The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-06-20
VERNE MARSHALL
THRILLS HEARERS
Brilliant Young Editor Of Cedar Rap
ids Gazette Tells Denison Audi
ence of Experience at Verdun
EXPLAINS PRUssIAN MILITARlsM
Depicts Life on Battle Fields Of Eur
ope and Recites the Awful Hor-
rors of War in Europe

Verne Marshall, the brilliant young
editor of the Cedar Rapids Gazette,
who has thrilled Iowa by his interest
ing recitals of experiences at Verdun,
during the great battle for the pos
session of that fort on the French
frontier appeared at the gymnasium
in Denison on Friday evening, and re-
told his experiences Mr.. Marshall
came to DeDison under the auspices of
the Red Cross chapter, and it was the
hope that everyone would be able to
hear his talk. Other attractions how
ever, kept many from attending, and
the attendance was rather disappoint-
ing. 1t is deeply regretted by those
who were instrumental in getting Mr..
Marshall to come to Denison that more
could not have heard him.
Mr.. Marshall served six months in
a French ambulance corps. and a part
of that time was spent back Of the
trenches at Verdun, where he was
driving loads of mangled men from the
terrible fight at Dead Mans Hill. Be-
ing full of vim and experience the
speaker told his story in way that
makes one see the awful slaughter,
and feel as one never felt before the
utter depravity of war; He held his
audience spell-bound from the first of
his talk until the very last, but he
did not tell the story in way to en-
courage cOWardice, for he certainly is
no coward. He faced the mighty en-
fcrno, did his duty and has volunteer
ed to go back.
The narrative of personal experience
on the battle front, as told by Mr..
Marshall, and his explanations, were
such as no theOrist or one who had not
had first-hand knowledge of what hap.
pened and is happening in Europe, can
explain. The talk explained what is
meant by Prussian militarism and
what Prussian militarism stands for
as it wages war. 1t differentiates be.
tween Germany and the German peo-
pie and militant Prussia and Hohen.
zOliern autocracy. 4
Life on the battle fields, hand, to
hand fighting in No Mans Land, use
OF gases, artillery dueing. shelling of
towns, and countryside, driving of am
balances at night over shell-swept,
shell.ridden roads, where headlights
or daylight driving was impossible,
owing to the proximity of the enemy
guns, maintenance of an army of
100000 French men who faced 100000
soldiers Of the crown prince at Yer
dun, the handling of the wounded, life
in the military hospitals, where Mr..
Marshall was confined for twenty
days, the democracy and wonderful
morale of the French army, together
with most vivid description of the
windrows of German dead at Dead
Mans HILL made one OF the most won.
derful and most vivid stories ever told
u Denison audience
The speaker is not a theorist with
lot Of untried remedies to propose,
but he went right into his talk with
machine gun rapidity and fired facts
as fast as one could absorb them. His
Illustrations made with relics of the
French and German battle fields, such
as hand grenades. torpedoes, bay.
Onets, shells, gas masks, steel and
leather helmets, Sehegalese knives,
etc, all were more or less of much
curiousity.5 -,
Mr., Marshall has enlisted in the |
Iowa National Guard and expects to
soon receive a call to arms. The fact
that he has been there and knows
the conditions does not retard him in
what lie. deems his duty. While his |
stay in Denison was of necessity short, |
he found time to meet number of |
our people, all OF whom were pleased |
with his personality, and his pleasing |
manner of speech.