Morris tribune., 1915-01-22

of hatred maintain under the conditions of close
association. Forced into unwecome intimacy with your
foe would either ht till of you were killed OF
you would to tolerate, to like another
Hate of those diseases of which it is commonly sad
you either die get it,
So it is surprising to learn that toe soldiers the
firing line not be kept from fraternzng with their
enemies in spite of their officers They dutifuy toss
their hand grenades into the opposing trenches when told
to do but they also throw less dangerous missiles
such canned beef, soup, beans and pudding for the
comparison of their commissariat. when told not to do
So An illicit traffic in newspapers, letters. tobacco and
gramophone records springs up between the lines
Misery loves company and will seek it even in the
ranks of 'aen enemies" In the Woevre regiment had
to be moved because the Germans and French became
friendly as to swimming together at certain hour of
the day in the stream which between the lines At
smother point where the trenches only fifty yards
apart ruined house stood between which still retained
practicable fireplace This being obvious convenience
to both sides it made by mutual consent neutral
ground where both sides could make their tea and
taken that the fire should be kept up and hot water be
always tap We hear of international competi-
ton in Workmanship where target is painted shovel
held just above the rampant while the who holds it
along the trench and the enemy shoots at it, If this
moving target is hit the signaIed by the waving
of flag to the in the other trench and then they in
turn set up the ringed shovel to be shot at
There official armistice Christmas Day, but
the made of their own. This is the way off,
Ger in the Queens Westminster Rifles describes it in
home letter: ''Many of chaps walked out and met
the Germans between the lines went in the after
noon photographed in group of English and Ger
mans mixed We exchanged souvenirs: l got German
ribbon and photo of the Crown Prince of Bavaria The
Germans opposite very decent feIIows-Saxons.
intelligent respectable looking had quite decent
in my notebook
"It was the strangest scene you could imagne-go.
ing out unarmed enemies also unarmed After
talk really think lot of newspaper reports
be horribly exaggerated"
Joint between the lines are not rare as is
natural when the trenches within hearing distance
since of the patriotic, religious and other songs
common to all countries The English may lie singing
"God Save the King" the Germans "He dir i'm Seiger
kranz' and the Americans OF the Foreign Legion 'My
Country IT'S of Thee" but it all sounds the same at
distance and it all much the bottom. Anc
Christmas when German and British soldiers in Flandere
| joined in the hymns it was manifestation off,
deeper harmony that underies the present dscord 1t
not hypocrisy that these should sing together of love
and peace in the intervals of slaughter 1t was tn
revelation of mutual aspiration and DESIRE If Their
any hypocrisy at oil, it the pretense of enmty
not the profession of affection. Men are killing eac
other in Europe. It is true and pity- But than
God. they not hating each other SO much as
seems. That would be worse.-The Independent (Ne1
York;