The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-02
WAR ECHOES

. When men fight poets sing for their inspiration. Whereupon the men fail to read the odes and sonnets aud seem to be able to battle quite as successful ly without the inspiriting cadence of the self constituted 1aureates. All that Mr. Kipling, MT. Watson. Mr. Noyes and Mr Hardy have written has not fired a bullet or swung a sabre in France. But charges have been met and made to the lit of a song which was com posed with no idea that 1t would be ae- conpanied by shot and shell. Its Long, Long Way to Tipperary is long, long way from the spirit of bat tie. But therein lies it's appeal It business before him. Indeed. by a stretch of the imagination the song might be interpreted as hymn to peace. It expresses the soldiers hope or better days--of Tipperary instead of the Marne and the Alsne
 In thus conjuring before him scenes of peace. the British soldier has the precedent of the American soldier. In the Spanish-American war our regi- ments did not receive inspiration from verses dealing with Cuba Libre." They seized upon popular song of the day, "Thcre1l Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" It was a rollieking air and it had nothing to do with the mat ter at hand. Therein lay It's appeal Perhaps if we were at war today our soldiers would assail the enemy with song dealing with the domestic fi- nafces of Mrs. Rip Van Wrinkle. That is, if dumdum music were permitted by the present articles of war.
 Chattanooga Times: With the winter season close at hand in eastern Ger many and western Russia we shall soon know whether or not it is true that the Russian soldier is a regular snow bird and is a better fighter in the winter than in the summer, as has been fre- quently claimed. To the ordinary army winter weather brings an end of cam paigning. There have been a few ex- captions to this rule. "Stonewall' Jack son was one of them. It was the snow- storms on the steppes of Russia how ever, which defeated the great Napoleon, together with the Cossack habit of burn ing their towns as he approached. He crossed the Nieman with a magnificent army of the nations containing 100000 nen. He returned with less than one- eighth that number. This war may test whether or not Russia can conduct winter campaign more effectively than the Europeans who are its southern neighbors. The Russian and Japanese fought in Manchuria in March while the rivers were still frozen
 Commercial Appeal: Every cloud has Its golden lining. Even war has it's com pensations. Forgetting for the moment the tragedy of the present European strife, we can point with certain satis- faction to the benefits this country is en- toying.
 The Bethlehem Steel company is re- ported to have secured contracts from the French government covering rush orders for s15,000.0O0 worth of war mate- rial The order, it is stated, includes 1000 motor trucks, unarmored, for the transportation of troops and supplies, and 10c huge tractors. for movement of heavy
 
 time a. highly essential element in the transaction. It requires that these ve- hicles be delivered within 30 days
 This looks as if France anticipates a long, drawn-cut war. While the Bethle- hem company does not manufacture autos, it has the agency and will dis tribute these orders among companies that have trucks built and on hand. It is a big order of it's kind, the largest, in fact, ever placed by an European coun- try with an American firm. It is also one that no other country could handle on such short notice. It is also a fore runner of future orders which we have every reason to anticipate will follow be- fore very long.
 A firm in Sandusky O., last week re- ceived an order by cable from France for 5,0o00O0 electric light bulbs Philadelphia reports that Italy is in the market for $5O00,00O wortk of shoes, saddles, knap- sacks and other military supplies New York reports that there has been placed with New York agencies orders from Russia for automobile trucks for army purposes Two New York saddIery man. uidcturerS ldSC week d1V1Qed an order from France for 2O,000 saddles and brides. The Illinois Steel company has accepted an order for 5000 window frames of pat tern and material which, before the war, it had been supposed were obtainable only abroad.
 These unconsidered trifles are the re- suit of single weeks negotiations. The European supply being naturally ex- hausted, this country is looked upon as the logical center of supply he>appeal will come fl om all countries involved in war and will affect all American mar kets.
 The steel plants of Pennsylvania are working night and day. After the more important orders have been placed, others of a more varied character may be ex- pected. The cotton mills of New England will before long find their capacity taxed
 So, after all, grim as war really is, it has it's compensations.
 AN OBJECT OF COMPASSION