The Cordova daily times., 1915-07-01
RE All TRENCHES |NSPECTEDB BY
 REPORTER


 colonel of Bavarian regiment re, gently made the rounds of some five kilometers of trenches in this region with the Associated Press correspond. ent. He was intent on showing two things-frst, that life at the front is not without its compensations, and second. that Germany's opponents may expect to have a difficult time in driv- Ing them out of their comfortable quarters.
 It Is certain that the trenches which he exhibited have not their equal on any of the many fighting fronts Every conceivable "comfort of home" that Is available for trench has been supplled-from shaving mirrors to four post beds. These trenches may In winter time have been the mires of mud and water that have been described, but it seems hard to believe when one sees the even, sloping brick pavements, with drains at regular intervals, and the numerous sanitary arrangements that have been installed.
 Almost a mile back of the real firing line the way dipped into a 'lauf graben" or connecting trench-a mar. row. winding slit in the ground almost seven feet deep and perhaps three feet wide. The soil in that part of France is of clay, In which the deep excava- tions had been made with difficulty but winch never caves in. The walls were as smooth as planed pine board.
 At intervals along the route little steps had been chiseled In the clay. enabling one to climb up and get a view of the whole landscape, includ- ing the French trenches hundreds of yards away. Little lines of brown colored dirt were the only indications that the whole gigantic field was rutted and cut by trenches that later appeared to be interminable.
 After walk of IS or 20 minutes the real trenches, those at the very front, were reached, and one began to see at one and the same time real warfare and the comforts of home combined. Just to make the contrast striking, the cracking noise of rifle fire was broken by the strains of a harmonica
 The fighting trenches differ from the nocnecting runway only in that they are wider, and are reinforced in front with bags of sand or plates of steel through openings in which the soldiers can use their telescopes with out being seen.
 Built into the clay walls were little wooden compartments filled with bul- lets, and alongside of the bullets were little, ngeniously-fashioned flower pots filled with spring blossoms. These flowers. together with any quantity of other decorations, were a feature of almost every yard of the trenches.
 To the rear of the trenches, far underground, and sometimes under the front walls, are the so-called "Unterstande" or shelters, where the soldiers live when not on duty. The approach to those in the rear is usually by connecting trench vary, ing from 10 to 30 yards in length, and almost invariably decorated with flowers.
 The interiors are, under the cir cumstances, surprisingly comfortable Those of the non-commissioned off. cers and division leaders are fitted up for the most part with big four post beds. Many have clocks and carpets on the floors. and nearly all have a crucifix or little altar at which the terrible Bavarians" conduct their deyotions.
 lngeniously arranged bells have been installed in each of these shel- ters 80 that the officer can be sum- moned instantly in case Of attack, without the necessity of going clear down into his little house. Similar 'bells"-often nothing but a piece of Iron with nall for clapper, are placed everywhere In the trenches for warning or summoning the soldiers not on duty.
 The shelters In most cases have soen given fantastic and familiar names-Villa Muenchener Kindl, Villa Astoria and the like. Every trench in addition has the name of street, usually that of some general or popu- lar commander. The runways lead. ing to the officers shelters In many instances are called after the men themselves.
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