The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-12-19
SEVERE BLOW
MUST Be STRUCK
Not Until Then Do Soldiers of
England Expect Peace
to Come With
Germany.
HAVE FORGOTTEN OFFER
kaiser's Announcement Not Taken
Seriously by Men Who
Are Doing the
Fighting.
HAVE FORGOTTEN OFFER
[By William Phillip Simms, United
Press Staff Correspondent

[By William Phillip Simms, United
Press Staff Correspondent
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
THE FIELD, Dec. 15.-Delayed) y
The man behind the gun DOESN'T
think an early peace is coming fr Jm
Germany's proposals. He believes\ The
war will end only after the most
vigorous Offensive by the allies has
dealt the enemy severe blow.
The United Press correspondent
got this answer today after visit
up and down the front line trenches.
1t was made with the idea Of f1nG-
ing out whether there was any diff
ference Of opinion between states
men who sit on platforms. diplomats
who gather about green tables-arid
the men who fight.
Moreover, the United Press cores
pondent discovered an unanimous be-
lief that England never was SO ready
and equal to the occasion as now;
her strength increases daily.
These are the opinions Of men, ct
sitting in warm Offices far behind the
liues, nor non-combatants who sip
drinks and fight. battles with pencils
&, on the table cloth, but OF ordinary
British subjects on the actual firing
line-and actually under fire at the
moment they expressed them. 1ney
are the opinions of ordinary soldiers
in the trenches.
At one point less than thirty-five
feet from the enemy, l asked a Scot
tish private: =.
What do you think about peace?"
After moments reflection, ho re-
Piled
"Well, I think another year will
about finish it,
I explained what meant was more
about the kaiser's peace proposals
than the general view.
ooh that's what you mean" he ie-
ioined. ut seems to me like he's
trying to pull our leg bit"
So little impressed had this soldier
been by the kaiser's peace plan that
he had already forgotten it.
His case was typical. Nobody ap-
peared the least excited over the
German peace move. None took it
seriously. All day the British had
been mauling the opposing trenches
with sixty pound trench bombs. The
Germans retailated in lively fashion
for perhaps twenty minutes. The
tommies appeared utterly uncon-
cerned.
'"rhese are plum-puddings they're
putting over one explained.
They make a bit of noise. don't
they? Anyway, they can't keep 1t up
long"
Leaving the trenches, the United
Press cores pondent took to an IN
viting dugout descending deep and
steep ladder and entering narrow
low ceiling corridor like a mine gal
lerv. AS CROPPED and stopped In the
almost pitch black passage there
came family at first and then louder
the sound Of singing and plano ac-
commandment The contrast was
startling. The earth trembled under
the bomb explosions outside, deter
mining Armageddon's issue-and
here in a cavern one soldier played
while the others sang:
If 7 were the only boy in the world
and you were the only girl
The singing ceased at the verses
end, but the pianist kept strumming,
softly gliding from one piece into an
other. 1t was wierd.
AS I entered they struck up They
wouldn't believe me"
THE kaiser's plant said a laugh,
ing voice at the back, explaining that
particular selection.