The Cordova daily times., 1916-10-04
PICTURE UNCLE [ GAM VERDUN
 FRONT


 here, in the forest of Argonne, there Is remarkable military tunnel, forty. five feet under ground, running right up to within 300 yards of the German trenches. It is one of the most hard. pressed points around Verdun, but through this tunnel endorsements are moved forward without danger, relieving every two hours the men on the firing line.
 There was a very American atmos- phere about this tunnel when the As sociated Press correspondent visited it for the curious fact developed that the two officers in command were American residents. one a stock raiser in Alberta, Canada. and the other a bank official of the Franco-American Bank at Los Angeles, Cal Both were born in France, and when the war broke out left their American business to come home and fight And now they are in full charge of this under ground highway, leading up to one of the most desperate positions along the front. They are so American that they speak English instead of French and the commandant's headquarters a little nest in the clay-has a big picture of Uncle Sam hanging on the wall
 Creeping through this tunnel toward the front line, the members of the visiting party knocked their steel casques on the roof and plunged through water ankle deep. Paul Cra- vath. the New York lawyer, man of large build six feet six inches tall was bent double in the struggle through the tunnel. Along the way they passed an electric plant, throb- bing with energy, and pumping the fresh air which keeps the tunnel habi- table, Farther on, in a large clay hole a kitchen was in full operation, with soldiers eating bowls of noodles.
 Let me introduce you to our chef, ' said the commandant, as a young sol dier cook came forward. "He is now the cook for this tunnel and he ought to be a good cook, for before the war he was chef to the French ambassador at Rome"
 Emerging from the tunnel into the front line French trenches, the Ger man trenches were plainly visible on the crest only 300 yards away. The intervening space was swept as though by cyclone. Instead of the beautiful green of the forest, that was left at the other end of the tunnel, here the whole outlook was gray and desolate; the ground jagged and torn as by eccentric ploughs; not a vestige of grass or yerdure, and the few gaunt trunks of trees stripped of their last leaf and looking like so many scarecrows.
 This has been a rather quiet day only two mine explosions.' said the cnmmandant two men injured, one in the shoulder, the other in the leg. That is little, for often we have 40 to G0 men killed or injured in these mine explosions, which go on con tinually as the Germans try to mine under our trenches and we try to mine under theirs"
 Even beyond the front line French trenches, the French soldiers had pushed their observation posts into the fire-swept dividing line, 300 yards wide. Some of these daring men could be seen almost up to the crest where the German line ran. They were crouched behind heaps of bout. ders, rifles ready.
 Those men are only ten yards from the Germans" said the commandant
 As he spoke Mir. Crayath of New York, said
 q see a German; there he is on the crest; you can see his uniform with the round cap.'
 And he sees you, too, said the commandant You have been under fire" he added, as he led Mir. Cravath and the others to a more secure DO sition.
 Its good that German didn't fire, remarked Cravath Tt might have been an international incident Think of it - killing an American visitor tc the French trenches"
 Coming back from the front line trenches. one had a view of the many ceaseless activities in carrying on this great battle At one point soldiers in shilt sleeves were digging graves