Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-05-14
IS BACK FROM
The War ZONE
BISMARCK BOY ON
IMPORTANT MISSION FOR
THE A GOVERN.
MENT.
OF HIS IMPRESSIONS
H. F. Mclean Speaks of the Splen
did Work of the Canadian
Soldiers.
Tells OF HIS IMPRESSIONS

The following clipping from a Hall
fax paper is of particular interest to
Bismarck people for the reason that
Fl. f. Mclean, who tells Of his eX-
%periences in the war zone, is a for
mer Bismarck boy, having graduated
from the Bismarck high school in the
.c,,ass of 1902. lie is now connected
with the Cook construction company,
operating in Canada. The item fol.
lows:
At Neuve ChappeIIe.
II. II. Mclean, general manager of
the Cook Construction company, ar
rived in Halifax yesterday. Mr.. Nc
Lean has just returned from England
France and Belgium on the steamship
Lusitania, where he was sent on an
important mission by the Dominion
government. The Canadian govern
mcnt is contributing a corps for the
reconstruction of destroyed or dam
aged railways and bridges in France
and Belgium. The government of
Canada required the services of a thor
ough!y competent and practical rail
way man to make a report for the
guidance of the Canadian unit, and
Mr.. Mclean was chosen for this i'm
pOrtant work. Mr.. Mclean was Oyer
the recent battle ground Of Neuve
Chappelle and all over the scene Of
the early struggles which took place
in the first rush of the Germans for
Paris. He also visited the trenches
along the battle line now being held
by the English, French and Belgians.
While at the front he was billeted
with the staff at General French's
headquarters.
When seen by a representative OF
The Halifax Herald Mr.. Mclean was
reticent as to The exact location and
characted of his work except that it
was somewhere in France He had
many interesting experiences and OBJ
servations to relate.
Confidence Of English,
Mr.. Mclean said that what i'm
pressed him most-was the absolute
confidence of the English and French
in the ultimate triumph of the allies
and the crushing of Germany as q
nation" He said that st is just be-
ginning to dawn upon the German
soldiers that their task is hopeless
and that ultimate defeat awaits them.
They are becoming rapidly disillus-
Toned concerning the German stories
of the universal success of German
arms. Very many of the German
soldiers are glad of the first oppor-
tunity to throw down their arms and
surrender, and seem glad to be taken
prisoners. However, he thinks it a
mistake to imagine that the Germans
are almost beaten. He rather depre.
Gates the excessive confidence of the
French, and particularly the British.
He fully expects to see some serious
reverses before the British people at
home realize as fully as they should
the seriousness of the problem with
which the nation is confronted. The
army at the front has a pretty full
realization Of it. 1t is a big business
proposition" and, Mr.. Mclean said,
"is being handled in a big and serious
business way"
Mr.. Mclean thinks there has been
a great deal Of e~xaggeration concern
ing the work of the British soldiers
are doing as compared with their al
lies. In the west the French are bear
ing the heaviest shock of the battle.
They are maintaining a battle line of
nearly 400 miles, while the British
are holding a line of only thirty-five
miles. OF course the allies appreci-
ate the great work and Influence of
the British navy. But it must also
be borne in mind that the French navy
is playing no insignificant part"
Mr.. Mclean was very much impress
ed, on the occasion of his visit, with
the way the Canadian soldiers were
working. Their great versatility