Omaha daily bee., 1915-12-27
THROUGH
VICTORY SLOGAN
IN The TRENCHES
Soldiers Sing Christmas Carols on
Firing Line While Cannon
Boom and Shells Fly
Through Air
VAUDEVILLE GIVEN AT FRONT
Men Turn from Business Of Killing
to Celebrating the Birth
of Christ.
GERMAN ORCHESTRA IN TRENCH


ARRAS. ON THE FRENCH
FRONT, Dec. 26,~Hundreds Of big
shells tore the air over Arras all Fri
day afternoon. The echoes of these
were the last compliments of the sea-
son and they had no sooner died away
than the life of Arras began to show
itself through re-opened cellar doors
and windows in preparation for the
usual Christmas eve festivities.
After the usual systematic she'll
ing died down, rifle shots and occas-
sional rattle of machine guns was all
that broke the Stiffness of death that
settled over the city. The cathedral
stood out against the twilight in
ragged ruins like spetre, with
crumbling walls of demolished build
ings all around. giving the aspect of
a gigantic cemetery with decaying
headstones.
Christmas spirit Visible.
Inc Tuttlt OF Indcnlne GUNS tlIuCk w
again and few rifle shots rang through
the clear air. Toward o'clock. the soft
strains OF an organ were heard from an
invisible soruce.
Santa Claus and the Christmas spirit
Notwithstanding the war. were in evil
dence everywhere along the Atols bat
tie front where the Associated Press cor
respondents passed Christmas eve. They
we're in the trenches and shelters with
the simple soldiers. In the temporary
barracks where the traditional Christmas
eve theater was replaced by an impro-
vised concert and vaudeville that almost
rivalled the best that Paris could do
in the time OF peace. In the quarters
where the officers celebrated with no less
simplicity and dignity and in the first
little church. still defying shell fire. that
one finds behind the battle front, mid
night mass was celebrated.
Rockets Let Loose.
From the road running aimpHt paraiai
! 20 this trench. rockets shooting up int
the air from both lines recalled tn
Fourth Of July fire work in America. Al
! officer explained that this was partl
due to habit.
Fuses are set off every night" th
officer explained. 'even when the moor
shines brightly as tonight, and beside
the Germans may. as last year. have al
idea that we are going at them befor,
morning"
The fuses multiplied at the approach
of midnight and on the stroke OF
O'clock. the line as far as the horizon
was illuminated as by a long line o
brilliant stars. Flashes OF different color
could be seen far away TO the north
! although no reports were heard.
, Several miles up the deep wide dltcl
with twelve inches OF chalky mud at IL
bottom, ust far enough from the Ger
man line TO permit tranquil sleep, soldier
entertained each other with simple foil
songs and examined parcels from hom'
and talked Of Victory.
Germans sing.
"They are singing over there said
soldier just back from the first lln'
trench referring TO the Germans. "They'v
got an orchestra and they're shouting I,
beat the band. but 1t does not soun,
very gay"
Meanwhile the iinpromptu the concer
in the trenches went on in tones tha
were light gay and confident. Tht sam
phrase was heard in all the toasts give
here. 1t is peace through victory"
little farther from the trenches IL
bombarded barn covered by an lmpro.
vlsed roof. the midnight watch was pre-
ceded by a concert In which the actor
soldiers who had Joked the military or
the stage in peace times, reversed ths
order OF things and with the greatest zes
caricatured the civilian behind the zon,
occupied by the armies.
Women In Evidence.
All along the roads In this region tw,
lines passed in different directions. som,
with pick. shovel and rifle were golnl
to take their turn in the trenches. Will,
others were going back 10 the old vii
lage church 20 swell the CONGREGATION
Officers, including generals. colonies
captains and lieutenants, with sprink
ling OF civilians an dmany women wer'
In attendance.
AS In the quarters OF the soldiers neal
the trenches, everything in the attitude
OF the service brought out the sam'
note:
Peace through victory"
A streteher bearer. with a militar,
medal. and a grenid'er. with war eros
on his breast. sang a Christmas anthem
to the accompaniment of the modest ol'
organ played by a simple soldier will
such master hand that the strains wer
quite inspiring as the best cathedrs
music. The last notes. Peace on earth
good will toward men," died away as tn
congregation was filing out Of the littl
church, while In the distance the booming