Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-25
SOLDIERS IN WAR
BELIEVERS IN LUCK
Many Who Are at the Front Expect
to Be Killed, with Feeling that
They Cannot Escape
Their Fate.
TAKE CHANCES AND B1DE TIME


Correspondence OF the Associated Press)
PARIS. April 17.-"Many OF us, soldiers
and officers" says an officer who has
been at the front since the beginning Of
the war, have faith in a mysterious
power analogous to antique fatality
which disposes OF our sort. Those that
Il favors we say are In luck The great
est imprudence does hot affect their in
vulnerability. Others seem fated 10 sac
rifice: Il they escape from n pitched bat
lie, a spent ball or a fragment Of shell
win get them the following day. miles
behind the trenches, while they are in
apparent security.
This instructive belief brings n Ger
tain tranquility, not only TO those who
think that they are in luck, but to those
also who are in doubt whether they pos
eess a lucky star. No one escapes his
fate they say. II one is slated for
DEATH what's the good Of taking pro
cautions: the bullet that's intended for
me will find me.
Certain cases seem TO bear out this
superstition. One of them was related
by an officer Of the general staff. tail.
cool. almost as phlegmatic as an Eng
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careful TO exaggerate nothing that he
seems to contemplate the most tragic
events with the wrong end OF his SPY
glass.
Expected 20 he KILLED.
IT ought to have been killed 100
times he told me. AT the moment OF
the general mobilization l was in the
staff Of the general Of division, to whom
. was personally attached after years Of
very close collaboration; he treated rue
somewhat as his personal aide-de-camp.
] went everywhere with him. a few
days after the declaration OF war he was
Informed OF the death OF his wife. whom
] knew he adored. He concealed his
pain. but understood at once that the
blow had morally crushed him and that
ne had made up his mind 10 get him
self killed. lie took me with him where
The bullets were thiokest The division
was on the eastern frontier. ana along
side the storms Of shrapnel that burst
above our heads tho German lombard
ments Of today are small Incidents Every
other day We went 10 the first line. and
while the men lying round us fired AT
the Germans. we remained erect TO en-
courage them.
"one afternoon we had passed fout
hours under the enemy's shells. From
time 20 time said 10 myself, I'm ten 81
even IN five minutes, perhaps. it'll be
my turn" But we were neither of US
touched. Another day. after a very
violent engagement In which we hat
been obliged TO give way. one OF oul
batteries remained stuck between the
two armies. I proposed 10 reconnoitrt
tho position TO see II Il was possible e
bring Il back. 1 intended to 20 alons
and e come back quickly. But the gen
eral declared he would go along II wal
vain 70 remark that II was not his place
he replied with some feeling that he hat
no orders 70 receive from me.
sterns Of BaIlets.
Everything went well and we reache,
this position Of the battery wifhsut an,
trouble There remained only two me.
mater and a private soldier. guarding
the battery. firing with all their energ,
20 mako tho enemy believe that th'
poaition was stilI occupied IN force. w,
succeeded m getting the pieces int,
shape and dragting them out Of danger
but instead Of Following the direct rout,
toward our lines the general propose,
that we make a little dctour. I'm order,
he said. that tho men may not have IN,
impression that we arc retreating." w,
followed a route on the aide Of hin
whlolt during several hundred yard
passed ever q 0pace o. absolutely uneov
cred ground between the two firing lines
II had been alone should have covere,
that space at double quick. The genera
though. declarcd that this precipitation
would have produced a bad effect upoi
the troops. so Il was at a walk that w
crossed this exposed ground offering our
selves a. targets 10 the German In
fantry.
The balls whistied around us inees
santiy--so thicAly that tho leaves on IN
trees along the route fell as In Al
autumn storm. Neither OF US received
scratch. neither were our horses touched
! asked the general n he did not think
marvellous that we should have passe
unscathed through this storm OF bullet,
He shook his head sadly and said: 9Th
bullets don't seem 20 want me-" As 70
me. since that trial there Is nothing tina
surprises me. I sincerely believe I'm
luck and am quite sure that the Ger
mans win never get me-"
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