Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-20
AMERICAN PARTY
ESCAPES BULLETS;
SHOWERED BY HUNS
Were in Front Line Trench at
Dixmude When First Shell
Comes Over Sounded Like
an AirpIane

BRITISH FRONT IN BELGIUM. Fri
day. Nov. 16.-CBy the Associated
Press )-Eiye members OF the party OF
American congressman and private cit;-
zens who spent yesterday ana part of
today visiting the Belgian war zone had
= narrow escape from death or injury
this morning when they were caught in Z
sudden burst Of German machine gum
Are while inspecting the front line
trenches near Dixmude
The Americans in danger were Con-
gresham c. c. Dill, OF Spokane. Wash.
Congressman Charles B. Timberlake, Of
Colorado: Congressman John p. Miller.
of Seattle, Wash; Congressman Albert
Johnson, of Washington. and former
Representative Stout, of Montana. No
body was hit. but ii was. one of those
peculiar freaks of fortune which SOL
diers call luck, because the shots came IN
a shower
The other seven members Of the marty
were in another section of the trench
and were not disturbed by the fire
Later. however when all the Americans
were together, the Germans dropped a
big shell some ten yards away, seriously
endangering everyone One member. in
hCoNi ibltiS NLit l'iNiutill ~ the 'OlIS-
spondent later, said he and his compan-
ions heard the shell coming. II sound
cd like the roar of an airplaue. he said.
Again fortune favored them, and no
one was injured.
The visitors spent the night near the
front and rose early this morning FOR A
trip to the trenches in the vicinity of
Dixmude.
The Belgian and German lines run
within thirty yards of each other at
one point. and ii was there that the five
men came into danger. At that distance
il is easy to see anyone i'm the opposite
trench who raises his head above the
Top. Only the usual firing WIS under
way when the party reached this place
The Americans were having an excel
lent view OF the lines when several of
them got into an exposed position and
were seen by the Germans Suddenly the
enemy machine guns near by began a
vicious chatter, and bullets came 'Ehiz-
ziug across the narrow strip of No
Mans Land at the rate Of several hum
dred a minute. Before the visitors
realized the situation bullets were whiu-
ing all about them like n storm of hail
and dirt was being thrown into their
faces as some Of the steel pellets struck
the top o. the trenches. They all bent
down for cover, but all might easily
have been caught. since K does not take
more than a small fraction Of minute
for A machine gun to account for
number of men # the shooting is accu-
rate.
The Americans departed this after
noon for England. on arriving at the
port whence they sailed they said their
trip to the Belgian front had been most
satisfactory. They were especially
pleased at the invitation of King Albert
to take tea with him. The king made
them feel very welcome and chatted
freely with them for some time. The
American minister, Brand Whitlock,
also was present at the invitation of the
king.
other members OF the party who were
endangered by the she'll in addition to
the five who were under machine gun
fire. are Congressman Parker of New
Jersey. Taylor of Colorado, Goodwin of
Arkansas, Stephens of Nebraska, and
Hicks of New York. and former Repre-.
sentative Hammond Of Nebraska.