The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-25
AMERICAN CITIZENS
IN KHAKI
CONTINUED from pare Il

/ the Germans are particularly bitter
! toward them and say that these splen'
| did Americans were hired by the al
| lies
From the German point of view, the
pay of Americans who are fighting
against Prussianism is doubtless prin'
| cely. 1t amounts to exactly a dollar
and quarter a day. leave people
| in the United States to judge whether
that would be the sort of remuneration
calculated to draw American univer
sity graduates, some with consider
able private fortunes, business men,
real estate men, clerks, lumbermen'
eng1neers-across the Atlantic.
The falsehood is one of the bits OF
German boomerang propaganda with
which neutrals are becoming acquaint-
ed
The Americans in the British and
French armies enlisted in divers
ways. In the first few months OF the
war many came to England direct
and entered the British army Ihose
who were residents in Europe at the
outbreak of the war formed union
with British residents in France and
Joined the French. Others came over
later and entered the flying service.
where they have done splendid work.
Early in the war, during the battle
of the Marine, r was billeted with a
number of our dispatch riders and was
much surprised to find the particular
company with which I was spending
the night were almost entirely from
the United States. Il is almost In
possible to estimate the number OF
Americans in these two armies, put
including those engaged In the noble
work of the American ambulance
corps in Paris and its numerous auto
mobiles and conveys. it has been esu-
mated at quite a sufficient number
to have made the American language
American music and Boston baked
beans familiar
A great feature OF the war on the
western front at the moment Is the
day and night raids. This dash ana
desperate form of individual fighting
Is encouraged by the British leader,
Sir Douglas Haig and 1t is in this that
the Canadians and the British. who
have considerable forces Of Ameri-
cans with them, are adopts.
Each one Of these raids Is NINA
ture battle and it was In studying this
form Of warfare that had the pleas
ure OF seeing Americans who are
serving with a Canadian regiment re-
viewed by a general on their return
from the firing line for rest and
festal dinner.
BY q curious coincidence, the set
ting Of the scene was that OF thous-
and such In American and Canadian
lumber camps-even down to the log
house. We were Just out OF shell
range of the German gun. though the
British artillery were talking all the
time, AS the men came down the hill
side through tall pine trees, 1t did not
take long for one who has visited
most OF the states OF the union to de-
tect despite the mud and fatigue,
from which of the worlds continents
they came. They were In high spi-
tension Of always shelled and water
logged trenches, they came tumbliig
over each other like school boys. All
are in pleasant and happy relation
with their Canadian and British off,
cers-which makes for good fighting
and does not derogate from strict dis
c1pline.
They were paraded for a moment or
two for inspection and as company
after company formed into line.
could not but admire the quickness
I-encumbered as they were with all
sorts OF equipment and the extra
suit Of caked mud-with which they
came to attention and eyes right.
IF I had any doubt as to the home
OF these stalwart fighters for freedom
It would have been settled by the
steady movement OF their jaws, be-
tokening a habit which Is rapidly
spreading among the English and
French and which is said by the doc
tors to be quite q useful relaxation
wiif;e under fire or trench mortars
and minewerfers.
Before each company Was dis
missed / was allowed to make them a
short speech and to mix and mingle
with them as freely as l chose. I
had brought with me newspaper clip
pings from a German source, in which
! 1t was said that the Americans com
planned OF their treatment. / had
only read it to the first group to have
1t hotly denied.
! I'VE are having a perfectly cork
ing time, despite the mud" voiced a
Californian with a tall figure and a
voice as resonant as Roosevelt's.
You'll not find a crouch in the
whole outfit, except that we had not
| expected 10 letiTH III uu-s" lluIlIuS duu
that we don't see enough home news
papers"
"As for that" replied another, 81
don't want to see mine. The folks
sent It along at first, but stopped II
for It gave only Fritzy's side OF the
case"
/ / find lack OF home newspapers to
be a general complaint and any Amer
lean who sympathizes with these fine
boys fighting out here might dc
worse than mail a newspaper every
week-preferably one not giving tbs
German side. Such newspaper:
should be addressed American sol
diers, care commanding officer, Roya
Canadian regiment, British Expedi
ticnary force, in France"
l should say that chewing gum
magazines, wooden comforts, tobacco
: cigarettes and any portable and pre-
servable little Injuries would d,
welcomed-though there is no lack o
anything except, as I have said. o
| home papers these American how.