact that he is taking his life in his hands for their sake and the sake of democracy.