The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-02-09
CORRESPONDENT ..:s 81:
V|v|DLY DESCRIBES
war IN TRENCHES I
E. J. D. Larson Pictures Life on
the French Battle
Line.
SHIPPERS ARE SHOWN
IN ACTION IN CITIES
Minneapolis Journalist, Fresh From
Hostilites, Gives
Lecture.
SHIPPERS ARE SHOWN - ~
IN ACTION IN CITIES


was brought to Bemidji last evening,
or to use more accurate figure, a
number Of Bemidjites were taken to
the firing line in France and given
some glimpses of the present war as
it really is being fought. E. J. D..
Larson, war correspondent of the
Minneapolis Tribune, and his stere-
opticon views were the agency by
which this was done and it was done
we'll.
This lecture, delivered at the city
hall under the auspices of the Be-
midji Elks, left with the audience
vivid impressions of the drab, mon
otonous and lack-lustre kind of war;
fare that characterizes the worlds
greatest conflict. 1t was useful in
clearing away misapprehensions and
bringing into strong sense of
realism the life of the soldiers and
the tremendous sacrifices of the peo-
pie concerned in the whole affair.
Three Months at Front.
Mr.. Larson spent three months
last summer and fall on the French
front, and he took pains to avoid
anything savoring of partisanship in
his descriptions and comment. While
acknowledging many courtesies at the
hands of the Allies he maintained his
neutrality throughout the lecture.
He also paid his respects to the Ger
mans for refraining from training
their guns on him when they had an
opportunity. He therefore had a
kindly feeling for both sides, he
said. Speaking of sympathies enter
tanned in this country, he declared
that there was only one kind of .hy-
phen which appealed to him and that
was the Observation-Disclosures. =
Before displaying his pictures he
said that three questions were fire.
quently asked him. They are, "Are
things really as bad over there as
people are told in the things they
read" "How long will the war
last?" ''Who will win?''
Accounts Are Good.
Replying to these questions he
said he had never read anything
which showed the absurd extremes of
fighting such as they were actually
reached in this war. The worlds
brightest intellects were constantly
concocting schemes to destroy hu-
man life, he stated. Devices are
now being employed not conceived of
at the beginning of the war. Re-
garding the end of the war, he said
that he felt this year would see a
ray of hope indicating the approach
ing end. AS to who would win, Mr..
Larson would not express himself,
although he stated that he felt like
repeating the remark of one who an
swered the question by saying:
"Who won the San Francisco earth
quaker"
Preparedness Doomed.
AS to the question of preparedness
he believed that President Wilson, s
plan of a continental army is doomed
in advance.
About 200 striking pictures were
shown by Mr.. Larson, taken on the
French front. His first visit to the
battle line trenches was made under
military escort, about so miles from
Paris. Scenes from many trenches
were shown. The life led by the
soldiers was clearly described.
Many phases of the actual opera.
tions were illustrated and described
vividly and entertainingly in a dis
course of about two hours duration
and the entire audience went ava,
very we'll informed about the war.
small crowd attended the lecture.
Mrs. Hanna Sender made fina
proof on her homestead near Islan(