The Cordova daily times., 1917-06-11
GERMAN LINE |S GIVING WAY TO
 ENEMY
(By Associated Press)


 STAFF CORRESPONDENTS OF OF ASSOCIATED PRESS, British Army Headquarters in France, May 24 While the grip of the Germans clinging desperately to lines they flung from Switzerland to the sea slowly but steadily is being broken each backward step means added desc lati"- a a beautiful part of France ae coming of spring has emphasized anew how closely the pursuits of peace tread upon the heels of war. Tidy French farms, geOmetrically precise reach up to the very domain of the guns, and it is possible on many parts of the line, to see old French men and women following ploughs or harrows almost to the very edge of the heavy battery positions.
 Shells are tossed near them now and then, but they never seem to mind The war is nearly three years old now and shells and battle noises have be come the normal things of life, lot the abnormal ones. It is even pos sible along older bits of the line in the north to see farmers blowing both sides of the war zone. At the places less harshly dealt with whence the Germans were driven this spring many of the trenches have been filled and the ground put under cultivation Some of the newly sown fields, how ever, recently have been ripped up by long range Germans guns.
 Fighting men who are relieved every little while from front line duty come for brief rest to the springtide beau ties of the back country and the change of surroundings from the caul dron of war to the peace of blossoms and birds is no greater than the trans formation of these English Tommies themselves and their brothers from overseas These men who, under the red spell of battle shoot, bayonet and bomb to death all who stand before them, become gentle as little children again. One can see, these soldiers with the battle fatigue still heavy upon them standing for hours in long lines outside divisional canteens waiting their turn to go in and buy as others stream out laden with cakes and candy.
 Grim and resolute in battle, Tommy seems to have a certain simplicity and kindness of heart which makes him react quickly to the normal laws ol manhood as soon as the fighting is over. If he has to make journey by train, he sits in the open doors oi boxcars with his feet and legs swing ing outside. If there is movie show anywhere near he gladly pays fifty cents to go always, especially when war scenes happen to be shown, laugh ing heartily when she'll bursting nearby, appears to have upset the equi librium of the man working the camera.
 Today, while resting, a squadron of cavalry was having water carniva, along pretty French river. Then band was playing gay airs and all tho women, children and old men of the countryside came to the swimming races, diving contests and attempts to walk greasy pole across a swif running stream. There was a soldiel clown, too, and a great air of merri ment all about. A German prisoner taken some time ago, said he could always tell when the British were no going to attack by the fact that thu Tommies could be heard singing, es pecially ragtime.
 There are no longer any songs abou how long it is from Tipperary, bu at work or play or swinging along tht roads to battle, nowadays, the Tom mics sing abont wanting to get back tt their home in Tennessee and abou having a Kentucky jubilee, without tn slightest idea just where Tennessee ol Kentucky are.
 If the American expeditionary force comes into the British zone, the Am ericans will find the bands playin. and the men singing many old familia tunes.