New Britain herald., 1917-06-06
GRIP OF GERMANS
 IS BEING BROKEN
Each Backward Step Means Des-
 olation to France

Staff Correspondence of the Asso- ciated Press. British Army Headquar- ters in France, June 6.-While tie grip of the Germans, clinging desper- ately to the line they flung from Swift zerland to the sea, slowly but steadily is being broken each backward step means added desolation to beautiful part of France. The coming of spring has emphasized anew how closely the pursuits of peace tread upon the heels of war. Tidy French farms, geometrically precise, reach up to the very domain of the guns and it is possible on many parts of the line to see old French men and women following blows or harrows almost to the very edge of the heavy battery positions.
 Shells are tossed near them now and then but they never seem to mind. The war is nearly three years old now and shells and battle noises have be- come the normal things of life, not the abnormal ones. It is even possible along older bits of the line in the north to see farmers blowing both sides of the war zone. At the places less harshly dealt with whence the Germans were driven this spring, many of the trenches already have been filled and the ground is being put under cultivation. Some of the newly sown fields, however, re- gently have been ripped up by long ranged German guns.
 Fighting men who are relieved every little while from front line duty come for a brief rest to the spring. tide beauties of the back country and the change of surroundings from the cauldron of war to the peace of blossoms and birds is no greater than the transformation of these English brothers from overseas. These men who, under the red spell of battle. shoot. bayonet and bomb to death all who stand before them, become gentle as little children again. One can see these soldiers with the battle fatigue still heavy upon them staud- ing for hours in long lines outside divisional canteens waiting their turn to go in and buy as others stream out laden with cakes and candy.
 Grim and resolute in battle, Tommy seems to have a certain simplicity and kindness of heart which makes him react quickly to the normal laws of manhood as soon as the fighting is over. If he has to make journey by train, he sits in the open doors of box cars with his feet and legs swing ing outside. If there. Is movie show anywhere, near, he gladly pays fifty cents to go -A always, especially when war soenes happen to be shown. laughing heartily when shell. .hurst- ing nearby. appears to have upset the equilibrium of the man working the camera.
 Today. while resting, "a squadron of cavalry was having water car nival along a pretty little French river The band was playing gay airs and all the women, children and old men of the countryside came to see the swimming races, diving con- tests and attempts to walk a greasy pole across a swift-running stream. There was soldier clown, too, and a great air of merriment all about. A German prisoner taken sometime ago said he could always tell when the British were not going to attack by the fact that the Tommies could be heard singing, especially ragtime.
 There are no longer any songs about how long it. is from Tipperary but at work or play or swinging along the roads to battle. nowadays, the Tom mics sing about wanting to got back