Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-27
Germany WAR
STRENGTH WANING
On JOSEPH FORT NEWTON,
FRESH FROM TRENCHES, HOME
FOR SHORT VACATION.
SAYS TEuToNs ARE
BEING SLOWLY CRUSHED
Morale Of Troops Weakening - Dr..
Newton From Close Observation
Concludes Half Way Point Of Con-.
f7ict Has Been Passed and End viii
Come Within Three Years.


Cedar Rapids, Aug. e7.-Fresh from
the front trenches on the firing line in
scope at the 'Boches' near al hand
Rev. Dr. Joseph Fort Newton arrived
in Cedar Rapids at 4:25 Saturday at
ternoon and for some little time will
be at home with his family, 1868
Fourth avenue. He sailed from Liv-
erpool week ago last Wednesday on
the liner New York. The vessel is
protected by three six-inch guns and
was conveyed thru the war zone lie,
500 miles out from the English coast,
by two United States desrroyers. There
was no trouble from submarines on
the voyage.
His Baptism Of Fire.
Dr. Newton has been thru his
baptism of fire" He was one Of j
party. of Ave Americans who were en-
tertained at the American chateau
near the front in France. One of the
members Of the party was Professor
Rand Of Harvard University, and the
others were journalists. They were
guests Of the English government,
which wants all those who speak and
write to go to the battle front and to
the training grounds and see the war
as it really is.
They went literally 70 the 'front.'
They were at the third battle or
Ypres where 500 big British guns
were going as fast as they could De
fred. They saw the actual beginning
and end Of a battle. Shells flew like
gigantic hail and fell within short
distance Of them. They saw the bat
tie begin with the whirl Of the coveys
Of rival aeroplanes. They saw and
smelled the gas bombs burst and
whipped out their gas masks to pro-
tect themselves at the command OF
their officer guide. They saw the blaze
OF the. shells and were thrilled by the
mingled screech and whine-"it made
us crouch and turn up our coat col
lars said DR.. Newton
Later the party had an opportunity
to see the famous Messines Ridge,
which was mined and blown up by the
BritiOh several months ago. The hole
made by the mine, said Dr.. Newton.
is easily largo enough to drop in the
Montross Hotel and have plenty Of
room to spare.
A Typiea. War City.
q They visited the city Of Arras
which was a town Of $4,000 people -
almost, tho not quite, as large as Cedar
Rapids. Today there 10 not a build
ing left intact. All Of them have been
more or less destroyed by shell fire.
iA hrr~
there a little store in the basement Of
some building less ruined than the rest
where they have few things to sell
to the soldiers.
In the Front Trench.
II was near Arras that the party
went into the front trench. Shells
screamed over every few seconds.
They gave me a pair Of military
boots and puttees coming UP above
my knees said Dr. Newton, so that
was about a foot deep at the bottom
of the trench. Il rained almost in
cessansly while we were en- our ten
days tour. They made me stoop 50
that would not get hit, telling me
that 1 was too tall for any use. Some
of the party were concealed by the
is just wide enough for two men to
pass II they turned sidewise. Going
over the top simply means climbing
out Of the trench and going forward
toward the Germans
we were entertained by an officer
in his dugout under the hill. and
really were well entertained there.
And we visited the English Tommy
~ Il1i I'D mir
his cheerfulness and tenacity. One OF
them had a little flower in a pot on
the ledge and over near the opening
was a little wooden windmill which
he had fashioned with his knife while
waiting.
On the Somn1e Battlefield.
We were at the battlefield Of the
Somme which is so full OF unexplod-
ed bombs and shells that II is not 60
ing TO be used for agricultural pur-
poses by the French-at least not for a
long time 1t Is going to be forested
and used as sort of national park
AS we walked over it we saw helmets
bombs. shells, rifles. bayonets, shoes
and all Of the accouterments OF war
in endless number and indescribabie
confusion. Sometimes a pair Of shoes
skeleton feet Of the man who lay be-
meath.
Past the Middle.
I'VE came away with this feeling,
said DR.. Newton. Unless there is ar
explosion of some sort in Germany
which IL quite posi- ble-we are just
past the middle Of the war in other
y. words, It will not take more than three
years to finish it. OF course. should
there be an upheaval in Germany thai
will hasten the end Germany will be
beaten, finally. Of that there is nj
doubt. The morale of the German army
II not nearly what it was. They are
suRrendering in large numbers-larg
:. numbers and more easily each week
talked with several German prisoner
"a and learned that they are heartily tiret
Of the war and rapidly losing thei
morale OF course, they have been lies
\ TO by their officers and their news
papers They believe that the Ameri
can feet is at the bottom Of the sea
that there are but few hundret
5 Americans in France that England !;
starving. and so on. When they ono
become convinced Of the real state o
afAdrs, that Will be the end.
-Three years more seems a loni
" 49, A,,< Il u nnt 1ou0 n ono vh,