The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-03-11
u. S. FIGHTERS
EQUAL TO BEST
Half Dozen Defeats For Ger
mans Prove II.
STAND STEADY IN TRENCHES


With the American Army in France,
March 1.-THE past fortnight's fight
Ing by the American troops in three
different sectors of the west front
shows conclusively the Importance of
the United States army in the world
war and proves that 1t will be a pow
erful factor on the front from the
very start
1t refutes at the same time the Ger
mans contemptuous statements that
1t would require two years to train
even the smallest army to be ready
to take the field.
Toul, in the other Lorraine sector and
along the Chemin des Danes the
Americans met the shock of picked
German storm troops, hurled them
back and inflicted serious losses, and
emerged from the conflict smiling,
ready and eager for another try.
Many of the most eptimisti" mill
tary leaders and critics are surprised
by the aptitude the Americans show
In picking up knowledge of modern
position warfare forty months after
the others had been engaged.
But the Americans entered the
struggle In the thick of it, after three
and a half years fighting Readily
and rapidly they adapted themselves
to the advanced stages of scientific
fighting reached by the others.
Half a dozen defeats of German at
tempts to penetrate the American po-
sitions were due entirely to the fact
that our troops have confidence in
rifle fire. They stand steadily until
the enemy is we'll within range and
then open up a deadly fire, causing
him to break for cover.
The ascendency in close fighting in
No Mans Land as far as pistols are
concerned now rests with the Amerf-
cans
The big and powerful 45-calibre au-
tomato pistols which the Americans
carry into the fray are proving
highly efficient weapon in the trench
warfare and in the close fighting at
hand-to-hand.
Frequently it is impossible to use
the rifle or the bayonet, but the pistol
Is always available, the only draw
back being when the weapon jams,
which is not frequently.
The much scoffed "elasticity front"
also has been adopted by the Ameri-
can command, which refuses to sacri-
fee lives by holding advanced lines
heavily manned, because heavy losses
Invariably result when the enemy
concentrates his artillery on destruc-
tive fire against such lines.
Instead our troops are distributed
with the aim of escaping unnecessary
casualties, even though the enemy
might be able to enter our front line,
for counter attack Immediately
elects him.
German shells flew thick and fast
over the Toul sector Friday night and
Saturday.
A score of phosgene shells fell on
a town, many fell on battery positions,
and others were dropped on various
areas in the rear. Because of the
quick work of the Americans with gas
masks no damage was done.
An enemy working party in the Ger
man barbed wire was fired on from
one of our listening posts. At day
light two German bodies were seen
hanging on the wire.
Later in the day two German In
fantry men and three Red Cross men
came over this German parapet. The
Americans saw the Red Cross ins1g-
mia just in time not to fire and per
mitted the removal of the bodies.
After an enemy sniping post which
had been worrying a section of our
line for some hours failed to be ST.
fenced by our snipers from the zine,
because Germans in shell holes were
using periscopes. a sniping patrol
from our lines went out into No Mans
Land at daylight and at last reports
they and the Germans were sniping
each other.