The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-08-10

81 81 "tepheh Stapleton an English
| GM> AZ IlA man. IN the Contemporary Re
| W view And he sets forth with
| of this ro,, 'Nldness some manifestations
" thls romance-litte twilight nct,,ros
touches OF an otherwise phostlv o,,iatl, ssN''e
III the trenches one evening battoIior. - !,
HeInS'er regiment held "kaiIee" mr. Irish IT.
| us, at winch there was spirited randarir,, -
.ne humorous old ballad Brian OIvnn - 80 ~
-, :" an lnIectously rollicking tune. The onenina
| verse runs: Inc opening
O. i I y Lynn had no sreeches to wear
- ne Dousht a sheepskin to make hin, = not.
| - I'm lne Woolly side out and the skinr, sid -
raIA' us pleasant and cool saws Rriar IN ~ - ~
&C SWING OF the tune took the fancy of tb
mans III their trenches, less than 5n 80,
a""y: with "rumty-tum-tumty-tun ,,rn+, t, 80
luil' they loudly hummed the air of tho go
eacn verse all unknowing that the Leinsters sirr
topical application: "0iuS
with the wOolly side ort nm, -,
sure wen wallop the Gerrvs said Ri o,T rue ~,
hearty bursts of laughter and cheers oroso
Iion polh trenches at the conclusion Of tho so
- seemed as If the Combatants gladly oyora5
themselves of this chance opportunity of baoa,,
lug united again in the common brotherhood %
alau, even Ior but feeting moment by the
spirit OF good humOr and hilarfty.
young English officer of a direrent bo++o,,,,,
OF the same Leinster regiment +alls 90 -
curious incident still, which likewise led To brief
cessation of hostilites Two privates in his com
pahy mad quarrel in the trenches, and nothing
would do them but to fight it out on No Mans
Land The Germans were most appreciative and
accommodating. Not only did they not modest
the pugiltsts, but they cheered them and actually
nred the contents of their rifles in the air nv wav
of a salute. The European war was. in fact sus
pended in that particular section of the lines
Whle two rishmen settled their own little diff
ferences by a contest of fists.
who will now say the Germans are not sports-
menT was the comment of the young English
officer.
There is, however, another and perhaps a
shrewder view of the episode 1t was taken by
sergeant of the company.
"Yerra, come down out of that We pair Of born
FOOLS" he called out to the fighters. IF We had
only 'gimmer of sense, ye'd see so We would
that it's playing the Gerrys' game We are. Sure.
there's nothing they'd like better than to see us
all knocking blaEes out of each other"
But as regards the moral pointed by the officer
there must be, of course many "sportsmen"
among the millions of German soldiers though
the opinion widely prevailing in the British army
is that they are often treacherOus fighters. In
deed, to their dirty practices is mainly to be as
scribed the bitter personal animOsity that occa-
sionally marks the relations between the COM
batants when the fighting becomes most bloody
wars-no quarter is given to those who allow
none.
An Interchange of Christmas Presents
Amenities between cOmbatants are very ancient
The Greeks and Trojans used to exchange pres
ents and courtesies in the intervals of fighting,
and the early stages Of this war seemed TO af-
ford a promise that they would be revived. The
fraternizing of the British and Germans at their
first Christmas under arms in 1914 WILL perhaps,
J., tod ruOSt
of the
The influence of the great Christian festival led
To a suspension of hostllites along the lines, and
the men on each side seized the opportunity to
satisfy their natural curiosity to see something
more of each other than through the spoke OF
battle with deadly weapons In their hands ana
hatred in their eyes Each side had taken pris-
o1ors. bpt prisoners are "out Of it," and there
fore reduced to the level of noncombotants The
foernan in being appears In a very different NEht
IIa has the power TO strike. You may have 20
kin him or YOU may be killed by him. 80 the
British and the Germans impelied in the main
nv a common feeling Of inquisitNehe>s' mrl 10
petber between the lines on No Mans Land lh're
rs some smlcahle conversation where they could
-, +tor,eaIves understood TO each other. which
hammered when German was found VINO eouiu
-ra5t, o little English Cigarettes and tunic but
80 ,ra-a freely exchanged. But for the most
-,rt british and Germans stood with arms to.a'u
across their breasts and stared at each other WIN
n kind Of dread fascination.
II never happened again. Ho" oou'o ]" pos,
sbly be repeated -. Co.
- IN high command Of the harharic elements
Of .fr4rbtfulness" hitherto confined to savage
trfbes 81 war; their use Of such deyihsh iL'eh'i'
- nelson gas and liquid fire; their 'eief only IN
bT,,s strength and as regards the common Ger
80 soldiers the native lowness Of ia'ralV
l.an ~ =, many Of them, their apparent IN
TO ordinary humane instincts IN
t.abry tended to harden and embitter their ad
e'l'"o.s a-.f1st them. Even So British feeling
" r.,roorIjngriIy devoid OF yindictiyeneSs
The Germans. IN the mass, are regarded a. nav,
Ing been dehumanzed and tFanS'ol.-, a'', No.
US - ~ ruthless destruction. In any case u'ty
'ro1. - a,,sr,v As such there IS satisfaction
ne f positive deIfehrin sweernE them 6 ogI Q,
rnas That is war But against the German nan
s1lsttn' ,.[ijuaIIv it may be said that on me