The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-04
FIGHTING MEN OF
AMERICA ON EDGE
Confined From First Page. Second
Secdon.)

might meet soldiers either going or
coming from the trenches.
AS we wormed our way into the
village, through mud foot deep, and
in a maze OF heavy traffic, I was I'M
accountably transported back In inn
agination to g. warm November day
in New York. Again was standing
on Fifth avenue. watching with half
a million others. a thousand newly
drafted man starting for training
camps on Long Island and in New
Jersey. New York was giving the
man a great send-off, bands. flags,
cheers, and from the marble balcony
OF the Union club g. reviewing party
of distinguished men. some Of them
veteran officers OF the Civil war.
As Il Wassln Nsvv York.
5 THE marching men, TO tell the
truth, were a pretty weedy and i'll
conditioned lot, city-bred most Of
them, indoor workers, looking less
than their average Of twenty three
years. They struggled and painted
under their loads OF suit cases, can
vas kit baga, bundles and other camp
necessities.
Their faces wore expressions OF
anxiety and fatigue and few look
ed almost terror stricken. In the
crowds that lined the avenue were
many women, notherss wives and
sweethearts of the men. and their
expressions of distress were fire.
quently acutely vocal. Above the
bIare of the bands their voices float
ed shr1lIy:
There ne, is-there's Henryt Oh,
my Godi"
"AbieI Ach, mein sohnl"
ooh! Obi Isn't it too horr1bfeT
All those boys going to their deathl I"
It was a swift look backward, and
it vanished quickly. leaving with me
q sudden ambition, vain perhaps, but
strong and fervent nevertheless. I
wanted to show the American army
In France to it's women folk at home.
/ wanted TO take Henry's wife and
Abde's mother and all the lonely
women over the long trail had
travelled in the last six weeks.
Through struggling villages, where
men and horses shared billets in
stone barns; through training camps,
Bpracttce fields. engineering and avia-
ton stations, rest camps and hos7
pital units
without CLOSING over any Of the
hardships, the privations. the toll
and danger Of war. I wanted to
translate to women some OF the in
SEPARATION and spiritual growth that
spring out OF hardship, toll and
Fdanger. I wanted to begin right
there, In that village behind the Lor-
gaine front, where the mud, ankle
deep and half frozen, made 1t diff
cult to hurry, hurry, as my of1cer
tescort bada me, If was to see, for
the first time, a regiment Of Amert-
can soldiers of to the front line
trenches.
n As They Are In France.
a quarter Of q. mile from the point
where I had to leave the motor car
the regiment stood at ease on one
side Of the narrow street. Il was a
regiment Of drafted men, not regu-
lars, and this was to be their first
taste OF sighting, their baptism OF
fra, as men have termed it.
R0ady2 Physically yes, you could
see that much at a, glance. These
soldiers who six or eight months ago
would have sent for an express
wagon to carry more than could be
contained in a suit case, stood UP
there In the 10y mud straight and
clean and hard as nails.
Their chests filed their coats to
the bullying point, and on their backs
they carried, without strain or effort
between sixty and seventy pounds Of
equipment. Each man carried, be-
side his gun and ammunition half q
tent, e bundle Of clothing, a toilet
kit, an extra pair of heavy hob
nailed bootss q bayonet, q gas mask
a knapsack of food, q water bottle,
I4nHR &c. lev S,ss
tic1es.
The blankets and really heavy
things go on the trucks" explained
one Of my Iieutenants. '"rhe men
carry with them no moro than they
personally need, and what they
would absolutely have 10 have Ia
case they were taken prisoner extra
Clothing, mean. A man who falls
into the hands of the Germans needs
extra shirts and socks. you bet
Fritz hasn't any TO Spare,
Yeg, he did, that officer talked
right out before those poor men
hoya, mean who stood there walt.
ing to be ordered forward 70 possible
death or capture. And 4ne boys
shuddered and turned paie7 They
did not They grfnne6 and waggeo
their absurd Tin hats and said, You
bet and You said 81. as Sc they
were waiting Tor d subway train i'm
stsad of GA aTTay truck bound for tile
trenches.
Months OF training, outdoor Iiv-
igae, good food, regular habits, obedi-
enes 20 orders, devotion to an idea,
haye worked 4his physical miracle
VITA QaF draft army The u1sn ags
s asrona eli the RoosevsItian bull
mooaa hey ara broken iii to cold
n6 nild and widest weather.. AMI
Ehe51 nerves Gre or steady as an old