The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-03-15
take a tip and get busy and knit
some wooden socks for the boys.

1--WE finally came to an asylum,
where We were stationed. | saw a
shell hole through the building and
asked about it and British soldier
told me that a German shell had
penetrated there and killed several.
L did not say any more or ask any
more questions At last realized
that we were at The front On the way
over we had an. idea that the war
would soon be ended, and we were
afraid it would be over before we
got there Now we were at the
front. We saw many of the white
crosses along the way. marking tile
graves of soldiers. After we got
TO the trenches there was little
shooting across the way. AT that
time our trenches were mere ditch
es, and We had to keep pumping to
keep the water out. Some of the
bows no ventured abroad looking
for souvenirs were killed.
You know there is saying the
Australian soldier fights for money,
the British for patriotism, and the
Canadians for souvenirs Well
MANY of the Canadian boys got SOU
venirs
Woman Lying Dead in Trenches.
1--WE saw woman lying dead in
the trenches, killed after many in
dignities by the Germans, and also
saw quite a few of the French
women who had been violated by
the Germans We went into train
ing for short time, then moved up
again, and got placed on Hill 60,
which is now valley, and where
the second battle of Ypres was
fought after few days, on the
twenty second of April, 1915. At
this battle the poison gas was used
for the first time. We did not have
any masks or helmets then, and the
results you will be Interested to
know. Some of the chaps who have
not died are still laying on their
backs. After returning to this coun-
try | met one of those boys whose
blood had turned to water, and who
was being kept alive by chemicals.
They were taking him to New
York hospital for an operation. The
hospital had advertised for patient
to submit to an operation for the
TRANSMISSION of blood, and he was 60
ing to try it, If it failed he would
die, but he would die anyway if he
didn't have the operation. | never
heard from him and do not know If
he lived or died.
well, they were ten TO one at
that battle and they couldn't push
us back If they couldn't push us
back then and win the day. now
that we are equal, if not more. they
have hell of a poor chance,
haven't they?" demanded the ser
geant. while the audience enthusi-
astically applauded. He then relat-
ed The experience sf friends who
were captured by the Germans and
horribly mistreated. He told of the
captured Canadian soldier who had
begged glass of water, and who
was given water by German wom-
an who spat in the cup. Later when
German physician saw him to at
tend to a wound he had received
he called him English swine and
threatened to disfgure him so he
would be no good to his country
any more He then took nine inches
of bone fro mthe young mans leg
and the once husky boy is now a
for the rest of his life.
'If there are any PrO-Germans
here / wish they could talk TO that
man." said the sergeant in hot
anger. why, the Indians in this
country would never have commit
ted those crimes, and have let a
man live to go through life like
that" ss
Ordered to the Trenches.
Summer days came and the boys
grew brown and rudy. Then we
were ordered to the trenches again
We began tunnelling under to the
German trenches, and they were
tunnelling to reach ours. We could
tell that they were tunnelling by
the aid of an instrument which de-
tected the movements underground
1t was a race, but as always it is
the live ones who get there first
and we got there, and about -four
hundred yards of German trenches
went up in the air, and we then tool
over two lines of German trenches.
Boys at the front do not care fol
the pretty trif1es. They do not care
about the religion of the man by
tlcil fAo lolS HC plos tiit
part of man he is al right" Cap
plause). 1.-THE soldiers never figh
or scrap among themselves, eth
er. Those boys over there are look.
ing to you for loyal support. l won.
der if there, are any Pro- Germans
here? If there are. hold your hand:
up!" No hands went up anC
laughter rippled over the audience
Sergeant Nichols then bitterl.
scored the Germans in this countr.
who are traitorous to America.
Scored Pro Germans.
eff there are any here in thi
town who are against America, an,
who in any way stand up for Ger
many and German atrocities, the.
are like a snake in the grass. VIII.
not go back to Germany? The
still stay here and make living
and they strike Uncle Sam in tn
back. They are worse than snake
in the grass. We want freedom
We are fighting Cor freedom
The American citizen, the real citi
zen, who runs across man who i
able to do so and won't buy bond
or government savings stamps an
talks against Uncle Sam, if h
doesn't beat up that man, why he j
damn poor article HIMSELF" CAP
plause.)
"This week is war saving week