Bisbee daily review., 1915-02-21
GERMAN ARMIES SING SADDEST
 IF SONGS

WITH ONE OF THE GERMAN ARMIES IN A HAMLET OF NORTH. ERN FRANCE. Feb. Observation made by others that the German sol dier at the front shows preference for sad songs was found to be we'll borne-out during the experience of a night spent by the Associated Press correspondent on the battlefield here One of the most unexpected features of the nights entertainment was hear ing grand opera sung over telephone in the midst of a battle.
 In bomb-proof dug-out. not far from the brigade headquarters in the little Belgian town of H.. where Col onel M- was introducing the news. paper men to the comforts of life un- derground a regimental adjutant sud. denly stepped to one of the field tele phones and announced that all was ready for the concert" The visitors then heard the opening notes of a SC lection from "The Walkure". The dug out was only 400 yards from the fore most trenches. Bullets ana sneus were flying over head. with the cannon add ing their diapason to the music of Wagner Tristan and Isolde" and an old Germau folk song with intricate variations were other numbers or the program
 Who it is." Col M- was asked.
 General van C., the Brigade Com mander' he answered And now. if you like, my lads will give you concert"
 Led a short distance away, to the cellar of a ruined farmhouse. the party found half-a-dozen fresh-faced youths who boasted an improWsed orchestra. One played a mouth-organ Another had mounted half a bicycle bell upon the brass collar of a shell. giving him two clear notes. A third played an ia- strument made from an old soap box and strung with four wires tuned 10 the mouth-organ's key of G. A snare drummer an artist in his line. and the leader, completed the orchestra. The leader who wore a disreputable derbv above his deld-gray uniform, belonged to a highly individual school Of con ducting. would rap on the table, ele- vate his baton-cut fro ma board and command: One, two three. go'" fter playing a number of pieces the soldiers sang
 They sang "Morgenrot' the song Of the soldier who is to die at sunrise: Es geht bel gedaempfter Trommel Klang' the song of the soldier con demned to be shott 70 Strassburg. Q Strassburg' -the song of the relent- less captain, who would not release tha boy to his parents because "there must be soldiers at Strassburg" They sang of home and parents. of the part ng for the war of the lads who will never return. The colonel joined with his las in singing some of the songs Then he sat motionless in a corner Of the little room. looking down at his folded hands, his thoughts somewhere away in the Bavarisn homeland The light of the smoky petroleum lamp fell upon the old soldiers kindly face and betrayed unsoldierly tears in his eyes This was the man who only few hours earlier had told the correspond ents that the war had brutalized him
 There is no doubt about it. war is brutalizing", he had said When the first officer of my regiment fell there was no priest here and ! had 10 read the burial service. ] couldn't finish it. I broke down and wept like a child But now ] can read it clear through
 In common with all the officers at. the front Colonel Ms preconceptions of war had been upset by the reality
 "I never dreamed of such a trench warfare" he said. 'I always expected that we should meet the enemy on the open field, as we did in TO and '7i.I None of us, think, had anticipated this weary lying in the trenches