Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-08-05
no WTHE AMERICAN
SOLDIER MAKES coon

What are the qualities that ma
the American soldier so formidable
even in war whose methods are 50
complex and so strange TO him?
Gays the Philadelphia North Ame-i-
can. Their courage is to be taken
for granted and their discipline.
despite the quaint idea the Germans
have Of it, IS inyulnerable. But
their real fighting power is native:
II is derived from characteristics
tnat have their root in the soil Of
american life and enyironemen;.
They 20 into battle, as they so into
any adventure or activity. armsi
With that strongly developed spirit
Of independence" which shocks the
P-ussians. but which gives them
seli-reliance, initiative. a restless
and irrisistalle passion to get things
dons. They would have made good
trench fighting, for they have an in.
tolligence which enables them to
adapt themselves TO any need; bu,
omen warfare is more In harmony
nth their instincts. and in that the
dominate the machine made force ci
Germany. They have something Of
the Indians faculty OF taking cara
oi themselves. Under leadership
they fight with masterful unity and
percsion; but when that direction is
Interrupted they fight on anywaY
/. is significant that all observers
classify the Americans with the c.
nadians and Australians. nkewk
the inheritors OF the daring, self
reliant spirit of pioneers.
That is the equipment that produ-
oes such fighters as the sergeant
90 years cid and last year a ship
ping clerk"-who was cut off WITH
squad of eleven men, when the
German hordes swept through the
woods below the Marine Of July 10.
BY all the rules the dozen Of them
were out OF the combat, but instead
OF accepting this fate they carried on
their end Of the war just as Though
they had ell the Allied armies in
support. and finally regained their
lines with l59 German prisoners.
4 correspondent Of the New York
Times told of this and like !nnoya-
tons:
1T is The individual fighting Of.
Americans lost in the woods that
dumfounded the Germans. Many
prisoners actually complained Of IL
as unfair warfare Generally the
rule for soldiers cut off from their
commands is to surrender. TIE
Americans evidently knew nothing
cbout such a rule, but kept or fight
Ing 'Caught out there n
tho woods by the Germans advancing
three ways, they didn't try TO get
back but stayed where they were, be-
cause they were where the Germans
we're. and they had come TO France
to kill Germans. They fought until
,heir ammunition gave out, and then
;hey fought with captured guns. ~
rust be remembered that these SOL
d;ers never saw q battle before. They
CO not know many OF the rules. but
they do know one-fight as long as
the fighting IS good. and then fight
some more
The hardest task Of the officers is.
rot to get these bOys TO 90 forward
bat to keep them from going too far:
tse immediate object Of the com
rand may he a ruined village O. a
hilltop. bu, TO them the obiec; isI
Ps-lin. ard they don't Ike to stop on|
the way
Right here Is tie secrs; CT the
American soldiers fighting pover--
ais sudac.cuz and iaT,nrio.e self
c,rnaszea. Perhaps the others h,Te'
sc-s;hirs OF this spirit; perhaps ihs
-sr-s-icans vozid hare less Of !; a.
te- f.ur yss-s C nereiless rar: lg:
sherr Il E. g force Of iu-easurzh,e
z sychoiog.czl rsl1s- Thsy believe .a
lae.r s31-s th1t they a-s better tga:-I
lre 1sa ih.a the Germans. a1l'
therefore .tzy a-s letter, there is-'t
tze 1t rsz that wouldn't be rLl-
i-~ 70 take chance against any
Ga-=z-. via anything t-cz t9ii3
p izFo-tt 10 tzre ha-ds- They are
20 rsttes-t ztout slying 50. e.ile-.
hzali w1lca t1s British and F-a-c.
Ferhzps lave foz-d little a-1g-
sg5 t-t tsa ;ozea q EWzgEs- Isl