Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-06-29
TERRIBLE HAVOC IS
WROUGHT BEHIND
GERMAN TRENCHES

THE FIELD, June z9.-lI America
could know France today most likely
American young men would flock to
her aid by hundreds on every trans
Atlantic boat. The pity of those scores
of VILLAGES behind the lines, entirely
stripped of able men, with many OF
the women in deep mourning as the
carry on the work of departed soldiers,
would appeal more strongly to the
pure American than miles of recruiting
posters.
Hop into military auto and go for
tour behind the fighting lines, over
the ridges from which the wide land
scape unfolds itself in its spring splen-
dor. The ride will convince you that
the young men of the United States
have before them duty that can't be
shirked except with dishonor.
The car draws up at railroad bar
rier where stands an elderly soldier o!
France, disabled in the war and now on
light duty. He passes the car and
you roll into the main street. Here
are women driving farm wagons. wo-
men herding sheep, women carrying
burdens that would cause strike OF
the moving-man's union back home
Children may be seen through thu
cottage doors, assuming the burdens o.
homework. Women and children nc
men, except the disabled. 1t is the war
Beyond the village your car mounts
a ridge. Miles of field are under cul-
iyat.on. Women are following the pillow
or Walking down the ridges with one
arm swinging as they scatter seed
from bag. Women pass by on the
road leading farm horses.
That is a sample and typical of what
is to be seen. The French are stole but
they do need American help to whale
the Eoche. Their establishment If
America should fail would be hard to
picture. Their faith is so great in
America, the sister Republic which
honors La Fayette.
This is the district behind the lines.
I'D toward, where the war took to
trenches after the Boche retreat, there
are sarcely any villages left. Civil
- SrIo h;tapfc ORC rarn
One scene of peace has been found
beforea French city by the Germans
The British expect to take the place by
the prssure of indirect movements,
thus slaring the town from lombard
ment. If it is destroyed then Tommy
will hare another score to settle VITA
the Bohe dynamiting squad.
Befon the town is fiat field of more
than nile UnderfQot are patches OF
dandeli,ns. 1t is quiet and peaceful as
May ay in Iowa. Overhead an caro-
plane cones like a lazy bee in its
patrol aong the sky. Suddenly bat
terry wales UP at vague spot and the
shells make dark spots against the
haze onthe German horizon. The
Boche bstirs himself, evidently trying
to find aBritish gun. His gun thump9
far away here is an interval and then
the shuttle is heard gradually growing
louder.
Here comes one" says a Tommy
The sell drops quarter of mile
away. bud" says Tommy. "Boche
throws Its of dude"
Notre lame de Lorette has come out
green a2in after the terrific fighting
there, Byond is Vimy Ridge which
the Frenh fought so hard to take be-
fore the canadians succeeded. Vimy
looks dow on the Boche lines and far
into the erman occupied land. The
clay soilef the ridge is churned I'm
immaginbly The British are beyond
the ridgenowadays and engineers ars
perfectin organizations behind the re-
lentless dvance. In huge crater on
the crestthere remained few dead
who had cen overlooked. They lay in
. their dean pastures amid their rustin.
ecuipmer and nearby were few
French ii hats, mementoes of the fight
that FraEe made here.
The sit of the chapel of Notre Dame
de Lorett is peaceful now, though the
, chapel itslf is obliterated. In the oil
, German ,ench that ran through the
, church tb French soldier has put up 4
little plaser of Paris group of the
, Holy Family, inscribed in words Of i'm
> mortal fifth: ''Groupe de la Sainte
Famille la Sancta Caus de Lorette
Page de tloire ct de Protection Pour
Nos vallat Soldats."