El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-28
AMERICAN TROOPS IN FRANCE.
WITH A WHOLE WORLD TO SAVE
II II

ERSHING'S troops are in France. A port is full of
~ amy transports and warshp conveys The streets
of the French town are filled with khaki clad officers
and enlisted American army trucks in long lines
transport supplies from the docks to the camp of the
American forces Over the American camp flies the emblem
Of liberty flag of free people not too proud to fight
No wonder the crowds Of French inhabitants gathered
at the docks to watch the American regiments dsembar
gave way to wild cheering the ranks formed and
marched swayino France To those French people the
incident sgnied for the first time definitely, the actual
entry of the United States into the Soldiers with
rifles and bayonets; soldiers with pistols and machine
guns; soldiers with aTterythese actual partci-
patton in the Ships securing the for submarines
valuable reinforcement. But they do make the
dent in the mind Hospital troops essential but
they do not kill Germans and win ground Armed soldiers
Of looking at the matter We feel the way about
it. The announcement that two contingents of Gen.
Pershings army had landed in France carried thrill
has piece of since the between the United
States and Germany declared to exist
1t means we are 'fn.s It means our troops are on
the soil of Europe preparing to strike the opening blow
on land in the war we are undertaking to down imperous
tyranny.
We are 'fn." Those regiments of Cen Pershing's who
have reached France the pioneers of the army
which IS taking up the battle against Wihelms auocracy
Fleet after fleet of transports will leave the shores of
the United States their decks brown with the khaki
olive of soldiers anchor one another
of the ports of France where the troops will form the
docks and march away to camp Regiments will grow into
divisions and divisions into army corps. And American
troops viii be front line trenches other American troops
will be IN the support trenches and still other American
VIII be held the headquarters
WneIe the commander and his staff viii work out the
battle tactics and the details of the amys life And be-
tween the lines viii be regiments of artillery. Back
and forth between supply depots and headquarters and
between headquarters and the support trenches United
States army trucks will rumble the roads of
while dispatch riders motorcycles flash In and out
among them on their way to or from headquarters.
Somewhere the front viii be the dressing stations
for wounded somewhere far in the the American
flag viii fly hospitals where torn bodies viii be
mended and the convaescents will sit grassy terraces
looking away into the soft sunlight of France.
We have another thrill coming to 1t will not be
long delayed. 1t will after these troops in
France have been for weeks under intensive train
ing after they have mastered the details of bomb throw
ing, baITages, gas attacks and such.
The troops viii then take their places along section
of the front Perhaps shall not be advised promptly
Of the fact but it viii leak out The Germans viii
IT almost the Americans enter their trenches
and IN one way another, by unofficial statement if not
by official announcement shall know that Pershing
and his forces on the fighting line.
And then viii come from the German side, some DAYS
later, line two in the daily office statement
that from the American front heavy artillery fire is
being emitted. The viii be made the
next day and the day after that and possibly
days more the work of preparing the ground goes
The initiated viii recognize all the signs.
Then the cable machines will click off few symbols
and the telegraph wires of the country will
flash word that the American troops have gone over"