Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-11-11
INDIANS HAVING
Their TROUBLES
Fighting in France Particu-
larly Difficult for the Col
ored Men.

London. Nov. 1.-THE Indian
forces in France have made good. but
have achieved none of the eStraordi-
nary exploits attributed to them, ac-
cording to a statement issued by the
official press bureau last night under
date Of November 10, and written by
IAN observer with the Indian corps" !"
Above all, the account emphasizes
the difficulties under which the In
dians are fighting because of their ig-
norance OF the French, German and
English Language. Repeatedly the
Germans have played tricks on them.
1.-The Germans are full of resource"
says the account land it is one of
their favorite plans to lure the allied
troops into attacking them by various
devices, of which an indicated inten-
ton of surrendering is the most COM
mon. If this deception is successful,
a skilfully concealed machine gun
turns murderous fire upon those
who have advanced either to attack
or to accept surrender.
',The audiucity of the enemy cannot
better be illustrated than by a we'll
authenticated statement of what took
place last night in a trench held by
the Gnrkha regiment. A figure sill
houtted by the moonlight and wearing
Il complete Gurkha uniform approach
ed the end of the trench and delivered
this message: The Gurkhas are to
move further up the trench; another
Gurkba contingent is advancing in
support.'
"Puzzled by this announcement. the
officer in command replied: Who are
you? Where do you come from?' To
which the only answer was: You are
to move up and make room for other
Gurkhas.'
''The English was good, but some-
thing excited the officers suspicious.
Answer and answer quickly he said.
If you are Gurkha by what boat did
you cross?
This question, under the circum-
stances, was no easy one to answer
turned and fed. But he had not gone
five yards before he fell, riddled with
bullets.
Germans Near BY.
IF the officer had been deceived.
the trench, of course. would have
swarmed with Germans almost before
the Gurkhas had made room for them.
1t can readily be imagined that under
such conditions the Indian troops en-
gage the enemy in circumstances of
special difficulty. They are In q
strange country, their training and in
stincts have accustomed them to quite
different conditions. 1t is easy to dis
tinguish between German and French
soldiers in the daytime, but It il not
easy in the dark.
1.-THE Gurkhes understand no Ian,
guage but their own and few others
understand that. Their stragglers are
exposed to difficulties in the way Of
rejointng their units, which it is al
most impossible to exaggerate; nor
must it be forgotten that the inten-
tons which the German emperor ex-
pressed with reference to the forces
Sir John French embraced to an equal
degree the army corps composed of
our Indian fellow subjects.
Punish the Colored Ones.
Letters found upon wounded men
and prisoners make it clear that the
German military authorities have spe-
cially charged the troops with the task
of intiicting the severest possible pun
ishment upon the forces whose civili-
zation they deny and whose soldierly
qualities they affect to disparage.
"Under these circumstances it is
subject of great satisfaction that the
Indian troops have so finely fulfilled
the high expectations which were
formed of them. A word of caution,
however, should be uttered with re-
gard to the amazing adventures and
exploits attributed to them. recon-.
mendations desired neither by the ola.
GERS nor the men,.
ut need hardly be said that the
conduct and example Of the British
officers, who have undergone precisely
the same hardships a. the men, have
the service In loss Of oficers and men
: . (