Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-09-01
The American Soldier
And the War Tr.1ch
MEXICAN TRAINING CAMP /

FRANCE-One OF the greatest problems
American Officers have before them j. in
improSsing upon their men the absolute inn
Iportance of learning the best way OF keep
ing under cover. The American soldier is
not ! natural digger in" lie is much like
his Canadian brother in arms in that re-
~rect. for it j. m old saying on the British
front that Canadians will die in the last
ditch. hut never dig il.
Notwithstanding al that has been told
along this line: Notwithstanding the he
he pick and shovel. the American soldier
has remained decidedly mkewarm. lie
came to France 10 fight the Germans. he
says. and not III die \ hole and look ~
them through i Spyalas~. Tho French.
Canadian and Australian soldiers all re-
sent the idea of digging in and would not
admit the necessity of doing SO until bitter
losses taught them u dearly bought lesson.
Ii j. purely a matter Of temperament
and there seems 10 be- little Doubt now that
only actual battle experience will convince
American soldiers that the ability to take
advantage at any bit Of cover Il one Of
the greatest assets the modern man M
arms can have. Ill seems a shame 10 have
to curb the first fine fighting spirit of our
troops" said an American training officer.
Yesterday. 'but the men must b. made to
understand. ~ far a. possible. that i'm
pstno~itv must be- ~ubordinatcd to ~tcadi-
ness. This has become u time clock war.
The men mus: advance in given time and
70 no further. Every step OF infantry adj
vance must first be worked ort with the
artillery, and when the plan Is arranged il
must be- strictly adhered 10.
I'VE realize that il viii lc difficult 10
hold our men to this plan. II they see =
LATHE going on their impulse will be Ia
push ON ~ fast a. they can. and some are
bound ~ do 80. just - the Canadians did
in the early stages. We will undoubtedly
nave big losses in thi- way. hut the men
who come through our first battles will he
worth their weight IN gold thereafter. They
viii learn quickly the valuc Of ~tcadine~s
will be the stcadving influence we can dis
tribute through the newer units of our
great army ~ they eot their final prcpara-
ton for trial BY fire.
American fighting men now are bcinw
put through 2 pretty stiff course of di~
gina. This does not apply to digeine'
trenches alone. They are being taught how
to dig themselves in individually while ~
ina flat on the ground IN face Of enemy
fire. thus getting temporary shelter and
protection of 4 Snr; Of aravclike excava-
ton. II j. not 80 often NOWADAYS. how
ever. that Il man has actually tn dig him
self IN on solid ground. Tor there j. seldom
IN infantry advance made over ANYTHING
but ground Ill pitied and torn with shell
~craterS.
Fighting from shell holes il M art IL
itself and one that Americans must learn
before taking their places in the allied line.
German prisoners declare they wonld raih-
ar fight from shell holes on ~ active part
of the front than from 4 regularly organ
lied trench ~ tom. The latter afford- tho
artillery too good = target. while isolated
shell holes arr difficult for The enemy guns
IL deal with. The Germans even concea
some at their shell hole w putting brown
waterproof sheets over them whenever M
allied airplanc il seen approaching.
The passion for digging in j. - -tron.
with the Germans that they have beer
known desperately "a claw holes IN IN,
ground with their hands till the ends III
their iineer- were practically worn off
Thus ~ome were found dead. others iakcl
prisoners, and had 10 be seat H. ihc hos.
pital with MI their FINGER mails cone.