Semi-weekly herald., 1915-05-03

est names IN Europe but In that room /
he was just simple captain on duty /
in the present of his general AS the |
general continued his speech he stood |
IKE a craven image, hands stiff at
his side. No Potsdam guardsman was
ever more erect. At the conclusion
rs | passed through the door, l saw
| his hand raised in stiff salute. Then
at sign from the general the en-
| tire pose broke into geniality.
This officer talked with US later.
He explained that the general had
expressed pleasure that Americans
should be brought to visit his army
From the entire scene was made
to feel and understand the difference
between the discipline, founded on
militarism and fear, and that based
really on patriotism and respect.
Typi6es New National Spirit.
In this war French discipline is
not typical of the army only; it is the
new spirit of the nation, it is the dis
cipline of democracy.
Swords are almost things of the
past in trench and army, aside from
cavalry regiments. No generals or
officers wear them. They regard
them merely as useless and ornamen-
tai nuisances. French discipline has
permitted that they be cast aside as
something not of modern war but of
ancient sensationalism.
Like my previous trip this also was
war corresponding de luxe. l was
taken about in high-powered mo-
tor, furnished by the grand quarter
general, the very appearance of which
was sufficient to bring the guns of
sentries to salute.
One of the most interesting features
Of the trip was real view Of artil-
lery in action. Not until now had
correspondents been taken so really
and so seriously behind the curtain
of secrecy that had so long veiled
every movement of the French army
and particularly this tremendous force
after the sight of which it was i'm
possible for civilian to imagine that
French lines could ever be broken.
The section of the front l visited
is one bristling row of artillery from
end to end. A major met US back at
brigade headquarters. He carried
bouquet of violets. He explained that
we must be careful not to be seen
entering the artillery observatory. He
added naively that it did not matter
so much on our account, but he did
not desire to have the observatories
discovered. Besides his observers
were valuable.
Up to See Artillery Duel
He smelt his violets and explained
that artillery is highly scientific
branch of scrvice-that the lives of
observers were not to be wasted.
| He led the way up the mountain
side between batteries perched back
of the ridge and observatories that
sort of hung on the precipice over
looking the valley. They were cover
ed over with shrubbery and boughs
of trees so as to make them invisi-
bic.
We crawled up the steep steps, cut
in the mountain. The major waved
US to stoop low and crawl into a lit
lie thatched cave with tiny slit in
The foliage through which we could
see the operations. He waved hi
bunch of violets toward the valley,
speaking cheerfully:
"We will direct fire there at those
German trenches"
The bunch of violets points out to-
ward village mile away. He turn
ed his scale telescope on point, and
read the figures through telephone
at the rear which connected with the
/, battery. We leveled our glasses par
allel with the telescope.
at will take just hirty seconds af-
ter telephoning," he said.
! kept my eyes on the glasses. I
heard a loud roar from the battery
behind and the scream of a shell pass
| ing overhead. Then l saw a puff OF
smoke and heard the sound of the ex-
,plosion as the shell struck trench
exactly where Indicated
Overcome with admiration of this
craftsmanship, ] dropped my glass
and turned toward the major, whose
face was buried in the bouquet of vio-
let's.
We went into several observatories
before going over the ridge to visit
the men who had been firing at things
they did not see but who followed
mathematical instructions with dead
ly accuracy.
In every observatory the result Was