The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-09-17

(AcCredltcd 10 the FeTSnlHB AIhHS Az
France for The New York Tribune
and The Wheeling Intelligencer.
CONTROLE AMERICAN. AMER1-
CAN EXPEDITIONARY ARMY, Sept
16.-The belief that the Englishman mas
no imagination should be added TO the
fallacies shattered by the war The
American officers studying here find the
whole British scheme Of war training
Is to create the atmosphere of an actual
battle in practice.
Never let your men remember that
they arc charging dummies SAID an
English major to pupil today. Make
! them think they're Germans. 1t can be
done even without the use OF dummies.
Watch met"
A remarkable demonstration followed.
The major sent for little Cockney
sergeant. Now" he said. this stick
Of mine with knob on the end IS
German. Show these Americans now
you would go after him."
The little sergeant did some brisk
work in slashing the end OF the stick
with his bayonct. hut the big major was
not content Remember" he said this
is German" and then he would add
suddenly every now and again. LOOK
out. my lad-he's coming at you!
Imagination Of English
And by and by the insinuation began
to take effect. The little man had spent
two years on the line and 1t was easy
to sec that bit by bit he was beginning
to visualize the stick with the cloth
knob as n Boche adversary. His thrusts
grew ticrcer and fcrcer. The point or
his bayonet flashed into the cloth knob
again and again. He was trembling with
rage as he played the battle game. AS
he finally flung himself upon the stick
and knocked II out Of the ajor's hands,
the officer called halt.
There" he said. to the Americans.
"if your men are TO train we'll you've got
to make them believe It's true, and you
can do IT,"
The British have added lots of snap
TO the American training and show great
ATTITUDE for arouslnE the competitive
spiri.. They make even the most routine
sort OF a drill a game. and whether the
men are bayonetting dummies or shoot
ing at tin cans, the little Britlshers keep
them at top speed by stirring up riv-
airy between the various organizations.
Strangely enough. the other speciality
besides hnyonet work. for which the
British instructors are being used. 10
organized recreation, mus an tnSllSn-
man Will take his squad from practice
at the grimmest of all war training and
set 1t tossing bean bags or playing leap
frog. Prisoners base, red rover and a
score Of games played in the streets Of
every American city are used to bring
relaxation TO the soldiers.
Games to Restore Morale.
Then there arc other rough and tum-
bic games In which the players buffet
each other assiduously In neutral parts
OF the body. The emphasis Is put upon
the ludIcrous in all these games. This
may seem childish and silly to you, )"
explained an English major. but we
have found on the line that the quick
est way to bring back the spirit Of a
regiment which has been battered In a
hattie is to take the men as soon as they
come from the trenches and set them to
playing these foolish little games which
they knew when they were lads. When
we get them to laughing again we know
we've made them forget the fight"
General Sibert has returned from a
visit to the French front. In addition
to Sibert and Pershing. the following
Ave American major generals are now
in France: Match. Builard. Blatchford.
Bundy and Biddle.