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Image provided by: New York State Military History Museum
4 GAS ATTACK GAS A T T A C K Published weekly by and for the men of the Twenty-seventh Division, D. S. A., a t Camp W adsworth, Spartanburg, S. under the direction of the Camp W adsworth Young Men's C h ristian Association. 'H o n o rary E d ito r s — M a jor G e n e ral Jo h n F. O’Ryan. I Brigadier General Charles L. Phillips. 1 L t Colonel F r a n k li n W. W ard. E r n e s t W. Leslie, Camp Y. M. C. A. S e c retary. P u b lication C o m m ittee —- E. W. Leslie, Chairman. J. S. K ingsley, Editor-In-Chief. Regtl. Supply Sergt. Gaylord W. E lliott, 102d Am m u nition Train, B u siness Manager. E d itor —■ Pvt. Richard E. Connell, Co. A, 102d M ilitary Police. A s s o c iate E d ito r — P v t. C h a rles D ivine, H e a d q u a r ters S a n itary Squad No 1. A r t E d ito r — P v t R ichard J. K e n n edy, 102d Supply T r a in . E d itorial S ta ff — L ieu ten a n t E d w a rd S tr e e ter, 52d B rigade H e a d q u a rters, R a y F . J e n n e y , Y. M. C. A. P r iv a t e W a lter A. D a v e n p o rt, O. T. S. P r iv a t e F r e d J. Ashley, H e a d q u a r ters Troop. P r iv a t e K e p p ler A. Bisbee, 105th Field A rtillery. PRICE, TEN CENTS FOR T H IS ISSUE. Address, G as A ttack , Camp W adsworth, Spartanburg, S. C. Subscription terms, $1.50 for 3 months. _____________ ____ Contents of th i s M agazine Copyrighted, 1918. RUMORS THAT BLOOM IN THE SPRING, TRA LA, Spring is in our midst, and the flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la, have nothing on the rumors, tra lee. One very healthy rumor is that the Division is planning to move somewhere shortly. M ajor General O ’Ryan is planning some intensive train ing in large scale manoenvers, and he is quoted by the Spartanburg Herald of March 5th as saying that this training will extend over a period of from 30 to 60 days. This announcement has given rise to the crop of rumors aforesaid. The Gas Attack is not in position to say definitely when we will go. But it has hopes, as we all have, that it will be soon. W henever we get im p atient to move, we recall the words of our commanding general on his return from Prance, “ D o n ’t be impatient. There’s war enough over there for everybody.” Obedience is the first duty of a soldier, as we all know. Grumbling impatience about when, where and how we are going, and why we haven’t gone sooner is little better than camouflaged disobedience. It has no place in a real army. L e t’s be really ready to go when the big men at the head of our machine pull the starting lever. Odd as it may seem to some of us, they probably know more about conditions than we do. R. E. CL THE NAME OF THIS DIVISION, We understand that some newspapers and letter w rit ers would change the name of this Division, suggesting some such name as the Empire Division, the Golden Rod Division or the W h a tnot Division. Still others would adopt some college colors and name it after them. But why give a name to an organization which already has a name, a name which it has had for tw enty years and in those tw enty years have arisen sentiments and memories dear to every member! The New York Division signifies hut one thing and that is The Twenty-Seventh Division. Every man knows his organization as the New York Division. His friends speak of him as a member of the New York Division. Camp W adsworth is known as the home of the New York Division. No other name could symbolize this division, for any name depends upon impulse and habit. A name which does not arouse an impulse in the hearts of all who use it is a failure. A name becomes sacred with history. This Division has a history which is sacred to hundreds. Even the experiences at W adsworth are connected with this name. Every enlisted man when asked to what Di vision he belongs would unconsciously answer that it is the New York Division. Take that name away and you would rob the men of a name which has a history, a name which has become dear to them through months of faith ful service. To give this division any other name would confuse all who know the New York National Guard, be sides accomplishing no beneficial result. J. S. K. DESERVED REWARDS FOR BORDER SERVICE. It is cheering news for the men who did service on the Border to read that Senator C a lder’s bill, giving them medals in recognition for their splendid work, has been introduced, with amendments, in the House of Represen tatives by Representative Francis, and has been referred to the Committee on M ilitary Affairs for action. The bill, as amended by Representative Francis, calls for a ribbon as well as for a ‘‘bronze medal with suitable device.” It also provides that this decoration shall be given to men ‘ ‘ who are not eligible to receive the Mexican service badge authorized by the President.” This will include the men of the New York National Guard who technically did not qualify for the Mexican service badge, although the value of their service and the fact that they were entitled to some tangible recognition of that service were unquestioned. Another amendment in the Calder-Francis Bill provides that the sum of $20,000 be provided for the purchase of these medals and ribbons, instead of $7,000 as originally provided. W ith the exception of these amendments, the bill is the same as the one introduced in the Senate by Senator W il liam M. Calder, a loyal friend of the New York Division. The Calder Bill was printed in full in the Gas Attack of March ninth. It provided that appropriate decorations be given men who served at least four months on the Bor der or with the expeditionary force in Mexico between 1916 and 1918. We congratulate and thank Representative Francis in the name of the Division, just as last week we congratu lated and thanked Senator Calder. The 27th Division, and the soldiers of the country, are glad to have such true friends in places of power. We soldiers know that with such men as Senator Calder and Representative Francis on the job, we can do our jobs better because we are con fident that our work will be appreciated and our interests looked after by them. The French, very wisely, believe thoroughly in granting medals and decorations to men who have proved worthy of them. They know that nothing makes the poilu prouder than to wear his service chevrons and his Croix de Guerre. And a proud man is a confident man, a man hard to dis courage or defeat. They understand the psychology of pride in decorations, which makes a man proud to display his Phi Beta Kappa key, his fraternity pin, his lodge pin, his club colors, or his service bars and war medals. Such pride is natural. M ajor General O ’Ryan has shown that he understands it by advocating that the New York Division adopt an emblem which we will all wear, and of which we will all be proud. We believe that Congress will understand what such decorations as the Mexican Medal mean to soldiers and grant the men who served on the Border the medals and ribbons which they clearly deserve. R. E. C.
