New-York tribune., 1914-11-22
VAR CORRESPONDENTS FIGHT FOR PLACE I'm THE SUI
This Is q World War and,
He Says, che World
Has o. Right TO
Know About IG.

81AoON a 49, ~ - - - -
was almost sure to lead him to jail The
only way we could hope to win out was
through the good nature Of an officer or
his ignorance of the rules. Many officers
did not know that at the front correspond
ents were prohibited.
AS in the old days of former wars we
would occasionally come upon ali officer
who was glad to see some one from the
base who could tell him the news and
carry back from the front messages 70
his friends and family. He knew we
could not carry away from him any in
formation of value to the enemy, because
he had none to give In battle front
extending one hundred miles he knew
only his own tiny unit. On the Aisne a
general told me the shrapnel smoke we
saw two miles away on his right came
from the English artillery, and that on his
left FIVE miles distant were the Canadians.
At that exact moment the English were
at Havre and the Canadians were in
Montreal
In order to keep at the front, or near
it, we were forced to make use Of every
kind of trick and expedient. An English
officer who was acting as correspondent,
and with whom for several weeks l
shared the same automobile, had no cre-
dentias except an order permitting HIM
to pass the policemen at the British War
Office. With this he made his way over
half of France. In the corner Of the pass
was the seal or coat of arms of the War
Office. When a sentry halted him ne
would with great care and with an air OF
confidence unfold this permit and with a
proud smile point at the red seal. The
sentry who could not read English would
invariably salute the coat of arms OF his
ally, and wave us forward.
THEY MANAGED TO PLAY ONE ARMY
AGAINST ANOTHER.
That we were with allied armies iE-
stead of with one was great help. We
would play one against the other. When
a French officer halted us we would not
show him French pass but Belgian
one, or one in English, and out Of cour-
tesy to his ally he would permit us to pro-
ceed. But our greatest asset always was
a newspaper. After man has been in
dirt trench for two weeks absolutely cut
off from the entire world, and when that
entire world is at war, for a newspaper
he will give his shoes and his blanket.
The Paris papers were printed on
single sheet and would pack as close as
banknotes. We never left Paris without
several hundred of them, but lest we
might be mobbed we showed only one.
1t was the duty of one of us to hold this
paper in readiness. The man who was 70
show the pass sat by the window. OF all
our worthless passes our rule was always
to show first the one of least value Ii
that failed we brought out higher card,
and continued until we had reached the
ace. If that proved to be two spot we
all went to Jail. Whenever we were
halted, invariably there was the knowing
individual who recognized us as news
paper men, and in order to save his coun-
try from destruction clamored to have US
hung. 1t was for this pest that the one
with the newspaper lay in wait And
the instant the pest opened his lips our
man in reserve would shove the Figaro"
at him. Have you seen this mornings
paper?" he would ask sweetly. 1t never
failed us. The suspicious one would grab
at the paper as dog snatches at bone.
and our chauffeur, trained to our team
work, would shoot forward.
A WEARING GAME WHICH ONLY
THE CROOK CAN UNDERSTAND.
When after hundreds OF delays we did
reach the firing line we always an
nounced we were on our way back 20
Paris and would convey there postal
cards and letters. If you were anxious to
stop in any one place this was an excel
lent excuse. For at once every officer and
soldier began writing to the loved ones