The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-09-27

baked, fresh white bread, for bread Is
one Of the principal articles of food In
this country. Because of the short
age Of wheat, an official decree In eff
feet for nearly year, provides that
the white -four must be mixed with a
large percentage of rye, barley or oat~
meal.
German captives Pleased.
The few German prisoners who have
been turned over to work for the
United States in exchange for their
food, are fairly in rapture over their
situation. The food Of the Americans
Is never-censlng marvel to them.
They work like men possessed IN
order that they may not be dis
qualified from participating In the
American ratlOns and they are the
envy Of their less fortunate fellows.
No better idea of what the Germans
are told by their own officers can be
conveyed than by the assertion OF a
recently made prisoner.
He was standing In the street of a
village In the American area when
two officers went by.
"Are those Engllshmenf" he asked In
perfectly good French Of his captor
and in the hearing Of the corro-
spondent.
mo. They are Americans" replied
the French guard.
The German only smiled unbeliev-
lngly
"But they may be some staff officers
on a visit to the front. There are no
Americans in France, because they
told me so before / was taken," per-
sisted the prisoner.
Just then company Of Infantry,
rifles over their shoulders, followed
by a huge motortruck with "U. s. A."
painted on 1t In bold letters, swung by.
"You see," grinned the "pollu" trl-
umphantly, "there are American sol
dlers."
"They lied to us at home" answered
the prisoner after a moments hesita
ton.
To any who might be inclined to
ask, why do troops need TO go through
such thorough end intensive training
for trench warfare, an idea of what
our boys have to learn would be the
simplest answer.
Recognizing the Army.
With the reorganization of the
American division from It's pre-war
footing of approximately 2S,OOO men
to the French basis of 10000 men,
come changes that upset the whole
idea Of war as they have learned 1t,
and a redistribution of duties that
sounds rather formidable.
Formerly company consisted sim
ply Of the company commander, two
officers, two musicians, cook and
two men. Now that is all changed.
There is the commander and his Off
Ger Of llason, or connecting link with
the company, his lleutenants and the
musicians and the cook, but with the
addition Of motorcyclists, farrlers
signal corps men, mechanics, bomb
ers, sappers, automatic rlflemen In
addition to the machine gun company
of the regiment, messengers, sharp
shooters, etc.
The company Is divided into
platoons. Even the platoons are sub
divided into groups. The first grouT
may be bayonet men, who "go over
the top" and lead the charge. The
second group Is the bombers. They
charge with the bayonet men, but
when the latter have attained their OBJ
jectlve and may still push forward
the bombers stay behind to "clean up
the captured trenches, and see that
the enemy, emerging from their dug
outs. do not take the rltlemen In the
rear.
Instead of having machine CUR
company to each regiment, as former
ly. there Is machine gun company
TO each battalion. There Is a com
pany of pioneers which supports th'
riflemen In their advance. Before they
nre out of their own trenches, thu
trench mortar company, a new thlni
to the American army, must get in IT
work.
Each man must learn his new du
ties and how and when to fulfill then
TO the utmost advantage. Each man
in addition to his regular and regi
mental marking, is badged to shov
whether his post Is behind or In from
of the lines. Messengers wear spe
clal insignia that permits them t
pass to the rear without the slightes
delay.
These are only few Of the thou
sand and one things that the men II
camp are learning and learning quick
ly. but 1t takes time to instruct then
so that they may take advantage o
the lessons already drilled Into tn
French and British soldiers, namel
that soldiers greatest duty is to d
his work In such capable manne
that he may help in the protection o
his own life as well as those OF hi
comrades and associates.