The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-07-05
BY KENNETH w. PAYNE.

(London Correspondent Of. Tribune.)
At the British Front in France, July
5.-Just what is in store for the boys
in Uncle Sans selective service army
when they reach the trenches here to
fight beside their Fellows and theis
allies? a,,.,. g., B..
Just what will be their first impress
sions Of the front? Just what kind
Of soldering are they going to run
up against?
I came to the British front for The
Tribune to answer this question for
Bismarck young men, = ,1l Sn
And here is what | found:W 2. '@'p
A whole lescountryside, for miles and
miles. in all directions, teeming with
industries so vast and. varied you
can't grasp more than few scattered
details; .s-
Flashes of bridges being built, huts
being erected, roads being graded,
bitches being dug, lorries being re-
paired, cars being unloaded, wires be.
ing strung;
Action, action everywhere, and nary
a stop to think:
Marvellous mushroom cities brought
into existence, more amazing than the
mushroom cities brought into exist
ence in America by the warbrought
industries;
The biggest boom town that ever
was on earth; a war city scattered
over the countryside of France; an
English city, with Tommy Atkins the
name of each inhabitant!
The great offensive requires tre'
mendous concentration not only OF
men and munitions. but of endless
related activities The result is the
birth of this mushroom city. 1t has
no definite location in fact, it's rath-
er all over the place. After motoring
up and down the front, I have the
impression of having sped through
miles and miles of city streets, alive
with intense activity.
1: {: {: !: : :. :. : = :: = = =
:. ''For two cents, in an army =
= canteen. l have just had one of :
:. the best cups of tea ever served :"
:. at any price. And that Is typical =
:. of the way Tommy Is treated in =
: the matter of eats. Marvelously =
:. weii..'-From a letter by Ken :
: meth Payne. ::
: :. :: = : 8 {: : = = : = +
The 'front.' then doesn't mean just
line of trenches backed up with
batteries. It means vast area o.
peaceful countryside converted into Il
thriving urban community. A Cooks
tour of the city is startling because
Of the incOngruous contrasts. Take
a truly rural landscape, preserve all
it's distinctive features. such as coun-
try roads, avenues of trees. woods,
fields, pastures and hills and streams.
but graft on top of it an up-to-date
city, buzzing with all the conflicting
activities of a regular -Anerican city
and you have picture OF the British
front as it first impresses the visitor.
Struggling suburbs of the city run in
to the devastated area, up close to
the firing line Ruined villages are
embraced by it. 1t is on French soil
but it is all English And in all its
vast extent, there's hardly struc-
ture standing worthy the name OF
"building!"
Take a motor trip through the town.
cat this point a passage has been de-
leted by the censor) At the princi-
pal corners stand traffic cops, with
red armlets labled traffic" They
keep the conflicting currents OF mo-
tors and lorries and wagons and
cycles and mules more Or less un-
tangled.
Here comes-honestly-a notorious,
full of passengers. 1t is painted sort
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