Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-10
SOLDIERS IN FRANCE
SHOWING EARNESTNEsS
American Troops Anxious to Absorb
Greatest Possible knowledge
in Least Time.
FEEL THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
All Realize They Arc But Vanguard
Of Real Army-Want to Feel That
They Have Understanding and
Backing Of Those at Home.
lpy Assocla,ed pre.u.1

preston one gains after three weeks
with the American soldiers training in
France Is the absolute earnestness with
which the splendid young men OF the
army have undertaken the task which
is before them. There Is no disposition
officers to underestimate in any way
the seriousness OF that task. and the
hard work which remains to BIO done
before America can take her place in
the actual firing line.
The troops feel their responsibility
keenly. They are indeed. the small but
effective nucleus about which will be
built the great army and great army
machine which the United States hopes
eventually to have on the battle fields
OF France.
The men are earnest in their desire
to absorb war knowledge as quickly and
as thoroughly as possible. 80 that when
called upon to act as Instructors to
succeeding units as they arrive they
Will be found eminently qualified. A
great deal of this earnestness and this
will to do Is largely the result of the
enthusiasm Of the young officers who
but recently Joined the colors. and have
taken up tho business OF war with a
courage and determination that means
volumes to the future of their country.
In return for this service OF patrio-
tism. in return for sacrifice already
made and the still greater ones yet to
como, the officers and men alike Of the
eIpeditionary force want TO feel always
That they have an understanding Of
sympathy and support from the folks
back home" That Is a sentimental
side OF tho soldier. whether he be
Frenchman. Briton or German in the
hring line. or American in the training
camp.
THOUGHTS OF SELF
ARE THINGS OF PAST
Face to face with the great adventure
all the thoughts of self are things Of
the past. There is only the thought of
homo and the hope in the soldiers
breast that what ne IS about TO do will
be Understood and appreciated there.
This spirit already pervades the young
American army.
Under the best circumstance the
training OF soldiers in the c~verchanging
methods OF modern warfare is a labor
requiring months Of patient and pains
taking effort.
a thousand OF the most valiant and
valuable men in tho British army. for
instance, did not put n foot in France
until after they had had a whole year
OF training at home.
On the other hand. called
up boys OF seventeen years at the be-
ginning OF last September and sent
many OF them into the trenches after
only six weeks OF infantry training,
chiefly in marching and close order
drill. This was possible because these
boys wero merely distributed among
old. seasoned troops--stop-gaps in the
ranks Of decimated divisions.
Six months Is nearer the ideal train
Ing period. but this rule applies to ar
mics which have been fighting three
years and have all the machinery es-
tablished through which the men are
passed smoothly and unendingly to-
ward the front.
The building OF this machinery-the
great engine OF war which works be-
hind the lines-is the staggering task
now being dealt with. 1t is a task in
a way greater than anything France or
Great Britain have been called upon
TO do. for Americas problems arc those
of France and Great Britain multiplied
ny NV - ~ OSSat.
UNsHAI[ABLE FAITH
IN AMERICAN GENIUS
The army that is here realizes all
these difficulties. but 1t also has an
unshakeble faith in American genius
for accomplishment. and above all
others. In the American will. Tho way
TO the trenches Is long and hard. The
daily drills and tasks necessarily are
much the same thing over and over
again. all of which means a dearth Of
real news just now. But the soldiers
are anxious that the folks at home
should know that the absence of news
does not mean absence of work. Nor
can the value of each days training be
actually told until the American SOL
der at last stands out as the finished
product.
It Is not known how much longer the
French Institutional division will re-
main with the Americans. The latter
are proving SO apt and the training
camps are SO we'll established that un-
doubtedly 1t will be only a
lively short time when but a few
picked French officers and noncommis-
stoned officers will be retained to assist
in the training.
STUDENTS OF tne war, WnlCn mas now
entered its fourth year, are convinced
that the morale OF the troops n the
morale of the nations of the entente
Will provo to be the final factor In
deciding the titanic struggle. The
morale of the American soldiers in
France can easily be estimated by the
avidity with which they take up, the
training In offensive tactics as against
defensive work. The latter is very
essential. naturally. but it is a phase
of training likely to prove'a bit irk-
some to troops imbued with the often
sive spirit, as are the Americans. They
are frankly sincerely anxious, most of
them. for their turn in the trenches to
come even il at first it is only a tenn
porary s~ojourn at the front for train
inG purposes.
The men are anxious for q glimpse of
war and there is no doubt that after
they get 1t 1t will add infinite zest to
their future training and to their abil-
ity to train future divisions. The men
still are far enough from the line to
hear or see little that has to do with