The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-12-11

have been among this sort OF stui
Tor just little over two years an
should be pretty well able to judg
his accuracy on the subject"
Somewhere In He'll" appeared Il
Mr.. Bottomley's paper, John Bull. Il
it he said:
Il know it is customary, whel
writing from the western front, t,
address ones articles from Some
where in France" But, after wha
| have seen during the week / spen
there, l decline to be party to sucl
libel on the fair name of our ally
Let me tell you some of the thing
| have seen and you shall Judge
the choice of my title-'Some wher,
in He'll / have seen hell! Yes
I have looked thru its gates ant
have seen the hosts of God fightins
the imps Of the devil And-for
give the apparent blasphemy of the
words-God is winning all along the
line.
Il have seen $4,000 men in hos.
pital-many of them writhing in all
the agonies of hell-and not one
complaining.
81 have seen the roads of France
a mass of shell holes-roads which
were once the wonder of the world.
Il have seen bridges and viaducts
blown out of existence-except for,
here> and there, few solitary piers.
'Ihave seen thousands of German
for once earning an honest
living by the sweat of their brows,
and, afterward, being kept out of
in cage compounds.
81 have seen African and Indian
lahsfers-and Chinese, too-helping
t0 repair the ravages of the Hun. q
II have seen Maya tribes from
northern India chanting their weird
songs, and even doing their wilf war
dances, in their rest hours oh the
battlefields where they were employ
ed on salvage work. 49,.
81 have seen a thousand silent
of them inscribed
simply "A British Soldier'-on hill
and mound-on roadside and in val
not long ago, they who
now rest there fought like mighty
heroes for the right.
II have seen the lads in the
trenches.
"I have seen the places where
towns and villages once stoOd-now
no more than masses of bricks and
mortar, and human remains.
81 have seen our guns playing
upon the enemy lines.
''I have seen gallant airmen hurt
ing to destruction from the blue,
be praised!-l have
seen the grinning and exultant Hun,
Us he came out of his trenches to
,loat over their fate, mown down by
,ur machine guns.
81 have seen the desolated towns
Ind villages of France-every wo-
nan in black and not man of mill
airy age anywhere.
II have seen the German lines.
81 have seen and talked with Ger
nan prisoners and German wounded.
" Ihave seen our wireless stations
ntercepting the messages of the
nemy.
81 have seen wonderful women;
many of them risking their lives--in
very department Of war work.
II have seen lords and laborers,
GERS and peasants, fighting and fall
ne, and resting in silent graves, side
y side.
81 have been in the tirst-line
renches within 200 yards OF the
nemy.
"Ighave been in the reserve lines;
It'll, xoo,,oL Voo0ro 1onOnrOnC than |
he first.
II have sat alone with Sir Doug
rs Haig and talked of the great
rork upon which he is engaged
nd have learned many things.
And now for what l have learn
d. We will have the truth from
ne trenches, at last. The war is
'on. Germany is beaten. On every
ront she is weakening and weaken
lg-and it is now only question OF
ie psychological moment to strike.
hat momentous decision rests with
ne man-at least, hope to God
does. If the politicians will kindly
eep out of the ring Haig will very
BON administer the knockout blow.
II know what I am saying. ! DO
OF profess to speak as any military
xpert or prophet. | say that which
have learned. / mention no names
i disclose no secrets abuse no
,nfidence. From field marshall
chief, right down to
le rawest Tommy in the trenches,
lere is but one spirit-that OF alb
,lute optimism and confidence. And
lere is not German prisoner who
pes not tell the same tale. Els its
,rtig,' said every one of them with
HON | talked-It is finished
Another things I have learned
I'D learned very thoroly-is that
le one person of whom the soldiers
re apprehensive is the politician.
hruout all ranks there Is a deep |
,oted idea that when Germany
lrows up the sponge the politicians
ill evince a tender solicitude for
Ie yanuuished foe by agreeing to
rms Of peace which will deprive us
, all for which we have fought and
ed. | feel it my duty to convey
at message to the prime minister.
believe we have war aims COM
ittee. and that it is already on the
ump enlightening the people as to
hat we are fighting for. | have
fore observed that 1t seems rather
te in the day to inaugurate such
campaign, but If he will take my
Twice would urge him, with all
o force of which am capable, to
sue manifesto declaring in plain
ords, 'understanded of the people,