The evening herald., 1917-06-07
T|LL|NG THE SOIL
IN FRANCE FOLLOWS
THtLIk[ OF BATTLE
Farms Cultivated by Aged Men
and Women Reach Up TO the
Very Domain Of Guns; Shells
Rip Up Pl@ited Fields.

~ Associated frCaa.
STAFF correspondence of the Asso
ciated press. British Army Headquar-
tUrs ln France June while the
grip % the Germans. ciinging desper-
ateiy 20 Lives they flung from switzer-
land 70 sea. slowly but steadily ~ be-
ing broken. each backward step means
added desolatiun 20 a beautiful part
France. The coming OF spring las
emphasized anew how closely the pur-
suits OF peace tread upon the helis of
war, Tidy French farms, Eeomctri-
Caiiy Precise. reach up 70 The very do.
mair of the guns and d 4 possible on
many parts Of he line % see ola
French men and women following
pioushs ~ harroWs almost 10 tho very
edge - the heavy battery positions.
shells are tossed near them now
and then but they never seem 70 mind.
The war IL nearly three years old now
and shells and battle noises have bee
come the normal things ~ life. not tho
abnormal opes. II Is even possible
along older bits Of the line In the
north to see farmers ploughing both
sides OF the war sore. ~ the places
less harshly dealt with whence the
Germans we're driven tins sprint. many
of the trenches already have been
filled anG the ground is being put un-
der cultivation. some OF the newly
sown fields. however. recently have
been ripped up By long ranged Ger
man guns.
Fighting men who are relieved ev-
cry little while from front lilie duty
come FOR brief rest % the spring
tide beauties of the back countr,. and
the chanec of surroundings from tho
cauldron OF war To the peace Of bios
SONS and birds Is no greater than the
transformation of these English Tom
niles, themselves. and their brothers
from overseas These men who, under
the red spell of battle. shoot, bayonet
and bomb 70 death an who stand be-
fore them. become gentle as little chill
dren again. One can see these soldiers
with the battle fatigue still heavy up
on them standing for hours in long
lines outside divisional canteens walt
ing their turn to 60 in ana bay as 9TH
ers stream out laden with cakes ana
candy.
Grim and resolpte 10 battle lommy
set ms to have a CcrtHinsimpliclty ana
Kindness ~ heart which makes him
react quickly TO thee normal laws Of
manhood as soon as the fighting -
over. II he has TO make n journey by
train. he site In the open doors of box
cars with his feet and legs swinging
outside II there il movie show
any where near. he gladly pays fiity
cents 10 go always. especially when
war scenes happen TO be shown. laugh
ing heartily when a shell. bursting
nearby. appears 10 have upset the
equilibrium OF the man working tho
camera.
Today. while resting SQUADRON
cavalry was having a water carnival
along a pretty little French river.
Their band was playing gay airs ana
an the women. children and old men
Of the countryside came 20 see tt
swimming races. diving contests and
attempts 20 walk a greasy pole acre
swift running stream. There was
soldier clown too. and a great air of
merriment all about. A German pris-
oner taken sometime ago said he could
always tell when the British were not
going 20 attack by the fact that the
Tommies could DC heard singing, es-
peciaily ragtime.
There are no longer any songs about
how long Il ~ from Tipperary but o.
work or piay or swinging along the
roads 20 battle nowadays the Tom
inles sing about wanting 10 get back
60 their home in Tennessee ana about
having "A Kentucky publlee without
the slightest idea lust whore Tennessee
or Kentucky are.
n the American oxpeditlonary force
comcs into the British zone. the Amer
iclns will find the bands playing and
the men singing many old familiar
tunes.