The world
gives generously to those who succeed in an extraordinary endeavor where
the resource and ability of men are in competition. For intellectual
achievement there is deference and wonder, for moral accomplishment
there is approbation and love, but for physical courage there are all of
these and an added admiration that bursts in such fervor of approval
that men shout and toss their caps in air. It has been true, since the
world began.
The first honors came to him from his soldier associates. Then the men
of other regiments, and the regiments of other nations, wanted to see
the American who single-handed had fought and forced a battalion of
machine gunners to come to him. The people of France, too, were calling
for him.
It was with a military yardstick the soldiers measured the deed, for
they knew the fighting competency of a single machine gun and had seen
the destructive power of the scythe-like sweep of a battalion of them.
The civilian, in doubt and wonder, realized the magnitude of the
achievement in visualizing the number of prisoners that had surrendered
to one man.
The only contact Alvin York had had to the role of a man of prominence
was to stand in line, at attention, as persons of importance passed
before him. But when his regiment came out of the Argonne Forest, where
its almost unbroken battle had lasted twenty-eight days, he was taken
from the line and passed in review before the soldiers of other
regiments.
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