Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-06
Flood of American Re.
endorsements Brings Con-
viction of Victory
DIFFICULT HOUR
Yankee Boys Show They Pos.
Z sess Characteristics of Finest
Modern Soldiers
BY CHARLES H. GRASTY
'pecidt Gable to Euening Public Ledger

eyes are turned toward the American
troops which have already come and
those which are to follow, for every.
body now agrees that if we are to be
saved at all it must be by American
help.
~ And we are going to be saved.
If there were three months more
to transport. train and organize the
problem would be simpler But how
ever hard. it will be solved. The Ger.
! mans we'll know how matters stand,
and for that reason are pushing for
forestall the American tide.
The behavior of our troops in Lor.
raine and more recently at Cantignv,
In Picardy, left no doubt in the Ger.
man mind of the kind of soldier the
American youngster trains into. They
know how divisions trained under
Pershins in France have turned out,
and II is only matter of time and
work to whip the new material into
shape.
Like Dreaded Canadians
OF all the troops in the Allied lines
the boche most breads the Canadians.
He is well aware that Canadians and
Americans are precisely the same
only that the former had more time
and opportunity to develop fighting
qualities.
For six days I have been driving
from one camp to another of newly
arrived American troops, talking to
commanding officers and mixing with
The men. I wish il were possible to
describe the trip. for realize what
craving there is in American hearts
for the n1inutest details. But the line
is drawn. and quite properly, on any
matter that might enable the enemy
to identify and locate units. I can,
therefore. give only a few random
notes and a general impression of
what / saw.
There are 100000. 7 can almost say
7 have counted them. When Secra-
tary Baker claimed that there were a
half million troops in France the skep
tical based their disbelief on the mum
6ers as of April I. In two months
the achievement in transport has been
almost like a miracle. It simply
couldn't be done. But 1t was done
And still they come.
One major general told me that
$4,000 came in his convoy and the next
Day at the same port 1000 more ar
rived.
Figures like this are simply stun
Ming. Britain and France made def
I nlte and urgent representations to
Washington. They asked certain
4hings. When the German offensive
broke they italicized their appeal
President Wilson. Secretary Baker
who was here at the time. and General
Pershing waived discussion and put
aside purely American consideration
and told London and Paris that Amer
lea would answer the call precisely as
made. Then began the remarkable
feat of transferring troops straigh,
from camps at home to the coast ol
France.
They are coming fast. In passenger
trains, in freight cars or hiking alons
the dusty roads, they arrive from the
\ sseaports and pour into camps hehlnc
the battlefront Home and mother are
IN their hearts. but their faces are al
alight with that intelligence and lnoe
pendence which only a free country
gives men the privilege of possessing
II would be utterly useless to dllat
upon the characteristics of American
youth. which every reader knows. a.
4 have seen them in the countr'
3echool back in Missouri. in Time
0ouare last year, so they are IN tranc,
-only more so. The contrast WI "
the older civilizations brings out IN
Xmerican traits sharp and clear.
near that some forty different race
cve represented in our ranks ana una
4.cvos don't even speak Engnsn. ou
Shev're all Americans just the same.
1so naraphrase the saving apou
|ntucky whisky, some Americans al
K 6etter than others. but all amer 20 !, !,
sieere oood Whatever their anteceueh'S
Xshsv,re right as material-the yer
S..t ever got together. Ana Whe
sss,, learn somewhat more about oeal
s-~ NTH Fritz they will be soldlers l
whoyn will be found a combination q
.tha qualities most desired against IN
Germans, 1t is experience ana teSI
nioue that are now required 70 eraui ,i
* <re Americans TO do the Job they nav
come here to do.
Meets Princeton Captain
partly to satisfy in some sma
eraeasure at least the American desir
for knowledge about our troops
where they are, how they are, VIVA
Tsna,, ore doing and all the rest-I Civ
,. facts about personal friend
fwhom / met and whose eXperlenc
revaIIel those of many others.
f,n the third day of our trip "
eched a unit in which l hoped
crd Young officer with whom ha
6een associated in America. we o'
kan making inquiries as we reache
y the DIVISION area anu -
s1ninutes we drove into his billet G
.eS,e outskirts of a pretty French v
lace which was the headquarters OF
rhatfalion. | was lucky enough to flr
him at home.
ne Is a Princeton man who left ide
4 : na,ssness surroundings to take trail
F15sr at Plattsburg, and by natur
Safalifications and hard work earn'
IA z %Sros,sotion to captaincy. II on
4 3hera were enough of such young of
{ &Sers--men who don't need compulsit
S.4p rattle conditions to make them tai
y z "A tive discipline and willing to wo
81 An dsIy and all night to attain efficien'
Eif lwouidn't require many weeks
s Mn our recruits into shape. / sh;
eGs~cribe some things which happen
h. & ~ him. by way of conveying an i'd
81 ~ actual experience over here wit
7 ~ touching matters forbidden.
P Within a few days after his a
~ he went to the front line
inches and spent three days a
- nights to find out just what
his men were going to be
inst. He was in charge of a part
thew travelled in lorry TO a poi
II at forty miles distant, where thin
~ fairly iively at the time. n
~ hin was taken to the genera
naoSi, but slept on the ground in I
( tent. The next morning an Engli
4 = MAJOR accompanied him TO the seco
~ Mno Of trenches On the way they h
: ~ oxperience with a snipcr.
watch outl" cried the major. a
%cnptain heard a bullet singh
keSd. which was his FIRST I
Snca ia being directly fred at.
x-n.~> ,-~~a u.eAa ~ fhA frau~hs.