Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-10
By HENRI BAZIN


stu1 corrsspon6ent EveHing Pubic ledger
as tSith the ArerieaR Army ia France
with the American Army in the Field,
March II.
TN A village back OF the line, village
4 shot to pieces by Boche artillery l
mounted a ladder this afternoon to an
American artillery observation post. It
was placed in that which is left Of q
building that in its undanased condition
had something Of elevation in archi.
lecture, but now in the main was
wreck as the houses around IL II is TO-
Gated somewhere north of Toul.
The ladder was long and steeply laid
against grimsd stone and camou'laged
despite being toward our lines. Within
the observation post found two Amerl'
can officers OF artillery whom ! had met
months back witalu the borders OF
training camp and before. French
proving ground, where In the early mist
Of an autumn morning We had Wit
messed the firing of the first projectiIc IN
France by an American gunner.
The post was small hardIy .arge
enough for three persons. II was black
tIfned for nurposes Of concealmsnt and its
furniture consisted OF three folding camp
are the thing therein .
In reality they are double perlscope'
shaped like an enormous pair Of blunt
end scissors, the blunt ends bent out
ward at right angles. Within their
ends are two lenses, and az the handle
ends two more. The drst two are ordi-
nary feld-Elass diameter, the last as
big as a small saucer. They are at
tached 70 the two holes in the post
wau made for the purpose. looking en-
enayward. You sit down upon one OF the
stools and command the landscape be
fore you. with your head we'll under
WELCOME. said MY lieutenant friend,
"sit down and look the Boehe over
out before my vision and a little
10 one side I could see Mont Sec, a
dominating elevation OF thousand
feet within the Boche lines and from
whence he commands the American
trenches IN almost perfect manner, so
mitch so that they we're, In original
construction by the French, made to
xiszag more than any TRENCHES I have
ever seen.
Upon Mont Sec the barbarian has an
avalanche OF hsttsries ranged to drop
shell about where II suits his evil pleas
uFe IN the distance OF a few kilo-
IltlCfG CQAAa AAgN fFAe~N NRAFAl NihSAeA ~
their camoufiage. and the Mont looked
but a hill Of gray brown. About II, TO
each side. and before IT, we're ruined
Villages. villages OF France ruined by
Vrench she'll Directly IN front Of my
view lay our trenches, the drst, second
ana third lines. with eoumunicat tors,-be-
y0nd the first. our wire In two spaciugs,
btyond Il still the laRd Of No Man that,
unleAs all slgns fall Is destined TO be-
come 10 reality that which Yankees in
the line already call II. Our Land. on
~ rs far end the German wire could
% plainly seen, and the frSt and second
lines with communieatoFs.
Our batteries were engaged In the
pleasant task Of demolishing Boehe wire,
tie fret shot being fred as entered
ine observation post The nrst four tel
ttan and IN the midst Of q ruined
P||I1se n the frat line itself exactly as
81 f1ntsa- Mouson. Shell No. : struck
ntyh ne ruined steeple OF . church,
Mk4rt the bruised Etone raised into the
a Iito two Jagged teeth. lfter the
aA.t and dust had blown away. only
.. MS visible With the fifth shot We
|4NI1I afn1at tha wlro. nrpt The inrer
~ Hoa tte outer A. its stretched
|4 were cqI ~ each fhtIl' ~.
|| 1'E't4 W IanpI ~