El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-11-03

~ ERLTN, Germany. Nov. 5.-The
X war office. in a bulletin today.
I - announces the capture Of Amer
lean soldiers by a German reconnoi-
tering party The statement says that
I on the Rhiue-3Iarne canal. as a result
Iof q reconnoiterinE thrust, North
American UNITED states) soldiers
were brought In
This IS the first capture OF Ameri-
+ can troops by the Germans and Is the
/ first official statement concerning the
/ presence OF American forces on the
actual battle line.
The Rhine-sIarne canal runs
through a section OF France in which
there has been little fighting since
the early days OF the war 1t crosses
the French front al APPOINT near the
German border, 20 miles northeast OF
Luueville.
Were Of Second Contingent.
The Americans captured were un-
doubtedIy Of the second contingent
sent into the French trenches for
training The first contingent was
safely removed several days ago and
the second contingent sent in TO re-
lievs them
How many American troops are In
this sector has not been Officially
stated u was announced when the
first troops were sent in- that they
consisted Of various battalions OF in
fantrys supported by their own ar
Number Not Disclosed.
The German announcement nay
american scouting party ~ some
members thereof. by a German patrol.
OF 10 an attempted raid on the Ameri-
can trenches In which some Americans
were OverpOWered- Tt Is noted that
the German report does not make
public the number OF Americans taken I
prisoner. from which it may be in
ferred that he number was small
Examination First.
According TO the usual procedure IN I
Germany for the treatment OF enemy F.
prisoners the Americans would De I
taken before the commanding officer I
Of the sector, or before his Intelligence 7
for questioning and after the .
hea uQulrters had extracted from them .
all possible Information concerning +
the American troops both In the Z
trenches and behind. they would be Z
sent back OF the lines and would .
eventually land in q German prison
camp. the awful condition OF which
camps has been published before the /.
world
L. :. VIII send Food.
However. the thOughtfulness OF the
American government has already
been at work 10 mitigate some Of
those conditions For instance. the D.
Americans taken prisoner viii not
starve az do many other prisoners. ID
Each man VIII receive. every two
weeks. q parcel containing carefully
selected foods so ratiOned as to az
lord him complete sustenance until \
ne next packet arrives tt IS pre-
iumed these Packets viii be taken IN 7
,harge at the German border bv Q
neutral diplomatic agent and viii be
lEde- his care until actually delivered
10 the prisoners Clothing viii he
sent 20 the American prisoners In the
'amC way. II
No Report From Pershing. n
W asllnErODs ID. C. Nov 3-None Y
4 Pershing's dispatches received By \
he war department up TO this after
'oon says anything about any Ameri- II
an troops having been captured by y
he Germans but officials have no I
eason 70 doubt the Berlin announce D
nent
Capture. killing and woundinE Of I
american troops on the battle front. ]
ney say, vii be one Of the inevitable ]
ortunes OF war. D
Rewards Are Offered. u
Moreover the German high command n
las appeared very eager to capture N
ONE Americans and recently the com NJ
landers on the front offered special n
eWards 20 the first German troops III
no should take man In the Ameri- N
an uniform. IN
Although the sector In which the Z.
american unit is being hardened 10 !
rench warfare Is comparatively a M
uiet one there have been might raid l