The Washington times., 1915-05-25
Soldiers Good Friends
Except During Battle
American Writes of Virtual Truce in Trenches-Says
Allies Will Re-enforce Italy for Great Drive
Against Austria, Revealing Great Strategy.
BY JUDSON C. WELLIVER.

That the soldiers on both sides. in the
long line of trenches across France and
Belgium. have established a virtual
truce among themselves. and maintain
ed it since before Christmas. Is one OF
the remarkable statements contained in
a personal letter which reached Wash
ington today from England.
1t Is explained that the troops are per-
fectly willing to fight. and do 1t mag
lnificently, for the purpose of any for
ward movement: but they see no sense
In continual sniping at each other. and
despite orders have practically sus-
pended hostilities aside from the real
movements.
The writer of the letter from which
the statement is culled is n former
American official. now engaged in bust
ness in England. His sources Of infor-
| nation are of the highest; and he
| writes many things which the censor
| ship has suppressed in Great Britain.
though some of them have become
known in this country.
Allies To Aid Italy.
| Among the most striking statements
| he makes Is that France has agreed
to send 100000 troops to the aid of
Italy, in consideration of Italy enter
| ing the war on the side of the allies;
| and he adds that In England 1t is un-
derstood in official quarters that Eng
| land has duplicated this offer. In other
| words. instead of Italy sending re-en-
| forcements to France for the opera
| tions along the line in the north OF
| France, Italy Is herself to be re-en-
forced by both France and Britain and
| the campaign against Austria from the
Italian base is to be made. just as soon
as possible. one OF the great and vital
movements of the war. in the hope
that Austria can be utterly crushed
out and the pressure upon Russia re-
| lieved.
The big strategy Of the war Is sug-
| gested in the following extract:
| "kitchener's army of 100000 Is still
| in this country. and presumably is wait
Ing until certain political moves are
made in hope of taking Germany on
| the flank, since practically the trench
| lines are impregnable on both sides.
Also, Germany has 1000 900 trained vol
, unteers (men excused from conscrip-
| tom that she is now putting on the
| firing line. You see, she produced
| 1000 900 men year and has only
| taken SOC. 600 into the army each year, so
| so there Is great reserve.
| Despite orders. the men in the two
lines of trenches have maintained
virtual truce since before Christmas.
| They will fight most bravely for any
| forward movement. but they can't see
the serse of continually sniping at each
other.
Machine Guns For Bread.
THE German and French soldiers
have carried on regular traffic for
months. This reached its climax when
the Germans traded two machine guns
for a supply of bread. The French SOL
diers turned In the guns az captured.
and somebody got the order Of merit.
The English army at the front Is mag
; nificently provided. and wants for
, nothing.
and or the coast OF Holland last week,
. seventy-two vessels strong, though the
fact was never published here. We did
learn merely that all communication
was never published here, but 1t has
now been announced that traffic may
again go forward: don't know what
, happened even yet"
The foregoing paragraph suggests how
much better American newspaper read
ers are frequently served with real news
or the war than Europeans are per-
mitted to enjoy. The appearance of
, the German fleet ip the North Sea was
duly recorded here and published in all
the papers together with the announce
ments that traffic to Holland was cut
Off. then reopened
Deliberate Policy"
Concerning Belgian conditions. some
entirely new impressions are given by
this writer. He says:
The Germans sin Belgium did adopt
deliberate policy Of terrorization.
know a man. competent observer. who.
; while a prisoner. saw the Germans de-
liberately set fire to twenty-six separate
Belgian homes without allowing the peo-
} pie to escape. He also saw three bodies
taken from one of the houses. The peas
ant lying next to my informant said
That Is my own home and then he
, broke down, buried his face in the straw
, and cried.
My informant saw bayonet wounds in
: eleven people. including one little girl
and has their sworn statements that
they were thus wounded while being
used as cover for German troops advanC-
ing into Belgian towns. He tells me
the German war book authorizes such
use of civilians l don't know this.
. The Belgian relief authorities are
l making one last appeal to the Emperor
| of Germany to secure guarantee tina,