Evening journal., 1918-04-06
Lyon Tells How Sdmmies
Fought and Routed Huns

OF a single day 1900 shells wers ex-
changed; but that firing was nothing
In intensity to what witnessed on the
American front.
In the small space Of 80 minutes, dur
iag the battle. our scores OF suns
poured more than 10000 shells into those
German trenches and stronsholds And
the fire was kept up. without a sec
ond's pause for more than four hours
In our trenches. the initial nervous
ness OF our men soon wore away, and
they settled down 10 their Jobs with
the seriousness OF veterans. Then II
was that had a good chance to study
them.
Folks at home, I never realized until
then that our wars are not fought by
mature men. but by mere boys. OF
course. our new conscript army viii
be older. but In the American lines with
me TO-DAY was many lad who Is yet
TO celebrate his twentieth birthday.
Besrdle volunteers they were, every
one Of them; strong Embed. clean cut
American boys from high schools and
factories and offices. most OF whom
could have stayed out OF this war. but
who had come in because their veins
pulsated with real. red blood. and the
spirit OF adventure and flght stirred
their entire beings.
A 10y I had known for years cams
hurrying along, saying as he passed.
me:
BILLY Smith just went over. Got Il
In the head from a machine gun"
had known Billy for a nne. big
jovial fellow. His entire company VIII
mourn his loss.
More than one boy looked at mis-
wrist-watch as the minute approached
TO 90 over the top. But The American
artillery IRE only increased In volume,
and everybody began 70 wonder II it
would stop.
What win we do II & hasn't topped
when the time comes TO go over" a
captain asked a colonel.
Why, go right on over" the colonel
answered.
Five minutes before the leap, every
man was ready to climb out Of the
trenches.
Not one out OF ten Of tho entire out
| lt was showing a trace OF nervousness
now They oil seemed relieved by the
thought that ir 8 few minutes the ter
rible shelling would stop.
Exactly on the second. the artillery
/ quit aring
And at the same instant every ma,
went over tte topl
To me, pesring after them, the Ger
! man trenches seemed, at Just that min-
ute, miles away.
Practically every German gun had
| been silenced now, and ! could make
out clearly our men lodging aero IS 70
| Mans Land toward the enemy trenches
went down into tho post dugout
where, l knew. all reports would be
rushed by couriers.
Before the nrst courier arrived
rockets had some up from the German
/ trenches.
But they were American rockets. and
they meant that our troops had gained
their nrst objective.
The first courier stumbled breathless
hatless and perspirins into the dugout
and saluted the Oflcer IN charge;
Sir" he painted, I'VE are in theil
trenches. Our artillery had pounded
their wires and dusouts all 20 hell
excuse me, sir-all TO pieces; we've
captured some prisoners VINO threw
up their hands and SURRENDERED
long before we got TO them. Tho res
OF the Germans ran away and have re
tired to their fourth line OF defenses
We're now blowing up the rest OF then
dugouts Only two OF our men have
beNn killed. Prom the looks OF thing:
l guess we've killed lot OF the enemy
And so it went for the next hour
Every courier brought good news
There hadn't been a hitch anywhere In