Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-28
BY SERGEANT HARRY NORTON

Member Of the American Legion In France.
Nevcr shall { forget the scene when the
news first reached us ON the western front
that the good old United states had entered
the war
The glad tidinCs transformed a whole
company Of Americans in the Canadian con-
tiugcnt into madmen Hoarse ycus burst
from their ,hroats ard in a derium OF
Joy they fastened american flags to their
bayoucts.
Then the entire company with whoops
and yclls, went over the top Of the trench
in broad daylight Mind YOU there had
been no artillery preparation OF any kind.
and you must not forget that there is never
a charge by infantry unless such a charge
! has been preceded by a grilling artillery
| fire against the enemy.
A SPONTANEOUS RAID
1t was a spontaneous raid on the part
Of the Americans; they just felt they had
| to do something tremendous to Cclc.
bratc the entrance oC America into the
| war ON swept the valiant little band
| with levclod haycnets. and little American
| flags waving from sad bayoncts. So sud-
! den and furious was the attack that Fritz"
| was caught mapping and suffered a severe
mauling at the hands Of these Yankee war
| riors The Americans lcaped into the
| German trenches. After bombing the
enemies duGouts they returned with fifty
prisoners and valuable information The
| Americans were dirty and dishevelcd and
| some were very bloody from slight wounds
but they were all happy-very happy to
| think they had done something real to
welcome Uncle Sammy into the great war.
And you should have heard their Cana
| dian friends express their appreciation The
head of Ty Cobb would have been turned
had he received sucI AN ovation
Its wonderful how suddenly America
| has become the pet Of the Allies, isn't it,"
I was sitting in a fashionable restaurant
! in famous Scotch coast rest few DAYS
ago having a bit Of wartime ratons when
that remark made me look up with curious
interest at the speaker, a pretty. fair
haired girl. scarcely out Of her teens. Her
companion, a young Canadian Lieutenant
smiled as he replied:
"Not so wonderful. surely! America is the
one great nation we expected to fight for
all we have fought for She was surely a
misiudged country. Some cruel things were
being said of her before the Presidents
wonderful speech gripped the imagination
of the worlds dcmocracies. We failed to
understand policies. No one can deny that
the real reason America is being made a
pet Of is due to the fact that she is proving
herself real friend at the right time in
| the right way and above all In the right
cause. People said America had de-
Perforated, that she cared for naught but
! the accumulation OF wealth. ana now tney
see the States as a friend in need She
| is white and always has been white. She
was condemned because she was not under.
stood
OUR FIGHTING COUSINS"
That conversation sums up the change OF
sentiment on al! sides since the United
States declared war. It certainly sounded
good to me after having to listen TO many
, | insults against Old Glory during the las
| year. Every one now talks about oul
fighting cousins" Everybody is arguing
about how much money America can throw
, into the contest but the greatest question
, seems to me: will the United States lanC
: troops in England or send them direct t
the western front in France?' II is taker
, as a matter Of course that United States
troops will soon he fighting alongsid,
French and British troops i'm France. 1
, | had my way I'd send them right 20 Franc,