The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-12-06

world" facing some of the heaviest
fighting Of the war, shaking with the
cold In the early morning hours after
a cold breakfast.
But they would still have their
little jokes and songs about the south
and its warmth, its famous chicken
dinners and the girls that were wait
ing for them back there in the sun
shine. An American soldiers body
can be torn and broken, but not his
spirit.
Order to Advance is Given Suddenly.
suddenly whistles blew in the
streets and orders arrived announc-
ing that the infantry would advance
upon the German positions across
the flats east of the town. The men
came hurrying from the ruined build
ings, adjusted their packs and fixed
their bayonets. They did not mass
together, however, owing to the dan
ger of Smelling, although the mist
made it impossible for airplane OBJ
servation. Others heaped hand gre
nades from nearby boxes and placed
them in bags hung over their Shout
ders.
Machine gun crews began to ad-
just their guns in their positions be-
hind walls and place their bands of
ammunition handy. And with it all
the mist began suddenly to lift, al
though the. visibility was not of the
long-range sort, even at its best.
Hardly six minutes remained be-
fore the armistice, would be in effect,
when the men began to move for
ward from the town into that open
space that separated them from the
German positions. On that field
there was practically no cover, with
the exception of shell holes. In the
distance there could be seen the
heavy barbed wire entanglements
separating the two lines.
Then hell broke loose.
Our artillery in the rear suddenly
opened up with a barrage that flung
it's shells into the Darbed wire lines
ahead and began to slowly creep for
ward. The Germans were already
Smelling that open field in manner
which gave evidence that they have
had the proper training in artillery.
Their shells dropped in checker
board fashion, few yards apart,
making it impossible almost for even
a mouse to squeeze through.
Unlimber Packs as Armistice Comes.
Their first move among the major
ity, was to unlimber the heavy packs.
The next to light a cigarette and the
third to take a long swig from their
canteens. Then they sat and gazed
toward the German lines with an ex-
preston of perplexity. 1t seemed to
have all arrived so suddenly that
they could not Immediately grasp or
believe it. Orders were for the
Yanks to remain in their positions.
Farther down the line where our
men had reached the wire entangle-
ments proved in the next few min
utes to be the only meeting place
on the sector where the Americans
and Germans had an opportunity to
meet each other face to face. Down
the grassy slope came fifty or sixty
boches, skipping and capering to the
as they came hopping along, but for
line of wire. A few of them cheered
the most part they were simply talk
ing excitedly among themselves.
They approached the nearest Ameri-
cans with good-natured grins upon
their faces. The Yanks were silent.
The Germans did not carry arms.
Many of them could speak under
standable English. Others could
speak French and some Spanish.
There were Americans also there who
could speak German. They immed-
lately began to pair off in accordance
with their linguist abilities and the
air became blue with the tumble of
different sounds. The unmatchable
pairs began acrobatic stunts in their
endeavor to make each other under
stand them. 1t was some party!
What the Germans seemed to de-
sire most was chocolate or sweets
and they were willing to part with
most any part Of their equipment to
gain this end. There were little
sweets among that bunch Of Yanks,
who had been practically without
supplies for hours, but in isolated
cases they managed to bring forth
these treasures. Germany must have
been pretty short Of sugar.
The Germans also desired souve-
Mrs and they were willing to ex-
change rings or any other article of
jewelry they might have for its equi-
valent from the Americans. Then
came the bartering. A doughboy
would spot something he greatly de-
sired for his girl back home and
would try to make an exchange with
some Of his property.
There followed Immediately an ar
gument that appeared as tho force
Of arms might still be necessary to
settle the war. In most cases the
thought they were en-
titled to the best of the bargains.
The Germans wanted a fifty-fifty
deal. Brierwood canes, hand en-
yraved with German designs and iron
crosses were plentiful among that
German peace party and they
brought the highest exchange from
the Yanks. Some fine stingings pro-
baby resulted from the exchanges.
The doughboys unloaded all Of their
phony jewelry in short order and
lelt that they had struck real bar
gains. However, they haven't had an
yet of testing the stuff
they received. More than one arti-
Gle made in Germany" has turned
put pretty rotten.
One of the first Impressions this
boche party made upon person,
and it struck deep, was that they are