U.S.A_ - John Dos Passos [374]
"Not so bad, they had me working in the green-house. . . They treated me fairly wel when they found out I'd already been to the front."
"How was that?"
"Oh, in the ambulance service. . . . They just thought I was mildly insane. . . . It was a damned instructive experience."
"They treat the workers different," said Ben angrily.
"And now we're going to start a nationwide campaign to get al the other boys out," said Stein, getting to his feet and rubbing his hands, "starting with Debs. . . you'l see, Ben, you won't be down there long. . . people are coming to their senses already." A burst of brassy music came up from Broadway, and
the regular tramp of soldiers marching. They al looked out of the window. Al down the long grey canyon flags were streaming out, uncoiling tickertape and papers glinted
-450-al through the ruddy sunlight, squirmed in the shadows; people were yel ing themselves hoarse.
"Damn fools," said Warner, "it won't make the dough-boys forget about K.P." Morris Stein came back into the room with a funny
brightness in his eyes. "Makes me feel maybe I missed something."
"Wel , I've got to be going," said Warner, shaking hands again. "You certainly got a rotten break, Compton
. . . don't think for a minute we won't be working night and day to get you out. . . I'm sure public sentiment wil change. We have great hopes of President Wilson . . . after al , his labor record was fairly good before the war."
"I guess it'l be the workers wil get me out, if I'm gotten out," said Ben. Warner's eyes were searching his face. Ben didn't smile. Warner stood before him uneasily for a moment and then took his hand again. Ben didn't return the pressure.
"Good luck," said Warner and walked out of the office.
"What's that, one of these liberalminded col ege boys?" Ben asked of Stein. Stein nodded. He'd gotten interested in some papers on his desk. "Yes. . . great boy, Steve Warner. . . you'l find some books or magazines in the library. . . I'l be with you in a few minutes." Ben went into the library and took down a book on
Torts. He read and read the fine print. When Stein came to get him he didn't know what he'd been reading or how much time had passed. Walking up Broadway the going was slow on account of the crowds and the bands and the steady files of marching soldiers in khaki with tin hats on their heads. Stein nudged him to take his hat off as a regimental flag passed them in the middle of a fife and drum corps. He kept it in his hand so as not to have to take it off again. He took a deep breath of the dusty sunny air of the street, ful of girls' perfumerysmel s and gasoline from the exhaust of the trucks hauling the big guns, ful
-451-of laughing and shouting and shuffle and tramp of feet; then the dark doorway of the Federal Building gulped them.
It was a relief to have it al over, alone with the deputy on the train for Atlanta. The deputy was a big morose man with bluish sacks under his eyes. As the handcuffs cut Ben's wrist he unlocked them except when the train was in a station. Ben remembered it was his birthday; he was twentythree years old.
NEWSREEL XLI
in British Colonial Office quarters it is believed that Australian irritation wil diminish as soon as it is realized that the substance is more important than the shadow. It may be stated that press representatives who are expeditious in sending their telegrams at an early hour, suffer because their telegrams are thrown into baskets. Others which come later are heaped on top of them and in the end the messages on top of the basket are dealt with first. But this must not be taken as an insult. Count von Brochdorf-Ranzau was very weak and it was only his physical condition that kept him from rising PRIVATES
HOLD UP CABMAN
Hold the fort for we are coming
Union men be strong;
Side by side we battle onward,
Victory wil come.
New York City Federation