Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-07

-,
ing is dangerous in the daytime, so
that the last laps, near the fighting
line, start at dusk and go steadily
through the night"
And besides the activity of the high
way, the fields alongside were equally
busy Here a cavalry camp was post
ed, and horses were tethered, not by
hundreds, but by thousands. At one
side spur of railroad had been run
to camp depot and here the freight
cars were unloading supplies and the
army vans were carrying them for
ward. Soldiers and camp followers
and peasants were working at their
innumerable occupations. One of
these groups massed at a crossroad,
looked like a market-scene in Jerusa-
lem, with all races and language
Africans from Algiers and mongrel
Moors from the borders of Tunis and
Morocco, Senagalese as black as coal,
and yellow-faced Anamites; most of
these French colonials in fez and
zouave outfit; along with the French
poilus in their gray-blue uniforms,
soiled and grimey, and steel casques;
and French territorials in the oid-time
red and blue uniform with baggy
trousers.
No Confusion
The most striking thing in this great
field of activity was the regularity
with which it was all going on, sug-
gesting a perfection and sureness of
organization There was no confus-
ion. and this tremendous machinery
of warfare was running with the pre-
cision and smoothness of the delicate
works of watch.
General Antoina and Minister pain
leve now turned off to the living quar-
ters. The big barracks stretched for
half a mile ahead-substantial tenn
porary one-story structures of cor
rugated iron with an inner double
sheathing of heavy paper felt. There
was a blast of bugles and a ruffle of
drums, saluting the Commanding Cen
eral and the Minister. And as the
sharp notes sounded, hundreds of
French soldiers-the poilus - who
were camped along the route, chat
ting in groups. sitting at rough bench
es, and doing their hundreds of little
camp duties, sprang to attention and
stood there like statues as the General
passed by. Those with guns brought
the piece sharply to present arms,
while most of the poilus, taken un-
awares in their rough-and- ready garb,
were without arms and saluted with
the right hand at the cap.
Striking Scene
1t was a striking scene, these poilus
standing rigid, lot in regular array,
but scattered and massed for half a
mile along dusty battle-route, some on
the road, others on the rising slopes,
with their Commanding officer pas
sing among them. The General paus-
ed as we neared one group of twenty
grimey soldiers ranged beside a field
kitchen, the ovens smoking and CIV
ing off an odor of soldier rations.
Are the men content with he
food" asked the General, halting and
addressing by name one of the poi
lus.
"Yes. my General" answered the
poilu, his face beaming.
And the. rice, do the men like it,"
queried the General.
mo, my General they will not eat
it,"
The poilu was very definite in con-
demning the rice portion of the ra-
ton, and had no hesitation in express
ing this disapproval to the General.
General Antoine asked many other
questions as to the food, and was an
way.
This was a typical encounter be-
tween the Commanding General of an
Army Corps and plain French poilu,
and it showed the inherent democracy
of the French army, the real COM
radrie between officers and men.
Here was Corps Commander ad-
dressing a private soldier Familiarity
by name, and knowing the name of
this one man in forty thousand en-
countered by hazard, for they say
General Antoine knows every man by
name in his corps.
Entering the barracks, the poilus
were ranged at attention alongside
their long lines of hunks. Everything
was spic and span; floors clean, bed
clothes piled neatly, mattresses sun
ming in the windows. There was the
same orderly arrangement in the huge
eating quarter, kitchens and else
where. Outside the barracks, on the
sloping terrace, the poilus had plant
ed artistic flower beds, with huge let
ters In flowers spelling Joffre, Castel-
nau, Antoine and the other command
ers A huge stock of shells rose
among the flowers and the poilus
had stood some of these monster
shells on end with bunch of flowers
and French flag in the nose of the
projectiles.
General Antoine took a personal
interest in the depot d'eclopes," as
| 1t is called-an extensive organiza-
ton run by slightly wounded men.
General Antoine originated the idea
and it has spread all through the
army, these depots back of the front
doing scores of helpful little duties
for the men on the firing line. Here
there was an immense laundry turning
out a wash of 10000 pieces.
''It helps the man in the trench to
have clean shirt said General An
tome as he showed the stocks of fan
mel shirts about to be returned to the
men In front
Discusses Mexico
There were kitchen gardens for
fresh vegetables, forges for mending
trench tools. armories for cleaning
guns, a candle factory, and innumer-
able other activities, all run by SOL
diers who had lost q finger or the
edge of an ear. or had some other
slight wound temporarily ipcapacitat-
ing them.
At night the party became General