I compared the above lyrics to the sheet music at Brown University's web site, and found, not only the bottom/button confusion, but also that a big chunk of the chorus was missing:


MOTHER'S SITTING KNITTING LITTLE MITTENS FOR THE NAVY
Words and music by R. P. Weston and Hermann Darewski.
New York: T.B. Harms and Francis, Day & Hunter, 1915

VERSE 1: Why is it Papa's fists are always in his trousers pockets?
Why is it that he don't shake hands?
Well, ask him and he'll tell you that he's holding up his pants.
There are not any buttons and he dare not take a chance.
He has a wife and daughters, all good needle women too,
But they can't sew on buttons; they have something else to do:

CHORUS: Mother's sitting knitting little mittens for the Navy.
Bertha's busy bathing baby Belgium refugees,
Sarah's shamming [sic; should be "shaming"?] shirkers making Guernseys for the Gurkhas.
Oh, such busy bees, a-buzzing, oh, so busy!
Maggie, Mol and Maud are making mufflers for Marines
While Minnie winds the wool when they begin.
Sister Cissy's knitting socks and Susie's sewing shirts for soldiers,
Still poor Papa props his pants up with a pin.

VERSE 2: Today poor papa said, "Good-bye; I'm going to join the army."
The Sergeant looked at him and said:
"I think you are too old, and then you stoop a trifle, too."
Said Pa, "If you had pins stuck in your back, you would stoop too.
I'm only sixty-seven and I'd gladly fight for France.
Besides, that is the best way to get buttons on my pants."