The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-12
Less Typhoid Than In
Times of Peace, He
Declares
BATTLES FOUGHT
AMID FLOWERS
'TemperamentaP Pi0u-
PiOus Running Con-
trary to Form
BY WILLIAM PHILLIP sIAMs.

BY WILLIAM PHILLIP SIhMS.
(Stdr Correspondent U1ited Press.)
PARIS. April i2.--The most i'm.
portant--probahly the most decisive
campaign OF the great war--has be.
gun with the French army In the
pink OF conditbn." stronger and
more effective by far than nj the
beginning last summer
have just returned from the
trenches. Spring has come 20 the
var zone. Anemones and dande-
Ions carpet the green spaces be-
:ween the earthworks and cluster
about the noes made by German
shells. Ihe preliminary. clashes OF
he great death struggle in north
srn France are being fought amid n
.airyIand OF Wild flowers.
BY officiai invitation I made a trip
20 tho French front. going north.
ward rs far as the British zone OF
operations Pefore leaving the
French headquarters was told I
might see anything wished.
Tho French army has nothing to-
conceal from neutral eyes, said an
officer at headquarters.
with this permission TO roam al
most at will along the battle front.
| was able TO remain for a long
line In the front trenches OF the
French army both day and night.
(n.ns
" the Germans. II was the hrst
line foreign correspondent had
been given such freedom OF action
and the first time neutral had
been enabled personally 10 observe
he behavior OF the French army
under such conditions that there
.ouid not possibly have been any
-tidying" OF fixing up" saw the
French army as IL actually Is. and
As Il actually enters the third and
probably the last phase OF the fight
ng.
or one thing am certain, the
worlds opinion OF Frenchmen Is due
or Revolutionary change. For
here Is a tremendous difference be
.ween the temperamental, retrous-
.red soldiers each man seemingly
4 bundle OF nerves--which the world
,aw march away last August. and
he horizon blue uniformed, grimly
determined, muddy bulldogs whom
watched carefully potting Ger
mans from the trenches in France
and Flanders.
I saw nothing which struck home
moro forcefully. never saw a
more businesslIke lot. They have
tesystematized their lives. At war
hey 20 TO the front trenches like
hey used to go to work While
here they work industriously, shoot
ng with the same painstaking care
1 master mechanic observes at his
atho. When resting back OF the
ine. they laugh. sing or play musi-
sal instruments. according TO their
temperament
The only trouble we have with
,ur men comes on warm. sunshiny
tayos uh Ouittt toiu Ilit. lHtt
want 10 know why they cant at.
ack. since all winter they have
,een promised action when the
Ipring sunshine comes
Both officers and men speak OF
,cace IA long way on. unless un-
expected developments bring sud
Ion end to hostilities. But I saw no
nan who had the slightest doubt OF
IN ultimate victory.
Nobody believed last summer
hat tho French soldier would be
lbis TO fight this sort OF a war"
rronch ofr1cer admitted. "He IN run
ling contrary TO all form and has
,roken all precedent. Nobody be-
ieved the Frenchman possessed suf.
lcient patience TO remain in the
rcnches all winter. In short. France
ias won n moral victory over her
fCcrtinued ON Page rwo)
Me- Msua.rlu CAFE c~~-~- r-s-