Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-26
American Army.
Front and Rear,
Linked With Wire

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Tours, Central France, sept "
Along the railway routes and tine great
national highways of France one sees
mile after mile OF new telegraph anu
telephone lines set up by the Amer
lean army, with squads o. iIuviiISii =.
khaki stringing the wires ana laylhS
out new lines. The telegraph Offices
all through the war zones are cro"ue
with khaki uniformed operators and
personnel OF American officers and en-
listed men
II is one Of the extensive systems
suddenly installed on huge scale WIN
the coming OF the Americans. spread
ing a vast wire net over all france
and realizing government operation o.
telegraph and telephones on foreign
soil even before it was under way on
home soil.
This military nerve system is no'
alone telegraph and telephone lines
but cable lines across the channei SO
that American headquarters IN france
can be in immediate Intercourse Win
American officials in London; wireless
receiving and sending plants for de-
tecting enemy exchanges and carrying
ON our own radio work; courlers ana
dispatch riders: weather observers ~
warn when storms may impede mill
tarv operations and all those modern
methods of rapid communication tha'
have become Indispensable 10 warfare:
II is a complete linking together OF
the army, front and rear, headquarters
and staff and line, keeping the COM
manding officers in constant TOUCH
with every division and every oIhei
branch in the huge field Of operations
The movement of troops and the ac-
tual lighting of battles are largely de-
pendant upon this highly developed
army communication, which not only
Joins our army but keeps up the la
son of a vast united command.
II is something over 500 miles from
the French coast TO the battle line IN
eastern France and throughout TINS
distance there is a complete system OF
10 and 2O-wire American telegraph
lines, linking the seaportS with the
front and also spreading through Iht
vast ramMcation OF warehouses, ahC
camps, hospitals, construction SHOPS
and military establishments OF al
sorts extending from the ports inlanc
to the firing line.
There is another multiple line run
ming southwark toward the Neol1eF'
ranean and over TO the Spanish IRON
tier.
These are the trunk lines. extending
clear across France and besides thes'
main arteries every division an'
. branch of the army has its own tele'
graph and telephone lines. keeping VI
constant intercourse with headluarl
ers. In every area occupied ~ lh'
army along the front a complete S!s'
tenn Of lines run back to swtchroaEc
central stations-from regiment bact
to brigade. brigade to division, diVIslol
to corps, corps to headquarters.
On the first day OF the big battle
above Chatea THEORY when the Am
orleans began their famous drive, tief
were 81, 900 messages averaging owe
go words each--all the way from III
extended report On an operation 10
short sharp order for some new NOV
in the swiftly moving drama. Within
six weeks. since tie americans had go
into action. the communication be
tween front and rear had quadrupie
and six weeks ago had quadrupie'
over the service on April l. when TN
Amesican activities were beginning u
get in motion.
The elimination OF the great BATH
late in July stirred into intense actlvl
ty every branch of communication
with orders flying to hospitals, suppl
centers, ordnance works, and to thel
q training camps and rest camps for IN
steady movement forward OF fresl
trims