Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-02-08
SPLENDID FRENCH FIGHTERS
Have Adopted War as Business ane
Are Always Ready.


Have Adopted War as a Business anc
Are Always Ready.
Although great military opera
tons have come to n standstill fol
the moment. writes correspondent,
from over there" there is no ces-
s;,tion Of vigilance at any part OF the
French front. Whether in Alsace-
Lorraine. around Vcrdun. in the
Argonne or champagne, or on the
I.aon Plateau, the French soldier
stands OH guard. In mud shell holes
in snow and almost arctic frosts,
he watches. or when II Is thought
necessary to investigate what the
enemy opposite is doing. he goes
over the top and advances toward
the German lines with the same ar
dor as at the beginning Of trench
warfare. To his dash. however. he
has added the experience gained In
numberless encounters.
The correspondent of the Associ-
ated Press. who has been in clos
est touch with the French troops on
dozens of battle fields through
months and years Of the hardest
lighting. has been able TO study the
psychology Of the French soldier,
both while he is engaged in mortal
combat and while he Is at his So
tailed repose. Nothing strikes the
observer moro than the quiet fatal
fsin with which these troopers from
ths farms, factories and offices OF all
th9provinces and cities Of France 60
fohyard to the attack.
~ knett,er it be for a trench raid. a
py e-ofr>sener'
al httack in which large numbers
are engaged. the French trooper
does not hesitate when ordered TO
advance. He knows that he may
not come back or that he may suf-
fer mutilation. but when the word
is given he moves off with calmness
and resolution, as though the work
in hand were merely an everyday
lob, to be got quickly off his hands
Shows no Excitement.
4 glance ut the troops when they
assemble in the front line in prepa-
ration for an operation shows an
absence OF excitement. In most cas-
es the men participating in a big at
tack have been brought from the
cantonments In the rear only n feW
hours before they are ordered to &c
over. Arrived in the front line they
crouch and sit and lie down as well
as they can in the muddy and often
partially demolished trenches and
advanced saps waiting for their otii-
GERS to give the word that means
death or wounds for probably many
of their number. Meanwhile. ir
most cases the Germans are throw
ing into the lines hundreds and
thousands of high explosive shells
and trench mortar bombs.
In spite of casualties the men re-
main impassive. Their GOODNESS Is
marvellous. Some Of them smoke
others take u sip from their water
bottles; still others look to the sight:
and breeches Of their rifles or over
haul their hand-grenades. All the
time their non-coms and officers, JUS
as cool.headed, walk about passinf
a cheering word here or giving lit
tie advice there.
A Trying Task.
The holding Of a captured position
is one of the most trying tasks fol
the troops, for almost inevitably
counter-attack, or perhaps several
will be launched by the Germans. ano
II in then that the discipline and te
nacity Of the men are put to the Sc
vercst test. 1t must be said. how
ever. that the French, even when j
is extremely perilous to attempt t
keep them supplied with food. watc
| and ammunition, generally manage
to retain any position they have onc'
captured. Their stolidity under TIT
heaviest losses Is worthy Of all praise
| Any grumbling they may hav'
to do is left until they are re
Iieved from duty In the front line ant
taken to the rear for 'repose.' Tha
Is merely a relative term, for at tn
rear the troops are kept CONSTANT!
exercised either in the ordinary drill
of a regiment or in making sham at
tacks on simulated positions or II
practicing with the most recently in
vented weapons Of the infantryman
| Grunlbling. or "grousing," Is re
parded as one of the rights OF the oil
soldier and, as all the men In tn
French army are now veterans
whatever their age, there is a consid
cradle amount of grumbling behfn'
the lines. The officers, however. know
that 1t Is all harmless, for never ol
any occasion does It stop the me-
from carrying out any duty they ar
asked to perform, and when thei
turn comes again to go up to tn
front line they march cheerfull
along with Just as much alertnes
and vigor as they did when they frs
faced the Germans.