American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-11-30

kept up the heaviest possible lombard
ment for thirty-hve minutes. When
you think Of 36S cannOn pouring shells
into u a small place as one little hill
it may give you some idea Of what we
gave the Germans who were trying to
hold it against us
The bombardment stopped as abrupt
ly as it started. and as soon as 1t ended
the mines we had laid under the hill
were set Off. The earth seemed to
tremble for a moment, and then came
a great rumbling roar, followed by an
upheaval of earth which seemed to
reach the clouds. The moment the
mines had been set off our chaps left
their trenches on the dead run, and
they charged across the crater where
hill 60 had been but a few moments
before.
The heavy artillery fire we had given
the Germans had partly defnoralized
them. The explosion Of the mines fin
ished the Job, and they fed like sheep.
Our machine gun was pouring steel
into them for a few moments, but we
had to stop, as u own men were pur-
suing them, and it was not safe to con-
tlnue our fire any longer. 1t was all
over in a very short time and, while
we had TO stand by all night, work
did not last long during the actual
battle.
Soon after this battle 1 secured my
first leave to go to England for a rest
Of seven days, and though this is sup
posed to be a story Of experiences
while on the fighting front, l will re-
late something that happened while |
was in Glasgow, Scotland.
OF all the cities In the British isles
Glasgow has sent more men to the
front than any other in proportion to
her size. The business firms of the
city encourage their men to enlist and
do all they can to make things easy for
them to leave their families. In many
cases firms continue to pay men their
salaries while they are at the front.
The street car company in Glasgow
has sent thousands, and their places
are taken by women while the men are
away.
Not only are there women conductors
o n the street cars, but women drive the
cars too. When one arrives at the sta
ton in Glasgow it seems very odd to
have a woman step up and ask to carry
your bag. Women have taken the
places of the porters in the stations.
Scotland has responded nObly to the
country's call. In many of the small
villages the entire male population has
gone to the war. excepting. of course,
the men who are too old or those who
are physically unfit.
In the British isles during this war n
great many of the wOmen have been
helping recruiting" by walking the
streets and putting a white feather in
the b%uttonhole Of every man they meet
who is not wearing khaki.
l was standing just outside the Cen
trail station in Glasgow when a woman
walked up to a man who was standing
near me. and without a word she pulled
a white feather through his b~uttOnhole.
He was a great big fellow. and she had
to 90 some reaching to get at him. He
smiled when he saw what she had done
and said Thank you. madam" very
politely.
That was like waving a red flag be-
fore a bull, and she grew crimson and
started telling him what she thought
of him. He listened until she was all
through. and then he asked. Have you
another one of those feathers, by any
chanceP"
Eyes, | have, you coward" she snap
ped. and she put another feather on
him. AS she did so he pulled a Vic
toria cross from his pocket and pinned
it right under the feathers.
That woman gasped and suffered
and stammered trying to make an
apology. and she reached out to take
the feathers back. but he stopped her
mo, madam" he said, I'll keep these
as souvenirs. if you don't mind. but
I'd like to say a few words to you
about what you are doing.
Because | am in civilian clothes does
not signify that l am a coward. For
all you knew | might have bee med
icaily unfit for service. l might have
been a married man with ten or a doz-
en- small children depending on me. !
might have been any number of things
that would have prevented me from
, joining the army. but you didn't even
wait to inquire.
You simply thought that because ]
was not in khaki l was a coward, and
you thought to shame me into joining
i. the army. AS a matter OF fact, l have
been at my home recovering from
wounds l received when l won this lit
tie cross. and am now on my way
back to join my regiment.
IF you will accept a suggestion from
a man who knows men. you will stoI
this silly business, for you are doing
more harm than anything else. and II
l were a civilian and you had done il
> to me then. I would have faced a firms
= party before ! would join the army.
trust you have learned something
! Good afternoon
7 l found out later that he was a ser
~oo,t ,;,o- a., ono oF tho most 70 mOv,