The Detroit times., 1916-06-23
Rx hERRERT COREY.

ANopyrikhts lbios W heESeh N'NS'
AT THE FRONT IN FRANCE.
June ga regiment passed our
quarters last night. on the way to
the rest camp from the trenches.
They were the most desperately
tired men / have ever seen. They
marched In some sort OF formation
Il IL true-the tours were roughly
preserved-but they tramped on
with a doggedness that told In every
painful motion OF the utter fatigue
that possessed them. They were III
orally plastered with mud that had
dried on and caked of and dried on
again. Their eyes were glazed.
Every third or fourth mans mouth
had sagged open. as though tue
muscles OF the face were no longer
equal 10 the task OF keeping the
law in place. Some OF them liter
ally stumbled. Not one In ten had
his shoulders set back and his head
up.
"How about the morale of such
men," one asks. What Is their
spirit?"
Consider what they have been go
ing through. For their siX-day tours
In the trenches they have been
in Anger.touch OF death for every
minute OF the time. The lombard
mont never ceases on the Nerdun
front now. by day or night. Sleep
has been a practical impossibillty
~ sleep were not prevented by other
things Il would still be an impos'
sibility by reason OF the mere physi.
cal discomfort They are soaked
through. Each has one blanket ana
a tent.cover, both of which nave
long been wet through and nelther
Of which would ever turn more 'hah
q light shower. The nights are sun
hit,ar,v cold here in the hills, II
they lapse into unconsclousness II
Is one OF exhaustion. II cannot oe
refreshing slumber.
"Tbcn We are so damned hun
rry." complained the soldier 10
whom | talked.
Headquarters does It's best 10 s''
food into the trenches OF course
Bnt the Germans shell the communl'
cation trenches continually Inc
corvees-men told off TO carry 1000
and drink to the fghting men-are
In enormous danger. Others may
take shelter when the shells begin
10 fall. The men OF the corVees
must 20 forward. Last night COT
Geo NJ IA men started for one sector
NJ the line. A shell put nine OF
Thorn out OF action by death or
wounds An officer told the others
IN take shelter. Ten hours amer
ward they started back to the
kitchens for more soup. The hrst
had been spilled. A typical case
is Of 90 men in the trenches VINO
had Ave loaves and two buckets OF
rcd wine In three days. One can
fancy the effect that has upon the
spirit
But what Of your morale
- don't know" said the soldier
81 don't know. cannot answer your
question"
Soldiers Hate War
He is an American, this chap OF
good education and good blood. The
word comes that he has been rec
ommended for commission. There
could be no better man TO test the
shirt Of the men with whom he has
bccn fghting shoulder 10 shoulder
for - months. But he could not
,g,wer the question definitely. They
&c all tired OF the war, said he,
so would not be? Eternal cold
md hunger and hard work AMI
death
"Do YOU know what they call a
slight injury?" he asked. IAN arm
broken or hand shot to pieces, or
something like that? a happy
wound That's what. A happy
wound II Will take them 10 the
hospital. Maybe they can stay at
home"
They growled good deal ne said
But that did not really count. That
was just dissatisfaction. The march.
ing men might encounter an old ter
ritorial at work mending roads.
Some one was sure TO call out TO
him:
"Wil we get them?"
The old territorial would always
straighten his bent shoulders and
a sparkle would come in his eyes.
and nc would growl In his whis'
kered throat.
"Ah. the dirty boches! Sure we
will get them"
Yes" the reply would come.
Well get them. Vermin and frozen