The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-10-09
by c.. W. WILLIAMS.

rdIlS. llU several OtIler repre-
sentatives Of American newspapers |
was permitted to pass several days in
the zone Of military activity" on ere
dentials obtained at the personal re
quest Of Ambassador Hcrrick. that We
might describe the destruction caused
by the Germans in unfortitied towns.
Although | have given Il 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 tho entire battlefield OF
the Marine, passed directly behind the
lines Of the battle on the Aisne, ac-
cidentally getting under fire for an
entire afternoon and lunching in a ho-
tel to the orchestra Of bursting shells,
one end of the building being blown
away during the bombardment.
We witnessed a battle between an
armored French monoplane 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 ac-
count for their own German accent.
were speedily taken away under guard
commandant expressed what awaited
them.
llkens Battle to Cyclone.
On account Of our exceptional ere
deEtials we we're 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
correspondents In this war, even iotr
accidental view Of the fighting being
sufficient to cause our speedy return
to Paris under parole. '''
I Going over the battlefield Of Tie
Marine, We found the battle had Toll
lowed much the same tactics as a'ty-
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. Il '"'''
We talked with the Inhabitants or
every village and always. heard ME
same stOry-that during; occupation
the Germans had offered little trpuble
to the civilians and had confined their
activities TO lOoting and wasting the
provisions: also that when retreatfng
they had destroyed all The food they
were unable to Carry.iat $50
Fire Baptism in Church. ''
Our baptism OF fire appropri lately
came while, " g were in a church "kt
noon of the second day we motored
into a deserted e village and, were
stopped by, a sentry, - who aEknowl4
edged our credentials, but warned It's
II we intended to proceed to beware
Of bullets. But there Mas no hostile
sound to alarm us. it. .iF vi
AS we drove ca~relesslYl over the
brow of a hill where the road dipped
down. a valley into the town We were
In direct line with. tfe German frrH:;
as great, holes in the gGauHd and FAM
en- trees testified. -t.t m@uut, va"
It is A wonder, cur big, motor EAR
was not an immediate maTktpfOh the
way We noticed a. church. asteeplei Shot
completely off So, after jfRdigg, an Inn,
where the proprietor Tcame ,freui thA
cellar and offered to- guard our car
and prepare luncheon, we, decided first
to examine the church The .inE keep
er explained that WE had coue during
4 lull in the BON bardmept, but the'si
lent, deserted place lulled, all SENSE or
danger. ID. ...l. o.- .n0 h,1ctn
She'll Hits Sanctuary, -
The vergsr showed us over the
church and we were walking, through
the ruined nave when suddenly we
heard a sound like the shrill Whistling'
OF the wind. ,A.t % isii fh "
1T begins again" our conductor said
simply. .l,+ eytqotD "'.
AS the speech ended W heard a
loud boom and the sound Of falling
masonry Is the shell struck the far
end Of the building. ,it2 b4H"I6
we HuIIltd IL TIC HOUIsg tuS aSutllo
screaming overhead. We tho, build
ings tumbling into ruins glass fall
ing like fine powder. and remnants of
furniture hanging 'grotesQualyj from
scraps OF masonry. if .mI -" 80
All my life ! had wondered what
would be the sensation il j ever was
under f1re-would / be afraid2 ATo
my intense relief L suddenly became
fatafistic.' l was under fire with a
vengeance, but instead OF being, afraid
l kept saying TO myTc!f: al
Being afraid won't help matters;
besides, nothing will happen il we
just keep close 10 the iwalfsiand away
from the middle Of. the Streets
Accusers Taken AZ Spies. .
On the way me wet two men in
English uniforms, who later De
nounced US as spies. We, hailed them
and they replied that they had been
cut off from their regiment and were
now fighting with the French. Just
as luncheon was announced eight SOL
diers filed into the hotel, arrested US
and marched us before the command
ant, who saw that our papers were
all right, but suggested that on ac-
-.