The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-06-13

means OF communication for a week between re
king and the rest of the world
But the tasks that confronted our signal men
in these play compared to the work
that is being done every day the western front.
Our signal men there have an area to cover about
the size Of Pennsylvania and they have gone at 1t
with vigor and efficiency that spell volumes ior
the superiority OF Americans In this particular line
Of work.
The hardy linemen who have strung lines and
repaired breaks on the Western plains Or battled
with great floods and storms in the Rocky noun
tains have taken to this new work with xest
which Is inspiring. On the foundation OF the
French system they are building signal system
that will be a model Of Its kind
Up to within four miles Of the front construc-
ton Is not different from what 1t il here at home
The wires are strung on poles and most OF the
poles have been planted by the French. But when
gets inside the shelltorn section tat stretches
at least four miles from the front wires have to
be protected by being buried from SIX to eight feet
deep. 80 that only direct hit by a large shell will
disturb them.
Within half a mile Of the front not even this
protection s suficient, the shells churn and re-
churn the ground Therefore all wires In this zone
are duplicated and are strung along both sides OF
the trenches Sometimes a trench wall II covered
with wires.
In the battalion headquarters signal ONCE where
the hundreds Of wires from the trenches and OBJ
servatiOn posts center and where the receivers
hum with the constant tremors OF q world under
dre, plain Bill smith lounges In q corner rOlung q
cigarette and occupied In his own particular
thoughts. 1t Is dugout, this headquarters and
the air is vile but Bill got used to that long ago.
1.-THE wire to battery is down." Smiths su-
perior ofncer says. turning to him.
"An right, SIR" IL the answer. And Bill climbs
out Of the dugout, repair kit over his arm and tin
hat on his head.
In the trench he finds the wire that Ii broken
and begins to follow 1t along. 1t IL hot work In
the trench, shells are dropping thicky, but Smith
n R1lI1v orvf~s1 Anxrr
a communication trench and then after long time
out into the open, where he has to crawl along
looking the hole that will mark the place where
the line has been broken
He gets nearly there when a shell lands near
him and Bill Smith, his face toward the break,
goes west. After q time, back in the dugout an
other repairman is sent out and perhaps he IL
luckier than Bill and finds the break.
Then he has to sit down in the shell crater, the
smash of bursting shells close that sometimes
he is half buried in dirt, calmly making the con-
nection that will enable the observation officer up
front to get in touch with his battery again. II he
gets back to the dugout he will be sent out again
and yet again II the bombardment ia heavy and
often for days and nights at a time these men
under fire, snatching nap now and then in the
dugout between breaks But they keep the lines
open.
In an attack the signal men go over the top with
the infantry. generally with the second wave, in
charge of the observing officer. They make for a
point where they can establish observation
post. and as they pass on and through the enemy's
barrage they unroll their line and of them car
ries a field telephone, through which they somehow
manage in the din OF battle to make themselves
heard.
That telephone is like battle fag and many
man goes down with It, only to have Il picked IN
and carried forward by another Of these noncom.
batant troops Their business is only to serve not
to fight and they do 1t with a cool daring which
IL not surpassed in any branch of the service :
They are in the forefront Of every advance and