Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-24
Matter of Temperament.

| 1t is purely a matter of temperament
and there seems to be little doubt now
| that only actual battle experience will
convince American soldiers that the abil-
1ty to take advantage of any bit Of cover
is one of the greatest assets the modern
| man at arms can have.
1t seems a shame to have to curb the
hrst-line fighting spirit OF our troops,
said an American training ofdcer yes
terday, but the men must be made to
understand as far as possible that i'm
petuosity must be subordinated to
steadiness. This has become time
| clock war. The men must advance in
given time and go no further. Every
step of infantry advance must first be
worked out with artillery. and when
| the plan Is arranged it must be strictly
adhered to.
I'VE realize that 1t will be difficult to
| hold our men to this plan. If they see
| a battle going on their favorite impulse
Will be to push on as fast as they can.
and some are bound to do so. just as
the Canadians did in the earlier stages.
z! We will undoubtedly have big losses in
| this way. but the men who come through
our first battles will be worth their
learn quickly the value of steadiress
and absolute discipline under fire, and
they will be the steadying influence we
can distribute through the newer units
final preparation for trial BY fre."
The natural fighting man, it seems.
has . natural antipathy to digging in.
Even In these late months Of war
remain above ground and stand chances
or getting killed by shells than to dig
deep dugouts SO adored by the Ger
mans. In planning the battle of Mes
s sines ridge. which was a model of a
commander took into account the fight
ing mans point of view and when the
advance had reached stage where it
gave the British covered high ground
the fighting men were directed to take
a rest. while specially organized labor
battalions were rushed up from the
rear to do the necessary digging and
concentrating OF new trenches SO as to
make them thoroughly proof against
counter attack.
The result was that the fighting men,
nnhampered and unworried by the
necessity sssr T. of Of digging went forward
that were rather hoped for than ac-
tually expected.
These are the tactics the American
nghting man would like to see They
appeal to him, but just now he is being
put through pretty stiff course OF
digging. This does not apply to digging
trenches alone. He is being taught how
to dig himself in individually while ly-
ing nat on the ground in face of enemy
fre, thus getting temporary shelter
and the protection of a sort of grave
like excavation. 1t is not so often
| INV 6udSS, however, that a man has
tually to dig himself in on solid ground,
for there is seldom an infantry ad-
vance made over anything but ground
all pitted and torn with she'll craters.
Art Americans Must Learn.
! Fighting from shell holes is an art in
itself and one that Americans must learn
before taking their places in the allied
line. German prisoners declare they would
rather light from shell holes on an active
| part OF the front than from a regularly
organised trench system The latter at
| fords the af4illery too good a target. while
| isolated holes are difficult to deal
their shell holes by putting brown water
proof shoe., over them whenever an al
lied airplane is seen approaching. The
| passion for digging in is so strong with
| the Germans that they have been known
| desperately to claw holes In the ground
with their hands till the ends Of their
| fingers were practically worn off Thus
some were found dead. Others taken
| prisoner. had TO be sent to the hospital
| with all their fngernails gone
There was great excitement late We'd
where a contingent of American troops is
| billeted. when fire broke out in the army
l mule stables and threatened to spread
| through the place. The soldiers formed a
4 brigade with buckets, and, with an ancient
| hand-pump fire engine, they confined the
| blaze to the stables Seven Missouri mules
| persisted.
| So many troopers assembled on the ton
\ OF house adjoining the stables that the
| roof gave way, but all the men escaped
| serious injury.