Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-12-05
NEWSPAPER MAN DESCRIBES
VISIT TO HEADQUARTERS

mans began an attack-it was an act
| of providence.
Lighted by Lamps and Candles.
1t can be set down here without
further parley that two newspaper
men were never treated more royalty
than we were by these men who al
the moment we entered their quarters
were directing barrage against a
strong German attack.
In the midst of tea the door opened
and for few minutes we were under
the impression that every general on
the western front had been deluged in
to our presence. 1t was a party of
officers who had dropped In for tea
and a chat with the army command
ers. Instead they had a rather ANUS
ing talk with two American corre-
spondents, who were found interest
ing because they had been with the
American army on the Mexican border
and In France and had some idea of
what the United States troops could
do. Their intense interest in prepara-
lions of the United States for war was
manifested in every question, and their
friendlinesS toward everything Ameri-
can was more than evident.
In two minutes the fOrmality of in
PRODUCTION was over with and for fully
half an hour the Canadian general
staff dropped their heavy responsible
ties and enjoyed the unique expert
ence of entertaining two Americans.
1t was the first time that such a gath
ering had ever assembled in this par
ticular building and all made the most
of it.
The staff captain who had intro
duced us suggested that we get little
exercise, explaining that the staff Off
GERS usually spent an hour in the eve
ming playing badminton or some other
game just TO keep in condition. We
went out to a well constructed court
similar TO a tennis court and tapped
off in the same manner. For an hour
we watched four officers bat the feath-
cred shuttlecOck across the net with
a display of skill and strategy that was
worthy of men who used strategy in
a greater and NOR deadly manner. We
took hand in the game for time
and then watched four others play off
the staff championship.
Meet Famous Strategist.
When the game broke up and we re-
entered the headquarters building we
were presented to man whose name
Is famous the length and breadth of
the British front. His keen stratagems
and fOrcefuI work have won for him
the praise and admiration of every
Canadian fighting in France and his
record as a fighter would fill several
books. We were fortunate in having
an opportunity of talking with him,
for he, like the late General Funston,
is keenly interested in newspaper work
and it gave us a good start on the
right plane. We explained to him our
reasons for coming to headquarters
and how the car that was to meet us
| had broken down.
"Well, I'm glad you're here, boys"
he said. "Tll just arrange to have
couple of places set for you at dinner.
How are things over in the U. S. p
We had been talking with him only
a few minutes when an officer brought
to him word that an S. O. S. signal had
been received from a certain point in
dicatng that the Germans were pre-
pairing to attack. There was no blus-
ter. The information was given in
low, steady voice and the orders for
certain counter-measures were given in
an equally unruffled manner. An hour
later it was learned that the Germans
had given up their attempt after being
numerically fiayed by the gruelling
fire which our host had turned loose.
From time to time an officer would
appear at the door and report the prog
reSs of various movements under way,
and throughout the evening there was
no letup in the handling of business.
The whole procedure of this work of
directing arm seemed to operate as
smoothly as the service at the dinner
table to which we were shown.
When the meal was finished and we
we're comfortably seated in the main
room we heard from the lips of one of
the officers n story of the thoughts and
feelings of man directing an often
/ Sive.
For the moment we saw series of
pictures thrown on the screen of our
! imagination. The officer asleep in his
room. y servant calls him in the small
/ hours. He dresses and walks slowly to
small mountain town. for Eve years.