The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-11-07
Americans in Camp In England
Study Under Tuition of
Veterans.
mustard" GAS A DANGER
Victims Are Subject to Distressing Pc
rlods Of Depression Even at Time
Of convaIescence EngIand's
Countrywide Delights Visitors.

troops on their way to take part In
the great war Is born of the convic-
ton Of their complete happiness
coupled with their adaptability to their
new surroundings.
Two days after disembarking from
ships that so successfully defeated the
most aggressive tactics Of the U-boats
during the voyage from the United
States coast enough of the stalwarts
to make brave showing and gladden.
the hearts Of their English allies as
an earnest Of the preparations we are
making at home were as comfortably
settled In camp as II they had been
there two years.
A party Of American correspondents
visiting the new arrivals as guests Of
the foreign Office were made homesick
by conversation with them. They were
found enjoying all of the comforts Of
well established camp ranging from
the soft drinks dispensed at the Y. M.
G. A. canteen to the sociability of a
singsong about the piano In a pleas
antly arranged assembly tent.
The one thing about the visitors that
most surprised the English army Off
GERS stationed in a camp adjoining In
addition to their splendid average ply
siQue was their energy and alertness,
both mentally and physically.
One English officer said he had heard
first impressions of England from one
n inf hnY
he had ever heard. Attention to what
the men were saying about what they
had seen since their arrival supported
the officers observation.
Engiand's Countryside a Dream.
'It's all so trim and neat-this coun-
tryside-that one can scarcely believe
It's real" was the way soldier from
the vicinity Of the Rockies in Colo
RADIO put it. "Of course, it would
cause no wonder in a Belasco play to
see such a vista Of miles of beautiful
countryside, of rolling pastures sur
rounded by evenly trimmed miniature
hedges, the whole so clean and even
and exact that one searches in vain to
see something out Of place. We thought
the railways on which we travelled
were compared with ours at home, just
too cute! When l come to think of
1t, though, we Travelled about as fast
as we wanted to ride anywhere, and
about as comfortably, too"
The same impressionable visitor was
promptly beginning to exercise himself
lest he should not have an opportunity
before being sent to the front to see
some of the hooks and corners of Lon
don hallowed as the haunts Of famous
men.
II don't mind spilling my blood on
the fields Of Europe for freedom" he
said, "but l don't want to do that be-
fore seeing where Shakespeare trod the
stage Of his Southwark theater, where
Doctor Johnson and his circle of lit
erary lights dined in Fleet street,
where Charles Lamb and his sister
lived, the haunts of Dickens, of Gold
smith, and the window in Whitehall
from which Charles walked to be be-
headed.
"Then, Of course, I wouldn't think
Of passing forward to contaminate my
self by association with the Germans
even in battle, if had my way, before
seeing the Tower Of London and West
Minister abbey. There are, indeed, a
lot Of things I've had in my mind that
books don't tell, and that l want to
find out for myself, anyhow"
Hear Tales Of Boer War.
Under a perfect sky and warm sun
shine many Of the men were lolling
about the camp on the greensward
reading books provided by the Ameri-
can Y. NJ G. A. when not drilling or
exploring the surrounding country, to
permit which the bounds of the camp
had been fixed on a liberal scale
In an adjoining camp occupied by
South African troops, the Americans
enjoyed long conversations with vet
Grams Of the South African war and
were particularly interested while get
ting their stories of that stubborn
fight put up by the Beers to find that
as many of them had fought then
against England as fought under the
Union Jack.
This accidental association of Amer
leans with the South Africans In the
next camp proved profitable as well as
interesting, for the colonials were the
first troops with actual experience in
action In the war with whom our men
came in contact. Naturally they pick
ed up many valuable tips concerning
the essentials of trench warfare as
we'll as the tricks Of the Huns.
One Of the Germans latest tricks
with gas was described by soldier
who spoke from experience. This Is
the so-called mustard" gas shell. 1t
is shot from mortar and, exploding
within radius of between Is and so
feet from trench, leaves It's occu-
pants with lasting impression of the
meaning of shot stuff"
Mustard" Victims Suffer Long.
The fumes penetrate both outer
clothing and underwear almost instan-
taneOusly, though the hot and burning
smart of the skin that follows is some
what mercifully dulled by the
bunting Of the senses that follow
inhalation of the fumes. Victims Of
the mustard" bombs are subject to
distressing periods of depression, even
at the time Of convalescence. Their
nerves seem to have been shattered
completely beyond control.