The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1918-11-21

= =
regular American passenger ships after
February gIaif these ships went to and
from Falmouth and followed a pre-
scrlbed course going and returning; If
the steamers were painted ina speci-
ned way and carried specified flags !;
If onesstealner a week eaeI41w way. were
sailed, and if the United States govern
nient guaranteed that no. contrab:nd
was carried.
The immediate answer of.the United
States was given February 33-the sey-
erance of diplomatic relations with
Germany. April the president signed
joint resolution of the two houses
OF congress declaring state of war
70 exist with Germany. In quick sue
cession came\th selectiye service act
for the raising of an army :. war
appropriation of $3,OOO,OOO,OGO: the
sending of an evolutionary force Of
regulars to France under General
Pershing; the registration of nearly
lC,OOO,OOO men for military service
the closing of the first Liberty loan
with large oversubscription the
drafting Of the state militia into the
federal service. October q formal an
nouncement was made that American
troops in France had fred their first
shot in war.
Nevertheless, the spring of 1913 saw
three huge drives on Paris by, the Ger
mans. By June l thefGermans were
within IS miles OF the French capital,
in. ChateauThierry. Unless they were
speedily stopped Paris would he under
their guns, The plan of the French
was to delay them as long MS possible
by rear-gnard actions until reserves
could be brought up.
Yankees Stop Huns.
And then took place the thing
which all good Americans were prayer
fully expecting: American soldiers
got into action in American fashion,
under American leadership, with
American artillery and machine guns.
The French commander sent to
Chateau-Thierry an American division
made up of marines and OF infantry
leathernecks and dOughbOys moved
into support positions back of seaSAQ-
ed French troops. The French were
forced back and filtered through the
Americans; the support positions soon
became the front.
June 4, about five o'clock in the aft
ernOOn, the Germans attacked in force
through a wheat field, in platoon col
umns, in perfect order, supremacy con-
fident. The Americans raked them
with Shrapnel and machine guns. Then
they OpeIfed with rifle fire. Cool, I'M
hurried, they picked their shots as If
at target practice. Military experts
will tell YOU that the American ma
rines are the most effective fighting
men in all the armies of the world; GER
tainly they have no equals with the
rife.
The Germans wavered. then came
on again. Twice more they stopped;
twice more advanced. Then they broke.
Flesh and blood could not stand that
rifle fire. They crawled off through the
standing grain. The Americans sent
bullets wherever the wheat stirred.
That was the end.
ment followed. Sleep was impossible.
The Americans lived on monkey
meat" bread and water. Then they
went on and took the town of ROureS-
ches, cleaning out the nests of machine
gllnners with rife fire, hayOnet and
grenade.
What They Have They Hold.
Next they took the Bots lie Belieau.
1t was Jungle 1t was every man for
himself. Indian fashion. from tree TO
tree, from, rock to rock. The battaI-
ion of leathernecks which took the
wood went in with 9aS men and 26
officers They came out with $40 men
and seven officers. But they took
the wood. Then they dug themselves
in and fought off counters attacks for
five days until relieved, constantly
shelled and gassed, not one hot meal
all that time. What the leathernecks
have they hold.
This one division used up five crack
divisions of the Germans.
There are those among the allies
who say that the Americans at Cha
saved Paris, just as the
Canadians saved Calais. When the |
history of the Great War. is |
written Chateau-Thierry is likely to
De called the turning point of the |
struggle For it's moral force was be- |
-Ond estimate. 1t put new heart into
he war-worn French and BRITISH. All
France famed With Joy. The Ameri-