El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-11
WANTONNESS
Of THE KAISER
Graphic Word Picture Of
Ruthless Destruction Of
French Cities.

sink in the ground. the ruts and dan
gerous holes are again filled with
that sluey mud which spurts up in
showers on the blue garments OF our
soldiers. Soon. poor brave fellows,
they will again take the grey tint
of last winter when their clothes
looked as though they we're made OF
earth.
Gas Masks Always Ready.
During the summer which has Just
passed the written signs at all the
roads and ruined streets have oeen
greatly multiplied. and these inScrlp-
lions have everywhere become one OF
the characteristics of our devastated
districts. Usually they are great
black bands on the walls with enor-
nous white letters and arrows that
may beGead quickly without the loss
of a minute in lndeclslOn, Tor one is
always I'm a hurry on these roads
where often death gallops at your
heels. To such a city the big let
tiers cry out 10 you from the black
background. or TO such village
But. alas. the cities and villages thus
designated are no longer in existence,
nothing remains OF them but heaps OF
crushed stones, which retain the
vague outline.
It is sad TO read these names. They
might almost be compared with cpl
taphs in q great cemetery And 10
make the cross roads more ira gic.
certain sinister warning is repeated IN
a maddening fashion Il is always
on the same squares Of white wood,
fastened on posts high in the ar. IN
as plain sight as possible. Watch
out for gas; keep your gas masks
ready They use IL often In these
parts. this cowardly method OF de-
structiOn that they have dared 20 IN
frnFrrna into their warfare
The Ruined Churches.
A great many OF the ruins. those
which grieve your heart the most
even more than the houses. the old
family mansions or humble little
houses with Eardeus-are the ruins
OF the churches one feels they are
gone forever. Who can ever rebuild
these relics Of our past which adorned
our France so beautifully In this
province they are truly wonderful and
you know how the boches have
worked their pleasure on them. Yes
terday. the flowers Of the fields. the
dandeli0ns. the tufts Of peoples on the
broken walls hid their distress little.
Today, under this gloomy rain, IL
seems as if they cried out for VEN
geance- The heavier Roman arcni-
lecture can better resist OuJra ses
than the Gothic with its high oglves.
its delicate feStOOnS which Irvine
about the panes of glass and they are
broken in a thousand pieces, broken
beyond recovery.
Showers Of Mud.
I rode swiftly for two hours and
came at last TO the region where
painted canvasses. heavy and light.
stretch for kilometers to keep the en-
envy from seeing what passes back
and forth along our roads. Just as
those signs for the deadly gas this
cloth which seems TO have no end.
gives grave warning. II seems 20
say Watch out. You are in danger
here Without Us the Germans would
see you now"
The rain has become a veritable
deluEe and is unusually cold. The
first winter chill falls On your shout
ders as the day grows dark before
the usual hour under the thick clouds.
I run now between two showers Of
mud which makes splOtches on the
ruins and at the same time splash the
poor soldiers, grouped IN the emhra-
sures. looking for want Of anything
better TO do, at the conveys going by /
W hen IL Is not necessary that l should
hurry 7 go a little slower that they
might be less spattered even though
] must start on my return journey be-
fore night closed down. because, TO
avoid collisions I ought then 10 he
out Of the danger zone. where IL is .
forbidden 10 light your lamps.
Used TO the Mud
But what is the use OF slowing I
down when those camions. always I
rushing by in heavy laundering lines. I
throw I'D thicker and higher showers.
As for the mud. it counts for nothing.
It was only an affair Of the first few i
for they had become unac-
customed TO IL during "a whole season.
But. after all, one soon becomes used |
to it. What does It matter. q little /
more OF less. zone is warmer when
they are well coated" said one Of .
them TO me with a Jolly laugh.
Since they have gained experience Z
with it in our French trenches they
are prepared for IT better and better
NO more is there the terrible suffering
0f the first winter. Now there are
ways TO warm themselves DOM there
to have light. even TO have childish
fun and forget their troubles. When
one looks back on those days Of yes
-erday with their beautiful sunshine