New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-28
American Infantry in
Front Line Trenches
of Quiet French
Sector
@s~4
Z
Occupy Posts in
Drizzling Rain
Contingent of Men Ex-
perience the Final
Step in War
Training
By Haywood Broun

(Accredited to the Pershir0 Army ~ Frdree
fCouyrish,, 1917. By The Tribune Assoistonl
AMERICAN EXPEDITI0NARY
ARMY, Oct. 26.-American troops are
finishing their training in the first line
trenches Of a quiet sector Of the French
front After months Of instruction
from the French they are now pre-
pared to learn just what the Germans
can teach them.
Back of the doughboys are the Amer
lean artillerymen. The artillery had
the honor of firing their first shot
against the German army shortly before
dawn on a nameless and gray day. IL
was the first shot in anger, as the tech
nical term goes, which America has
fred in France.
Ceremony Is Avoided
The army avoided any ceremony in
connection with the event. The gun
ners may have known that they were
making history, but they were not dis
posed to let anybody catch them at 1t.
No officer of higher rank than captain
Of the battery was present He gave
the range, and said. according to for
muIs, Fire when ready"
The objective was a German battery.
The gunners put the shell In place and
the sergeant raised his hand. He knew
that when he swung his hand down the
gunner would pull the lanyard.
For a moment he forgot the pose OF
indifference and turned mutely toward
the captain to give him chance TO say
something which might live in history.
"Oh. 90 ahead" said the captain
Grossly.
Down came the hand. Another hand
pulled the lanyard, and away screeched
the she'll. II fell little short, but the
Germans took to cover. The man who
pulled the lanyard may not be named,
but he is Irish, red-headed and left
handed.
On the dateless night of this name
less day the American infantry went
into the trenches. Rain pelted them
as they marched in the teeth Of the
wind, which seemed TO pile blackness
into drifts against the camouAage
screens. They couldn't talk or sing,
but they were cheerful, for they had
caught up with this day for which they
had been waiting.
Cafe Attracts Attention
We watched them march through the
last village and turn down dark bit
of road which led to the trenches. Just
at the bend where the troops swung
into the road that led to the front was
the open door of a little cafe. II left
a patch OF light across the road, and
every man, as he passed through this
patch, turned for an instant to look
past the door into the room where
plates clattered and glasses clinked.
On the other side Of the road was
moving picture hut for resting French
troops. There were American Western
pictures this night.
"You know" said doughboy to the
man at his right, IL certainly would
| like to know for sure whether I'll ever
get back TO the movies again"
Then the column swung around the
corner on the black road. Silence was
stilling on this dark road, and present
ly a soldier pped up, Tramp, Tramp,
Tramp, the Boys Are Marching!"
Silenced by Officer
An officer silenced him in an instant.
As a matter Of fact, there was no cheer
ing rhythm of marching men. Feet
came down, squash, SQUASH" on the
road.
When we came back 70 the bend an
officer stod there, loking at his watch.
THE first bunch must be going in
now," he said.
He loo.ed at his watch again, and
then, after a second, he looked once
more.
'I'm little nervous" he said, "be-
cause the boches are so quiet. They
throw shells last night and the night
before. But there hasn't been thing
tonight. wonder what they're up to
don't like it. | wish they'd shoot
a little. soon"
When we left the officer he was still
standing at the bend of the road, wait
ing for some sign from up there.
1t was quiet night, and the secto,
remains normal. Nobody knows whether
the Germans are aware that the AmsS