Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-11-29

or arms bandaged. But they We're all
1.-the and active. and when they were
paraded for inspection before being dis
missed to the cottages and barns where
they were to find quarters, they had .
kind of smartness. in spite of their fatigue.
in spite Of their muddy appearance. which
impressed ME as a chara cteristic decidedly
suggestive of the American continent.
Were Chewing Gum.
I noticed, by the way, a number of jaws
working, and l heard afterward that the
habit of chewing gum had been introduced
among British and French soldiers by
their American and Canadian comrades.
The army doctors are inclined to think
that 1T is quite a useful innovation. They
say that chewing gum has a soothing eff
feet and anything which can quiet the
nerves of mon who are under the fire OF
trench mortar and mine throwers. called
Familiarity "Minnies'' from the German
word "m~inenwerfer.' is certainly of value.
Those who are sending parcels to the
oldiers of the American evolutionary
force in France should certainly include
packets of this sweetmeat.
Another thing which should always be
put in is q home newspaper. / mean a
local newspaper. which gives the intimate
details for which the boys at the front
long so pathetically when they are far
away from home. They like to see what
their friends are doing. They like to read
about Church socials." They like to know
that Miss Smith poured tea for Mrs.
Brown. The troops at the front always
have plenty OF the worlds great news
papers to tell them What is going on, but
the local home journal is a gift for which
they are always very grateful.
What They Said.
l saw those American soldiers having
a feast on some rather special occasion
and talked with many OF them. They all
a aO,y val ,1@ A1-A H., $500 1850. H. -
be taking part In putting an end to the
horrible organized savagery OF the Prus-
sian and that they were we'll looked after.
They said they could not understand why
there was at that time so much peace
talk in the United States.
They called the Germans 'elantheads,"
and said, "If our people at home only
knew what they are doing to French and
Belgian women and children, they csr-
tainly would agreed that the war can't
stop until the Prussians are down and
out" They told me with glee how, when
the put our boards in front Of
their trenches with why not have a
peace talk" challked on them, the only re-
ply they got was a tremendous lombard
ment which cured them of that particu-
lar trick most effectively.
About German Propaganda.
Another trick in which the Germans
indulged with special reference to tho
Americans tnen flshtlng against them was
to spread the report that the allies had
hired them to fight. The hire which they
received amounted to S1.25 a day. That
may have seemed a very large sum to
the German mind. The wages paid in
Germany were VIGOROUSLY small.
But the men with whom j talked I'm that
pine forest and in the village close by
We're certainly not the kind Of men who
could be attracted by $1.25 a day into Civ
Ing up their usual occupations. There
were business men among them, real
estate men, lumber men. university grad
was. like SO many of their inept attempts
at propaganda. a boomerang which re-
turned to hurt those who launched 1t.
A Third Lesson.
Now the German propaganda talk makes
light of the American armies which are
in training for the task Of helping to end
the war. There is a stern warning In holy
Scripture against the folly of underesti-
mating your enemy's strength. The Ger
mans have already had two lessons which
ought to have proved to them the wisdom
Of the biblical adage. They said at tho
J beginning, as they had said for years be-
fore the war. that the French were a
worn out nation and could not stand up
in battle against them. They called the
British army Contemplate"
Let the American people remember
are flingfng in their insolence at the
American armies will, ] know. be dis
proved in the same crushing and signIfi-
! cant way.