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Show I I 777E SPECTATOR I I ERGT. ARTHUR I 09H G EMPEY' og- 111 Y J 111 ien boy' autuor 1 KS I of "Over The I 11 Top," veteran of lljfaggsssJH the Great War, wounded three cimes and decorated on numerous occasions oc-casions for bravery in action, is considerable con-siderable of a man. He has accomplished accom-plished some mighty big things since his enlistment in the Canadian contingent con-tingent three years ago. Everything he does has a punch to it, whether it be charging "over the top," writing a story of the war, or preaching patriotic pa-triotic duty to his fellow citizens from the platform. I am informed that Sergeant Empey recently made a speech in Cincinnati that created quite a stir in eastern I circles. In the speech he advocated I the return of the Army canteen, or ! something of a similar nature, merely as a matter of according humane treat-' ment to our boys at the front. To be specific, the daring young officer made a plea that the ration of rum issued regularly to the British and French (soldiers in winter time or during a severe bombardment be allowed the American soldiers. Moreover, he insisted in-sisted upon this being done, notwithstanding notwith-standing the protests of the prohibitionists. prohibi-tionists. "Many of the extremists on the dry side," he said, "think they are being patriotic. All they are doing is playing play-ing into the hands of the Hohenzollern gang. When a man is worn out with the continued bombardment and can not sleep, or is half crazy with sores which follow the bites of the everlasting everlast-ing trench flies, the swallow of rum warms him up and he gets the three or four hours sleep needed to enable him to go 'over the top.' "I should like to see a certain gentleman gen-tleman from Nebraska in one of tnoso trenches with a gallon of grape juice in one hand and a noggin of rum in the other. When the shells begin to explode and the machine guns to bark and this gentleman knew that in half an hour he'd have to get out in the thick of, it he or any other prohibitionist prohibi-tionist would be mighty glad to drop the grape juice and gulp down the rum." Continuing his observations, Sergeant Ser-geant Empey declared that the American Ameri-can people are making a great mistake in attempting to coddle their soldiers instead of allowing them to face the temptations of army life in their own way and on their own initiative, to the end that because of these very I temptations they will become better men and braver soldiers. Speaking for himself, he said that he had never 1 tasted liquor at home and had no de- .flire for it since he left the front, but that while in the trenches and under fire nothing was more welcome to him tfimMMfl"",UMI'?W' ' 'ij'B'W''llfl1lill',1wllBill,WMWI,ll','B'Ml,,M than the "rum relief", apportioned to the cold and weary warriors. That there were many prohibitionists prohibition-ists in his audience did not bother the dauntless soldier a blt In fact, ho took cognizance of this situation by saying: "If I am treading on anybody's toes in the audience, I do not apologize for it. I hope I am." It goes without saying say-ing that the sensational speech stirred up quite a controversy and the prohibitionists prohi-bitionists are very much excited about it. What the outcome will be, no one can guess. The sergeant, however, has given the American people some food for serious thought. To a man up a tree, it would seem that he knows exactly ex-actly what he is talking about and that the prohibitionists do not. Moreover, More-over, my guess is that if the American commanders feel that it is the thing todo to give the boys at the front a swig of rum when they need it, that will be the order, no matter how much those who oppose it howl at home. VjHANKS to the big-hearted citi-V- zens of the community, the boys at Fort Douglas are going to have a Christmas of their own. I am informed in-formed that a movement is well on foot to erect a gigantic tree at the post and that on this tree will be hung some little remembrance for every boy in khaki. Also, the tree is to be properly decorated and an open air festival is planned, The entertainment is to be furnished by well-selected talent from the local theatres and a hot supper will be served to the boys by the canteen unit of the local Red Cross chapter. It promises to be a great affair and every citizen in the community ought to lend it a helping hand. A second event is also being planned. During the mid-holiday season sea-son the tree will be used for the children chil-dren of the enlisted men at the post. The city and the citizens' committee will supply the decorations for the tree and the gifts according to the fine old army custom will be furnished furnish-ed by soldiers themselves. TOMEBODY connected with the jts Southern Pacific recently conceived con-ceived an original and brilliant idea, one that should make a strong appeal to Salt Lakers who like to have a little fun occasionally and can afford to pay for it. The plan is to run a New Year's special to San Francisco over this popular road, arriving In time to join in the celebration on New Year's eve. Every provision is being made for the comfort and convenience of the celebrators, including hotel and dining room accommodations. I know of several live ones who are already packing their grips and they tell me that the S. P. will have a trainload all right. It's too bad that when our cu- izens want a little fun they've got to go to Frisco to get it, but what are you going to do about it? XBET a hat with Sam Galeazzi the other day that when the city commission was reorganized in January Janu-ary there would be no change in the police department. Sam thinks that he's got a cinch, but he hasn't. He's going to be fooled and so are some others several thousand, I shouicr say. After all this holler about cleaning clean-ing things up and making radical changes in the city government, nobody no-body is going to get hurt. It's just the same old story. M nERE are a few verses I happened to run across in the Laramie Republican. Re-publican. The following lines are not very pretentious, but they have a punch, and that is what counts: The Laramie Kid sat downat ease, And a visitor, who passed, Turned back and said: "My friend, how long Will this here big war last?" And the Laramie Kid looked up ana said He is a short-spoke cuss "Till No Man's Land is Somebody's, And Somebody is Us!" The Laramie Kid comes from a land Where speeech is somewhat brief. A cowpuncher ain't muca on talk Orations bring him grief But he said it all when he said them words About our part in the fuss: "Till No Man's Land is Somebody's, And Somebody is Us!" So the Laramie Kid mused in the sun Where old Fort Riley sprawls, And he hummed for just a minute or so, Between two bugle calls. There wasn't much music to the song, But the words he sang went thus: "Till No Man's Land is Somebody's, And Somebody is Us!" HAT MORAN is responsible for M Jb this yarn, and it is good enough M to print. It seems that somewhere H across the water an Irish sergeant was H experiencing considerable difficulty in his efforts to whip a bunch of rookies H into shape. He was an old soldier him- H self and tno inability of Ills green squad to master the mysteries of army tactics had just about driven him to drink. Finally, when matters kept go- lng from bad to worse, he commanded the squad to stand at case while he M told them a story. This is what he told them: M "When I was a very little boy I was M accustom'"' $lay with a box of wood- H en soldier mo day I lost them and I was hu , jken over the loss. My H folks told me not to worry, however, and consoled me with the thought that some day the toys would turn up; and '1 now to think after forty long years M I've just found the little devils." M H ffYERMANY'S claim that she im- H VX ports nothing, buys only of herself, and so Is growing rich from M the war, is a dreadful fallacy," said Herbert Hoover recently, and then he M proceeded to illustrate the point in H humorous fashion by telling this M story: M "Germany reminds me of a certain wise young fellow who thought he'd M grow his own garden stuff. So he H went out in the garden and began to H dig. He had been digging for about H an hour when his spade turned up a jH two-bit piece. A few minutes later he H discovered another coin of the same H value. Then he found a dime and then H another quarter. 'By gosh,' he said, H 'I've struck a silver mine.' and H straightening up, he felt something H cold slide down his leg. Another coin- H lay at his feet. Then the truth oc H curred to him: There was a hole in H his pocket." H Wife I was outspoken in my sen- H timents at the club today. H Husband I can't believe it! Who H outspoke you? Town Topics. H |