davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
Battlefield Veritable
Hell as Lines Surge
Back nrd Forth
by Tic Associated rrcssl

BRITISH ARMY HEADQUARTERS
IN FRANCE, March 23.-lt was re-
ported this morning that enemy in
fantry had pushed down across the
Canal de la Sommc and had driven
forward against the positions to which
the British had retired. German cavalry
was seen advancing behind the in
fantry.
There was small doubt but that the
attacking forces intended to make q
supreme effort to rupture the British
line in this sector.
The Germans this afternoon were
pressing the attack hard on the British
right flank, near Ham, while on the
northern end of the battlefield there
has been desperate lighting since yes
terday about Mory, which changed
hands several times.
The British, gallantly fighting, arc
still presenting solid front to the
iicrcely attacking Germans, although
the defensive troops have withdrawn
their lines in certain places for stra-
tegic reasons.
All dav yesterday and much Of last
night the conflict continued to rage
with increasing violence as fresh Ger
man divisions were hurled into the
fray in an attempt to smash through
the British defences.
The operation is so vast and IS
changing with such Kaleidoscope ra
pidity as the line surgcs backward and
forward that it is impossible to visual
ize the scene sufficiently to give a con-
nccted and accurate account of it at
present.
Forty-nine German divisions have
In. c,.,, ! Il
front, and prisoners have been taken
from eighteen of them. Some estimates
place the number of German divisions
engaged as high as ninety, but it is
impossible to say whether this is &C
Curatc.
Certainly the Germans are putting
all their available strength into the
assault, and fresh troops are constant
ly appearing.
The fighting yesterday was of the
most sanguinary character, and the
enemy continued to lose great mum.
bers of men through his system OF
massed attacks. That does not NEAR
that the British have not suffered
their losses are much smaller thar
1 those of their opponents.
The visibility became excellent late
yesterday, and the whole battlefront
was turned into veritable hell Will
the artillery action as the unprece
denied concentration of guns on boil
sides cut loose their freight of death
Men who had fought through tn,
great battles of the Somme, Flanders
and Arras say that they never bcfor'
have seen anything to approach thu
awful guntre of the present conflict
The expression "drumtirc intensity
loses its significance in this instance
for there is not even an infnitesima
space between the explosions as Thu
thousands of guns of all calibres worl
to their fullest capacity.
Especially bitter fighting occurre
last night in the regions of Roiscl
Mory, Moohy (Morchics p and Beau
met.
The British air service has beer
doing valuable work with its machin
guns against the advancing enemy.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
Germans Force Way
Into NJ Dry, but
Are Driueya Out

LONDON. March 23.-The Germans
forced their way into Mory, but Il
dashng counter attack drove them out,
Reuters correspondent at British head
quarters telegraphs. A large party was
surrounded and probably was captured
There is reason to believe fifty Ger
man divisions are flowing into the
struggle, the correspondent states, and
probably half as many more are in
close reserve. Under the tremendous
onslaught the British troops are fall
ing back very slowly and in excellent
order. At many places they are with
drawing voluntarily so as to maintain
an unbrokcn front.
The scenes of activity behind the
battlefront battle description, but every
where there is the same we'll ordered
organization and quiet confidence
The weather is wonderfully fine, al
though the visibility is Handicapped by
local mists.
Throughout the night the battlefront
extended southwark, and it was re-
ported this morning that the French
army was now engaged.
The Germans this morning were
pressing hard the British forces de-
Tending Hermies (about two and one
half miles back Of the old line, in the
region southwest of CambraD.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
Foe Advances Into
British Fire, Closing
Gaps as Men Fall
LEy 1hc Associatcd prn

BRITISH ARMY HEADQUARTERS
IN FRANCE, Friday, March 22.-Brit-
ish troops between the Scarpe and Disc
have fallen back in places, but the
British generals had forseen this event
uality and made preparations accord
ingly. In the face Of great attack
it is not only impossible but quite un-
sound to hold the front lire trenches
everywhere. Good defensive tactices
usually aim at organizing resistance so
that the further the enemy advances
the stronger will be the opposition he
meets.
Taking the situation as a whole, the
British are we'll satisfied with the re-
suits of the first stage of the fighting.
They undoubtedly lost several ruined
villages and the Germans probably will
make much of their capture, but the
defenders have held on amazingly we'll
and worked terrible slaughter among
the attackers.
The fighting to-day was greatest in
intensity on two sectors-one north
west Of Cambria and the other south
west. The fighting on the northern
front was about Bullecourt, while Hargi-
court is the southern centre. A bright
sun came OUT at midday ana alrmen
we're most active, the British aviators
/ flying at very low attitudes and using
/ their machine guns against the oppos-
/ ing infantry.
Enemy Moved Down
Before they attacked to-day on the
sector between the Canal du Nord and
Croisilles, on the northern battlefront
the Germans for four hours smotnercd
the British with every conceivable
form of hate which u gun could throw
The enemy depended largely upon large
numbers Of trench mortars to cut the
wire cntanglcments. The British had
had warnings that the Germans would
use great quantities of gas shells This
proved to be true, although there was
nothing new in the type of gas, and the
british gas masks appear to have been
most effective.
The British Tommies and their Off
GERS fought for hours with their gas
masks on, but even this drawback could
not dampen their jubilation at the
havoc they caused as the German infan-
try presented itself in the form OF
point blank targets. Nine German di-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24

gasing our forward groups with ma
chine guns.
"The enemys massed troops again
offered good targets for our low-hying
airplancs. The location and range Of
bodies of hostile troops and transport
were reported to our artillery and sue
cessfu!ly engaged.
Eight and half tons of bombs
were dropped on hostile railway sta
lions in the rear of the battlefront and
also on the enemy's billets, high We
locity guns, troops and transport.
The fighting in the air was very heavy,
almost all the combats taking place
between Arras and st. Quentin. Twen-
ty-sevcn enemy machines were brought
down and twenty were driven down out
of control. Two hostile machines were
shot down in our lines by anti-aircraft
guns, and another by the infantry.
Eight of our machines are missing.
During the night our squadrons
dropped over fourteen tons OF bombs
on hostile billets, ammunition dumps
and areas in which the enemy's attack
ing troops were concentrated. All our
machines returned"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24

failed to reach all of our batteries, nor
did they succeed everywhere in brean-
ing down our wire.
cat one point where the Germans
found our wire unbrokcn they set to
work with scissors until they had made
a way through. an incident reminls-
cent of the methods of fighting incui-
Gated by Frederick the Great. All of
this was done under our machine gun
fire.
"A curious fact reported by our air
the special assault divisions wore new
uniforms. Got on their best clothes
for a visit to Paris, commented one of
our generals.
Our flying corps did valuable wol /,
despite adverse weather conditions.
One of our men in the early morning
reconnaissance spotted several thou
sand Germans moving westward south
OF Bullecourt and another reported
three thousand of the enemy in a sunk
en- road in this area waiting to adj
vance. Few enemy machines were
seen and they mostly flew low, pepper
ing our trenches with their machine
guns.
This is the first battle where Brit
ish gunners had 10 serve their guns
in gas masks and it was a difficult
task
Defenders Confident
Fortunately, practices with gas
masks have been taking place frequent
ly for an hour daily. | found every
one | saw pretty confident. At first
they did have a hard job to meet
the masses Of Germans who came on in
denser formation than ever before
yet all reports show that they fought
magniticently. For example. south OF
St. Quentin one of our divisions had
to bear up against the repeated as
saults Of no fewer than SIX German
divisions, possibly 10000 men. and only
when the assaults ceased with dark
ness did our troops withdraw to strong
positions behind the canal system be-
tween st. Quentin and the Disc.
at is estimated that altogether
nearly 1900 Germans participated in
the offensive. The enemy fought we'll
and his gunners did good service. The
quicknesss with which the guns were
brought forward into No Mans Land
after the infantry had advanced was
marked. He had in many places the
advantage over us in positions and he
was at all points largely superior in
numbere'
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
oisey ", Command:
Directs His Forces
From Spa, Belgium

LONDON, March 23.-The official
statement from German General Head
quarters given out in Berlin this even
ing says:
The first stage of the great battle
in France is ended. We have won the
engagements near Monchy, Cambria,
st. Quentin and La Fere. A consid
cradle part of the English army is
beaten
I've are fighting approximately on a
line northeast of Bapaume, Peronne
and Ham"
The earlier German official an
nouncement to-day stated that EN-
peror William IS in command on the
Western front.
This announcement is regarded as
further evidence that the Emperor has
staked his all on an offensive, hoping
10 win and TO go down in history as
the victor in this great and decisive
world conflict.
Dispatches from Amsterdam picture
the Emperor at Spa, Belgium, which is
being kept isolated on a radius of ff-
teen kilometres. The German Crown
Prince, Field Marshal Won Hindenburg
General Won Ludendorff and other
prominent Germans are also reported
there with him.
So far, the statement announced
5000 prisoners, 400 guns and 900
machine guns have been taken.
The announcement follows:
Under the commaI of the En-
peror and King, the battle of attack
against the British front near Arras
Cambria and st. Quentin has been pro
ceeding two days. Yesterday also rood
progress was made.
Divisions of Crown Prince Run.
precht storned the heights north anc
northwest Of Croisilles. Between Fon.
tainc-les-Croisilles and Moeuyres the,
penetrated into the second enemy posi-
ION and captured the villages, situate
therc, Of Vaulx-Vraucourt and Nor
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
Germany Has Giant
'Planes Capable of
Carrying Cannon,
The Ne,c York Tribune

T0retgn {'reSS bureau
The report from Paris yesterday that
the Germans appear to have fired such
large shells into The French capital
from airplancs that the authorities at
first thought the city was being bonn
barded With large size cannon directs
attention to the recent article in "The
Manchester Guardian" describing great
four and six engincd airplanes the Ger
mans were constructing. These air.
planes, it is said. could carry a bomb
Of 1000 pounds or probably fair-size
cannon.
The Tribune in special dispatch
from London a few days ago gave a
brief account of "The Manchester
Guardian" article. The full text has
now arrived by mail.
The German newspapers call the new
airplanes ."Riesenhugzuge.' or giant
airplanes."
After the reports of tests being made
in Germany, which first called atten-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24

morning. He wires that shells Of 240
millimetres have fallen in the capital
at intervals Of quarter of an hour,
causing casualties of about ten killed
and fifteen injured
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24

ton TO the existence of thcso
chnes, 1t became known that nv M" ! ma
mans were using them on tho ,W ee'
front for bomb dropping. Tho neSseri
thing was that they appeared nc mex
graphs Of German aerodron,nna. photo.
by British observation ayjators ' AK
Guardian" says: ''''s' The
1T appears that most of TIA.
ehlnes are very big biplanes eouio ma;
with tour engines. The engines pp pea
placed between the wings much ;n a. are
way that the engines of the Gotha me y!
planes are placed. but tandem ts ss ul-
SO that one engine on each side N ss;.
puSher air screw behind the VIM, wives
in the Gotha. and the other eno;as' a.
each side is placed Immediately o. }.
front of it and drives a tractos Il
screw. as 90 the engines of Tho u. a,
ley-Page, Cauldron and Capron ia I'll u
chimes. '"' ma
WASHINGTON, March 23.-wt s;n
ply is not possible"
That was the opinion of almost evor
army ana navy officer in Wasbinpto
to-day at the report that Paris wos \,
ing bombarded by long range artiller
from distance of sixty-two miles
Ordnance experts of both branches q
the service were besieged nv o,hs
officers with the constant question. %
you think it possible the Germans bay
developed gun that will shoot siytv
two miles ?" The experts were nosit;y,
that some other explanation would h,
Forthcoming.
The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-06-21
A Paper Controller.

Great Britain now has its Paper
Controller, concerning whose identity
there has been a flutter of excitement
In the publishing and newspaper
worlds. There is, however, very much
less talk and less fuss about the ad-
vent of this new official than there was
over the subject of the introduction
of food rationing, although the inno-
walton is capable of having much
greater effects on the life of the coun-
try than the mere reduction of the
consumption of certain food supplies.
H. A. Vernet, on whom it has de-
volved, is a director of the Under
ground Electric Railways company.
The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-06-21
x-Ray RefIectors.

Mica has been found an excellent
material for concentrating mirrors for
X-rays. Glass win not do, because,
smooth as it is, it is too rough for the
extremely minute X-rays, which are
much smaller than light waves. Glass
diffuses the X-rays, much as a rough
surface diffuses light waves, but it was
found that the surface of mineral crys-
tails were of the requisite smoothness
for rejecting arrays, and of them mica
is the most adaptable, being readily
split into sheets.
The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-06-21

bottles with his entrenchlng tool
handle and smash II. to give the Inn
preston that Alkali was a good shot.
Aikali Ike started In and aimed Mt
the right OF the line OF bottles instead
Of the left, and the poor boob behind
the scenes started breaking the bottles
on the left. and then the boxhoders
turned loose; but outside OF this little
finsco the performance was huge sue
cess. and we decided to run II for a
week.
New troops were constantly coming
through, and for six performances We
had the IS. II. o." sign suspended out.
side.
The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-06-21

The demand for specialists In the
army is increasing daily. Mechanics
and technicians OF all kinds, including
radio and buzzer operators, are need
cd by the signal corps.
In nearly every large city the fed
eral board Of vocational training.
through local school authorities, has
established schools Of radio communi-
cation where men Of draft age who
have not been called may receive a
preliminary course In the operation OF
radio and buzzer instruments. There
are about 600 Of these schools where
INSTRUCTION IL given, usually In the aft,
ernoons and evenings 1t takes about
200 hours for q student Of average
ability 10 obtain a speed of 20 words q
minute, sending ana receiving.
Electrical engineers and men with
good fundamental training in engineer.
ing or physics are particularly in de-
mand for signal corps work. Men of
satisfactory qualifications are given
three months training in special
schools, and have every opportunity to
take examinations leading 70 promo
! tlOn.
Men who have had experience as
electrical repair men, wlremen and me-
ehanlcs are also desired for assign
ment to special schools and later to
field organizations.
The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-06-21
CHAPTER xvIIl-con,Inusd.

~a~ f-@s
While they are talking. an old Jew
named key Cohensteln comes along,
aud Abe engages hlm Tor cashier. After
engaging key they meet an old
Southern negro called Snmho. and
upon The suggestion af key he Ii en-
gagged ~ porter. Then the three o.
them. arm in arm. leave 20 take pos
session Of this wonderful palace which
Abe has just paid $1,000 for tCur.
tain.l
IN the second nst the curtain rises
on the Interior Of the Diamond Palace
saloon. and the audience gets It's first
shock. The saloon looks like pig.
pen. two tramps lying drunk on tho
fioor. aud the bartender In dirty
shirt with bis sleeves rolled up, asleep
with his head on the bar
Enter Abe. Sambo and key, and the
fun commences.
one Of the characters In the second
set was named Broadway Kate. aud |
had IA awful Job 70 break In one OF
the Tommles 10 act and talk llko a
woman.
Another character was Aiknll Ike, an
Arizona cowboy. who just before the
close Of the play comes Into the saloon
and WRECKS n with his revolver.
We had eleven threehour rehcaFsals
before / thought Il advisable to pre-
sent the sketch 70 the public.
The whole brigade was crazy Il
witness the tirst performance. This
performance was scheduled for Friday
night aud everyone was full OF anticl'
patl0nt when bang orders came
through that the brigade would move al
two that afternoon. Cnrsing aud
hllndlng was the order Of things upon
the receipt OF this order but WI
moved.
That night We reached the little vii
lagc Of S--- and again went Into res
hlllets. We were to be there tw,
weeks. our company Immediately 60
busy and secured the village FOR !
suitable place ia which 10 present GU
production. Then We received anothe
shock.
A rival company was already cstab
llshed Ia the village, They calle'
themselves '9The bow Bells" an'
put on sketch entitled. "Rllghty-
What Hopest They were the div
sionai concert party,
We hoped they al would be 500
ia hlighty 20 give us a chance.
This company charged an admission
Of a frnne per head. and that nigh
cur company went en masse 10 Sc
their performance. II really Was gooG
had sinking sensation when
thought u running my sketch ia o.
position 10 a.
In one u their scenes they had
souhfette called Flossle The soldie
that took this part was clover an
INSIDE q Incorporating and chic gir
We immediately fsll 10 love with he
until two days after. while we wer
on march. We passed Flosste wit
"her sleeves rolled Up and the swel
pouring from "hsr' face unloadln
shells frUm motor iorry.
As our section passed her | yelle
out Hello. Fiossle; Bnghty whs
HapegT Her reply made our love q
oUi instantly.
~Ah. 80 % b--ll'
This brought quite a laugh from 81
marchiug eolamn directed 81 me, and
i4stantly made up my mind that OF
The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-06-21
EMpEY WRITES AND STAGES A PLAY BEHIND THE LINES
WITH GREAT SUCCESS.

syrcpaleFred sinking the Luana With the loss Of
Americas lives Arthur Empe American living in Jersey City,
England eusts the British After
experience London. he 70 train
where be FIRST hears the sound Of big and
acquaintance period trimming
Empeys company froune he takes
while overhead Empey
death turks always In the trenches
Chaplain himself wounded under hot
Ipey has experience trench digger
listening detail
ana observation duty Empy picked patrol No
Land and has narrow escape from death.
The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-06-21

sketch should Immediately run In OPP
position 10 "Biighty HopesT'
When we returned 10 our billet from
the march. Curley Wallace, my the
atrieal partner. came running over 70
me and said he Ind found swanky
place IN which 10 produce our show,
After taking or my equipment, and
followed by the rest OF the section, ]
went over 10 the building he had picked
out. II was a monstrous barn with a
platform az one gpd which would make
an ideal stage. She section got right
ON the Job. and before night had that
place rugged out in apple-pie order.
The next day was sunday and after
church parade we put all our time on
dress rehearsal, and It went fine.
made four or Ave large signs an
nounclng that our company would open
up that evening at the King George the
Fifth theater, on the corner OF Ammo
street and Snndbag terrace. General
admission wns one-half frame. First
ten rows in orchestra one franc, and
boxes two francs. by this time our
printed programs had returned from
London, and I further announced that
on the night OF the first performance
IA program would be given free of
charge 10 men holding tickets costing a
frame or over.
We had an orchestra Of seven men
and seven different instruments. This
orchestra was excelletit. while they
were not playing.
The performance was scheduled e
start al p. m.
AT 6:15 there was mob In front Of
our one entrance and " looked like Q
big night. We had two boxes each nc
commodatlng four people, and these
we Immediately sold out. Then O
brilliant Idea came to key Cohenstein
Why not use the rafters overhead, cal
them boxes. and charge two francs fol-
a seat on them7 The only difficulty
was how were the men 70 reach thes,
boxes, but 10 key this was mere de
tail
He got long ropes and tied one enc
around each rafter and then tied a 10
OF knots In the ropes These rope
would take the place Of stalrways.
We figured out that the raftert
would seat about forty men and sol'
that number Of tickets accordingly.
When the ticketholders for the boxe
got a glimpse Of the rafters and wer
informed that they had 20 use the rop
stairway. there was Il howl OF indigna
tion, but we had their money and toll
them that II they did not like Il the
could write 10 the management late
and their money would be refunded
but under these conditions they woul
I not be allowed 70 witness the perform
ancc that night.
After little grouslng they aeeepte
the situation with the promise that
J the show WIS rotten they certalnl
/. would let us know about II during ID
performance.
Everything went lovely and Il was
! bowling success. until Alkali Ike AZ
{ penred ON the scene with his reyolve
: loaded with blank cartridges, Benin
the bar on shelf was long line 9
! bottles. Alkali Ike was supposed I
! start on the left Of this line and breA
! six OF the bottles by firing &C them wit
his revolver Behind these bottles
piece Of painted canvas was suppose
. 20 represent the back Of the bar. d
! zach shot from Alkalfs pistol Iaa
/ hehlad the scenes would hlt one Of III