El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-09
LOSE
FEAR Of DEATH
''If You're Killed, You're
Killed." Says Tommy At
kins;; $50 Why Worry?"
BY FREDERICK PALMER.

British Headquarters IN France, March
British veterans have long ceased to
fear death TO the extent Of brOOdinS
about it. They have become fatalists'
If you're killed. you're killed; so
why worry about it2' one Of them said
while the correspondents were being
taken for tour Of the trenches.
From Mons TO Tpres the British reg
ulars gained familiarity with death.
Very proud are the men VINO have stuck
it through from the time Of the British
landing until now. When one Of them
was asked about it. he said:
Just luck. that's all Maybe I'll set
II from a sniper when this winter is
Profanity Is Abolished.
At night all the work in the neigh
borhoOd Of the trenches is done. Across
the fire zone behind the trenches, food
and timbers and everything needed in
the trenches is carried up by hand in
walloW Of mud ct one hears no srOwl-
ing or swearing. when it would seem
that human irritation must have an
escape valve.
Profanity comes too high" said
soldier. The Germans may hear you
and then turn loose. And it may not
only cost you your life. but your pals
Machine Guns Always Busy.
With darkness falling over the flat
country and the buildings becoming
shadOWy, the correspondents walked
away from the cover Of a village with
the commanding officer Of that section
Of the front, with the rattle Of ma
chine gun growing louder toward the
trench. Whenever anyone goes near
the front. he is bound to hear the ma
chine gun. even in this quiet spot OF
the British front
They can't be firing at any definite
object in the dark?' QHeried cores
pOndenL
.Perhaps-perhaps not" the officer
replied. The gun is laid for the TOP OF
their trench. We don't hold down the
fire too much, as We want the Germans
to know We are on deck"
Are we in bullet range YETI was
asked
--Rather-5OO yards. That's why We
don't walk up in the day time. The
flares you see are going up from the
German trenches" replied the OFFICER
These flares, like Fourth Of July
rockets. threw a glare over the soouen
fields and revealed the faces Of the cor
respondents and the officer and out
lined their figures
f1n that way they keep watch TO see
thar we are not creeping up Tor an at
tack" the officer added
Insist on Seatness.
Another 800 Yards Of plunSing IN
mud and the correspondents descended
into the wet earth behind tiers Of sand
bags and were walking on board walk
at the bottom OF a great ditch step
The commanding officer pulled aside a
curtain and a lieutenant came out OF
his cellar. looking neat enough Tor a
parade Neatness under any conditions
is a point with the British officer and
be keeps his men up TO IL. II Is amaz-
ing how private Thomas Atkins in this
sea of mud keeps clear OF it
III the men get careless Of their
7ppezrance and in their habits say the
officers. this means carelessness IN
ne trenches. which would be fatal I
Thorouehness Of detail and industry |
ire Of paramount Importance in this 1
kind Of war
Behind curtains, in the same kind OF !
.eIIars ~ inc officers occupy. were SOL I
Tiers living on board floors In their 4
blankets above the water line. A SUB
,ltern was Up for questioning when the I
commanding officer found one or the 1
,uu1ps was not working. Pumping I
lone. keeps the trenches from being 4
To01pn