The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-10-08
by C. W. WILLIAMS.

the zone or military activity on ere.
dentials obtained at the personal re
quest Of Ambassador Herrick. that we
might describe the destruction caused
by the Germans in unfortified towns.
Although | have given a pledge to say
nothing concerning the movement of
the troops or of certain points visited,
am permitted now to send a report
OF a part of my experiences.
We crossed the entire battlefield Of
the Marine, passed directly behind the
lines of the battle on the Aisne, ac-
c~identally getting under fire for an
entire afternoon and l|unching in a no.
tel to the orchestra of bursting shells,
one end of the building being blown
away during the bo~mbaTdment.
We witnessed a battle between an
armored French m~onoplane and a
German battery, and also had the ex-
perience of being accused of being
German spies by two men wearing the
English uniform, who. on failing to &C
count for their own German accent
were speedily taken away under guard
with their numbers up as the French
C~Ommandant expressed what awaited
them.
LEkens Battle to Cyclone.
On account Of our exceptional Gre
dentials we were able to see more
actual war than many correspond
ents, who, when they learned that
permits to get to the front were not
forthcoming, went anyway, usually
falling into the hands of the military
authorities. Getting arrested has
been the chief business. of the war
correspondents In this war, even our
accidental view Of the fighting being
sufficient to cause u speedy return
TO Paris under parole.
Going over the battlefield of the
Marine, we found the battle had fol-
lowed much the same tactics as a cy-
clone, in that in some places nothing.
not even the haystacks, had been dis
turbed, while in others everything,
the villages, roads and fields, had been
utterly devastated by shells.
We talked with the inhabitants Of
every village and always heard the
same ~story-that during occupation
the Germans had offered little trouble
to the civilians and had confined their
activities to footing and wasting the
provisions; also that when r%etreating
they had destroyed all the food they
were unable to carry.
Fire Baptism in Church.
Our baptism of fire appropriately
came while we were in a church. At
noon of the second day we motored
Into a deserted village and were
stopped by a sentry. who acknowl-
edged our credentials, but warned us
If we intended to proceed to beware
Of bullets. But there was no hostile
sound to alarm us.
AS we drove carelessly over the
brow Of a hill where the road dipped
down a valley into the town we were
In direct line with the German fire,
as great holes in the ground and fall
en- trees testified.
1t is a wonder our big motor car |
was not an immediate mark. On the
way we noticed a church steeple shot
off so, after finding an inn,
where the proprietor came from the
cellar and offered to guard our car
and prepare luncheon, we decided first
to examine the church. The inn-keep-
er explained that we had come during
4 lull in the bombardment. but the ST.
lent, deserted place lulled all sense of
danger.
Shell Hits Sanctuary. ,
The verger showed us over the
and we were walking through
the ruined nave when suddenly we
heard a sound like the shrill whistling
Of the wind.
1T begins again." our conductor said
AS the speech ended we heard a
loud boom and the sound of falling
masonry as the shell struck the far
Of the building.
We hurried to the hotel, the shells
screaming overhead. We saw the build
tumbling into ruins, glass fall
ing like fine powder, and remnants Of
furniture hanging grotesquely from
of masonry.
All my life | had wondered what
would be the sensation II I ever was
Inder fire-would / be afraid? To
ny intense relief | suddenly became
'atalistic. l was under fire with a
vengeance, but instead of being afraid
kept saying to myself:
Being afraid won't help matters;
besides, nothing will happen If we
ust keep close to the walls and away
rom the middle Of the streets"
Accusers Taken as Spies.
On the way me wet two men in
uniforms, who later de-
bounced us as spies. We hailed them
md they replied that they had been
off from their regiment and were
low fighting with the French. Just
IS luncheon was announced eight sol
Iiers filed into the hotel, arrested us
nd marched us before the command
mt, who saw that our papers were
IL right, but suggested that on ac-
of the dangerous position we
cave as soon as possible. We asked
to finish our luncheon.
1t was lucky that we we're arrested
hen-before the accusation that we
spies-for when that question
rose there was no doubt in the mind
Z the commandant concerning us, so
mr. acousprS' charge merely reacted