Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-06-20
By J. W. Pegler.

tOniteu ffeSS starr correspondent
With the British Armies in the Field.
Nay 27.-(By mail )-If America could
know France today most likely Ameri-
can young men would flock to her aid
by hundreds on every transatlantic
boat. The pity of those scores of vii
lagos behind the lines, entirely stripped
of able men, with many of the women
in deep mourning as they 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 unrolls itself in its spring splen-
dor. The ride win convince you that the
young men of the United States have
before them duty that can't be shirli-
ed without dishonor.
The car draws up at railroad barrier
where stands an elderly soldier of
France( disabled in the war and now
on light duty. He passes the ear and
you roll into the main street. Here are
women driving farm wagons, women
herding sheep, women carrying burdens
that would cause strike of the NOV
ing man Is union back home. Children
may be seen through the cottage doors,
assuming the burdens Of homework.
Women and children, no men, except
the disabled 1t is the war.
Beyond the village your car mounts a
ridge. Miles of field are under culti
vation Women are following the plow
or walking down the ridges with one
arm swinging as they scatter seed from
a bag. Women pass by on the road, lead
ing farm horses.
That is sample and typical of what
is to be seen. The French are stole but
they do need American help to whale
the Boche. Their disillusionment if
America should fail would be hard to
picture. Their faith is SO great in Am
erica, the sister republic which honors
La Fayette.
This is the district behind the lines.
Up forward, where the war took to
trenches after the Boehe retreat, there
are scarcely any villages left. Civilian
inhabitants are rare.
One scene of peace has been found
before French city by the Germans.
The British expect to take the place by
the pressure of indirect movements, thus
sraring the town from bombardment.
II it is destroyed then Tommy win have
another score to settle with the Moche
dynamiting squad.
Before the town is flat field of
more than a mile. Underfoot are patches
Of dandelions. 1t is quiet and peaceful
as May day in Iowa. Overhead an
drones like a lazy bee in its
patrol along the sky Suddenly bat
terry awakes up at vague spot and the
shells make dark spots against the haze
on the German horizon. The Boche be-
stirs himself, evidently trying to find
a British gun. His gun thumps far
away, there is an interval and then the
shuttle is heard gradually growing loud
er.
nHere comes one," says u Tommy,
The shell drops quarter OF
a mile away. "'Dud,p says Tommy.
ifBoche throws lots of duds. ~
Notre Dame de Lorette has come ont
green again after the terrific fighting
there. Beyond is Viniy Ridge which the
French fought so hard to take before
he Canadians succeeded. Vimy looks |
lown on the Boche lines and far into
he German occupied land. The clay
soil of the ridge is cnurneu ulllhdSIh
lbly. The British are beyond the ridge
nowadays and engineers are perfeeting
behind the relentless ad-
yance. In a huge crater on the crest
here remained few dead who had
,een overlooked. They lay in their
leath posture amid their rusting equip
nent and nearby were few French tin
ATS. mementos of the fight that
france made here.
The site Of the chapel of Notre Dame
le Lorette is peaceful now, though the
hapel itself is obliterated. In the old
herman trench that ran through the
hurch the French soldier has put up a
title plaster of Paris group Of the Holy |
Family, inscribed in words Of immortal
aith: "Groupe de la Sainte Famillc de
a Sancta Cass de Lorette. Page de
4lorie ct de Protection Pour Nos Vail