August 5, 1918
She Wanted to Tell Officer She Was Willing to Make Sacrifice
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Sunday evening 250 letters addressed to 250 business and professional men of El Paso were mailed by the Kiwanis committee appointed to assist in the recruiting campaign of the El Paso company of the First Texas Infantry. Each letter urged the recipient to donate $10 to the campaign fund for the organization of the company, to prepare it for federal services.
“It is the sacred duty of the men of this city to support the movement,” said H. P. Hadfield, one of the committee. “The two lieutenants appointed to organize this company have been ordered to have their compliment by August 15, which gives them 11 days to get their men. They expect to do it, and I believe they will, but it will be a record breaking accomplishment, and one which will add much to the luster of El Paso’s reputation in war work. Every man who receives one of these letters is urged to dispatch his check to C.M. Harvey at the Security Bank and Trust company immediately. Don’t wait to be called on.”
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Eleven men enlisted in the El Paso company of the First Texas Infantry Sunday, the day following the commencement of the vigorous advertising campaign of the recruiting officers. All Sunday morning applicants lined up before recruiting headquarters in San Jacinto plaza, keeping two men busy filling out enlistment blanks and swearing the men in. Nearly all of the men were El Paso boys who had resided here all their lives, and whose principal object in enlisting with the Texas infantry was to get an organization where they know their comrades and officers.
Inspired by a phrase in an advertisement urging women to bring their men to the recruiting station, one woman appeared before the recruiting officer Sunday afternoon with her husband, and intimated her entire willingness that he enlist.
“I love my husband as much as any woman,” she declared, “but neither he nor I are slackers, and I want to see him able to hold his own with other men after this war. If the women of France have been able to take car of themselves during this past four years, I guess I can.”
First Sergeant John O’Connell arrived in El Paso Sunday morning from Carrizozo, N.M., accompanied by Mrs. O’Connell. Sergeant O’Connell has been appointed senior non-commissioned officer of the El Paso company, and was at Carrizozo when the word reached him leaving for El Paso immediately.
E.M. Huffer of Deming telegraphed to the recruiting station on the plaza Sunday morning, begging that a place in the company be reserved for him, and saying that he will be in to enlist Monday the 12th.
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