Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-02
j, S, TROOPS FACE
CONSTANT GUNF|RE
New Positions at Front Mean
Beginning Of Real War for
Pershing's Men.
READY TO PAY THE PRICE
RY JUNIUs b. WOOD.

ny JUNIUS b. WOOD.
! Cnblesra,n to The Evening Star and
. Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1918.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY NEAR
AMIENS. France April 2s.-American
forces are now on the front helping to
hold the road barring the way to
Amiens and Paris. and fighting to hold
back the hordes beating against the
allies lines. Exactly how long they
have been there l am not permitted to
say on account Of military reasons. 1t
is sufficient to say that the American
troops have received a baptism of fire
making their previous experience pale
into the insignificance Of skirmishes
The troops are active in a position
where the gunfre is so constant and so
insistent is the deep-voiced roll and
crash Of exploding shells that in the
rare intervals when there is moment
of silence one pinches ones self TO see
II one Is not sleeping. Danger Stalks
constantly here. as l know from per.
sonal experiences, having accompanied
the infantry from the time It leit us
former position in the line, hiking over
miles Of hard roads and sleeping on
straw pallets in the villages where they
were hilleted, and having covered all
the ground from the present shellproot
dugouts to the front lines.
| 1t was my good fortune to be with
the American troops when they march
| ed into the active battle area and took
their places in the front-line trenches.
This movement cannot be described IN
| lions, but what can be told I will give
here.
Line Up Along Roadside.
Assembly was sounded by the bugles
and 545 men were lined up along the
roadside, ready to start promptly at 6
o'clock.
"Brine a boche back for me-" shouted
one soldier as the column filed past.
Other regiments also were forming
into line for the purpose of relieving
the French. who had been holding the
front and paying a daily toll of losses
for three weeks. Each night some
battalions were sent forward. put e en.s
to go. There was little Of the usual
Joking as the men started.
! They had been in the trenches before.
but this, with the enemy swarming
ing over tons Of steel. lead and gas
shells day and night. they realized. was
the beginning Of real war for them
They were ready to pay the price, but
liz was impossible that all should escape
that unceasing rain of shells.
Squad right! March! came the
sharp command from the young Capt
Long. and the company with which
marched wheeled like one man and the
lmonotonous crunch Of many feet
| sounded on the wet graveled road. 1t
was the start of the last lap which was
| to bring the mon before midnight TO
| the front, q few kilometers distant. The
rumble Of guns was distinctly heard
and also the sharp crash Of exploding
shells. And the company marcned Tor
ward.
Hours Of Hard Work.
built several years ago to hold the
hordes Of imperialism. these soldiers
were going into new positions. which
were fertile farms and woods Few
weeks ago. Gradually, by means OF
pick and shovel under cover Of dark
ness, they were to be trenches. but 1t
meant many hours Of hard work. with
a day between in which they would lie
| In some hastily 6craped-up shelter. sure
of q rain Of enemy bullets the minute
| 4 head was stuck above the ground.
Once caught in the spray Of a machine
gun, a man would have to lie where no
| fell until nightfall, when the stretcher
bearers could carry him back to nave
What at first had been only shell era
| ters made by the enemy's guns fred to
bring death had been utilized for the
protection Of French h. soldiers Sldins.. VINO .n9
lay in them through the day while
holding back the enemy's lines. Grad
ually the nearest ones had been con-
nected by shallow bitches. Thus the
front line trench rose Each night 1t -
on the outside rises higher. Barbed
wire appears on the front. Ascommu-
talon headquarters. and all together it
| assumes the outline Of a trench system:
The enemy airplanes fly overhead until
driven back by those having red. white
and blue circles on their wings. Shells
drop into the trenches without warm
ing, killing and wounding and destroy
ing instantly the backbreaking work OF
hours. Trenches grow here just as in
other parts Of France. and just whore
they will always grow where men are
willing to pay the cost in lives and toll.
Shower Of Stones and Dirt.
As the American troops crept forward
| into the trenches there would como .
whistle and everybody would crouch to
| the ground. Then a shell would burst.
| nroha hlY. 4 hundred Yards away. and