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 a spetre. with
crumhling walls of demolished build
ings all around. giving the aspect OF
gigantic cemetery with decaying
| headstones.
Christmas spirit visible.
! The rattle OF machine guns struck up
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
were 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 almost paraiail
20 this trench. rockets shooting up into
the air from both lines recalled the
Fourth Of July fire work in America. An
officer explained that this was partly
due to habit.
Fuses are set off every night" che
shines brightly as tonight, and besides
the Germans may. as last year. have an
idea that we are going at them before
morning"
The fuses multiplied at the approach
OF midnight and on the stroke OF 12
o'clock, the line as far as the horizon
was Illuminated as by a long line OF
brilliant stars. Flashes OF different coiors
could be seen far away to the north.
although no reports were heard.
Several miles up the deep wide ditch
with twelve inches OF challxy mud at its
bottom. ust far enough from the Ger
man line TO permit tranquil sleep, soldiers
entertained each other with simple folk
songs and examined parcels from home
and talked Of victory.
Germans sing.
They are singing over there" said a
soldier just back from the first line
trench referring TO the Germans. They've
got an orchestra and they're shouting to
beat the band, but it does not sound
very gay"
Meanwhile the ifnpromptu the concert
in the trenches went on in tones that
were light, gay and confident Tht same
phrase was heard I'm all the toasts given
here. 1t is peace through victory"
little farther from the trenches In
a bombarded barn covered by an impro-
vised roof the midnight watch was pre-
coded by a concert IN which the actor
soldiers who had joked the military on
the stage in peace times, reversed the
order OF things and with the greatest zest
caricatured the civilian behind the zone
occupied by the armies.
Women In Evidence.
All along the roads In this region two
lines passed in different directions. some
with pick. shovel and rifle, were going
to take their turn Ia the trenches while
others were going back TO the old vii
lage church 70 swell the congregation.
Officers, including generals. colonies,
captains and lieutenants, with sprlnk-
ling Of civilians an dmany women were
in attendance.
AS In the quarters Of the soldiers near
the trenches, everything in the attitude
Of the service brought out the same
note:
Peace through victory"
A stretcher bearer, with a military
medal. and grenid'er with war cross
on his breast. sang "a Christmas anthem
to the accompaniment Of the modest old
organ played by a simple soldier with
such master hand that the strains were
quite Inspiring as the best cathedral
music. The last notes. Peace on earth.
good will toward men" died away as the
congregation was filing out Of the little
church, while in the distance the booming
OF cannon recalled, mo truce for Christ
mas"