The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-04-20

Gin right there. in that village ochlnc
| Tho Lorraine front. where the mud ;li!-
kle dcrp and half frozen. made II u'!' J.
icult 10 hurry, hurry, Us my officer eS'
| corr badc me. If I was 10 see. Tor tnt
,rs, time a regiment Of American SOL
diers off to the front line trenches
As They Are IN France.
A Quarter Of a mile from the point
where ] had to leave the motor car the
regiment stood at ease on one SIdS "'
| tho narrow street. 1t was regiment
! of drafted mon. not regulars. and TINS
was 70 be their first taste OIL lighting.
| their baptism OF Are, as men nave
| termed it.
Ready" Physically ycs. you could see
; that much at glance. These solnlcrS
who six or eight months ago would
have sent for an express wagon /" carry
moro than could be con tanned in It SUI,
| case, stood up there in The icy mud
straight and clean and hard as naitS.
Their chests filled their coats 10 III"
bullying point, and on their backs they
carried. without strain or effort. between
sixty and seventy pounds Of equipment.
Each man carried. besides his gun. ana
ammunition. half 4 tent bundle OIL
clothing. Il toilet kit. an extra pair 81
| heavy hob nailed boots q bayone;. 4 gas
| mask. 4 inapSack OF food. water bot
| tie and a haH dozen mlsccilancnuS
! articles.
! Tho blankets and really heavy
| things go on IN" trucks. explained one
| OF my licutenants. tn" men carry
! with them no more Than 'heN person
'ally need, and what they would ahs"-
| lutely have TO har" i'll case thry W."
taken prisnncr-cxtra clothing. ] mean.
| cal Tho hands Of tI''
! ,;crmans needs cXtra shirts and socks.
YOU bet. Fritz hash; any 4" spare.
Yes. he did. thai officer talked right
! out before those poor n"n~o"yS |
ncau---who stood there waiting 20 D"
ordered forward to possible death "r
ranture. And the boys Shuddcrcd AMI
| turned pale" They did not. The
rr,nncd and waEscd their absurd in
! hats and said you bet and you
said H." az if they wore waiting t"r Il
subway tram instead OF an army truck
bound for the trenches.
Months Of training. outdoor living
GOOD food. regular habits. Obedience 10
orders, devotion to On idea hav" worked
| this physical miracle with our drh''
army, Tho men arc rs strong as 'h"
Rooscveltian bull moose. They arc
broken In 10 cold ami mud and widest
weather And thsir nerves at" AS
s,radv a.s an old clock Here. for "N-
ample, were men facing their first On
periencc IN lighting. facing 1t NJ,
h,indly and slavishly ut the command
OF military despot. hut int"lI'E"ntif'
knowing what they were doing and whj
TackHng tho Job.
Three and n half years ago French ana
t,nrlish regiments stood like this. walt
ing tho order to 20 forward to th"Ir
first battle. Rut not quite In" this
Those men went nut IN passion o.
patriotism. in 4 glory 81 rage and pain
Their hearts were blazing. their brains
ON fire. They knew that they must Ill"
tina, their hest beloved might live.
Tbesc American soldiers were fired ny
no strong emotion. They wcr" going 70
hattie because. there was Il battle when
had to nc fought. II was job. like min,
ing or bridge building. or turning virgin
cod 70 mako a home. They faced il cor
scicntiously and calmly and while 1h"N
,cnjt,d they made casual "nnv"rS1ti"n
with the last woman they would soc for
a, least two weeks. P'Thff% ia" la%i
woman some would eyer 500. Thus. Il tail
hTcxan whose big outStrctchcd hand |
ETaSrrd:
IT seen you down at AK a Will" back
DIDN'T I? Wasn't that some town: Re-
fore that thought that This hNrH France
wasn't nothing hNt a mud hnln. WhHt
do lhcv want 10 fight for such country.
I used to say. Let the Dutrh"s hay" It, 7
said, and thcy-lll NOV" TO TrXaS.
Yeah" agreed a hlack-"yrd. husky
Young Jcw from the cast side Of New
York. a. used TO think like that. Leave
cost a lot OF money. but it was worth IL