The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1914-12-03
WAR AS SEEN BY
FOOTBALL "FAN''
(By P. M. Snarle, United Press Staff

Correspondent
LONDON, Nov. 14-(by mail to
New York k)--Here's 8 how the football
fan saw the war.
] In letter from the front, proml-
nent north-country football player,
now serving in the Royal Field artil-
lery, says: "The great match for the
European cup is still being played out,
and I dare say there's record gate,
from the field That's one of the
rules of the game when this match is
on In spite Of all their 'swak' the
Germans haven't scored goal yet,
and they are simply kicking at the
ball any way in their blind rage at
not being able to score.
| "Our team is about as fit as you
could have them, and they are all
good men, though some of them are
amateurs and the Germans are all
pros professionally. The Germans
forwards are a rotten pack. They
have no dash worth speaking about
and they come up the field as though
they were going to the funeral of their
nearest and dearest. When they are
charged they nearly always fall away
on their backs, and their goal-keeping
is about the rottenest thing you ever
set eyes on.
81 wouldn't give brass farthing
for their chance Of lifting the cup,
and if you have any brass to spare
you can put it on the French British
| team who are scoring goals so fast
that they haven't time to stop and
count them. The Kaiser makes a rot
ten captain for any team, and its lit
tie wonder they are losing. Most of
our chaps would like to tell him what
| they think of him and his team
"Captain Stewards wife and his
father and mother are proud and hap
py that he has died for his country's
honor and a scrap of paper'
This is the family tribute paid to
Stewart, of Sir John French g staff,
recently killed in action. Captain
Stewart had suffered imprisonment in
Germany for alleged espionage at the
time of the Morocco crisis, but was
released when the King and Queen
visited Berlin last year.
When he was on trial Captain Stew
art closed mis- defense with these de-
fsnt and prophetic words:
eff your distinguished country
ever attacks mine hope to be among
those who take part in the fight. Even
| if my own regiment were not called
out, / should endeavor to serve with
another.''
The spirit in which the British
troops carried out the lonc retreat
from Mons is shown by a letter from
Private Thomas Harman, of the Kings
Royal Rifle corps. 'sThe officers knew
that we were disappointed at having
to retreat, for they and we knew that
we were doing better than the Ger
mans and were inflicting heavy losses
on them. On the fifth day-we had
three days fighting before we began to
retreat-the colonel came round and
spoke to US, saying: Stick to it,,
boys, stick to it. Tomorrow we shall
go the other wav and advance. Biff,
biff.' The way he said 'biff, biff' de-
lighted the men, and after that we
shouted 'Biff, biff every time we
had to turn and drive back the Ger
mans.'
That there are humorous moments
even in the most terrible phases of
war, is indicated in Letter from SOL
dier in the Northumberland Fusilad-
ers describing the fighting during the
retreat from Mons. s'I saw my mate
blown out of trench" he says.
"He had just before brought pound
of butter for us. didn't know
where that went I had a loaf of
bread strapped to my back all through
the fighting, and very glad was of
the chance to eat it dry.
The curtain has been rung down on
the British German Friendship socie-
ty, which was organized in 1911 by the
late Lord Avebury and Sir Frank Las
celles, formerly British ambassador in
Berlin. At general meeting of the
members, it was resolved "that it is
desirable that this society be wound
lup forthwith It's funds are to be
distributed for the relief of British
subjects in Germany and distressed
Germans in England.
i.