The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-08-29
Our Doughboys Mean Business
When They Take the First
Line Trenches.
THEIR EFFICIENCY EVIDENT
Veterans Before They Enter the
Trenches, by First-Rate Military
Training II Not by Experience
Every Man In Line Has
Personal Grudge TO
Settle With Huns.

with the American Troops in Alsace-
Iorraine.-By the dim light of the
moon you could barely see the stream
Of doughboys pouring out of the shell
tering woods and scraping over the
dusty French road toward the trenches.
They said very little and trudged along
with that measured swinging tread
which enables Europe's veterans 70
carry their heavy packs almost I'M
heard-of distances.
The stream seemed unendng, as the
United Press staff car picked its way
from squad 70 squad without using
lights without falling in bitches nnd
without touching a single doughhoy
Finally one section Of the human
stream halted In a ruined village. The
press car stopped, too, for beyond this
point everything except ammunition
and food goes on foot
The officers gave the order to rest,
ond lot Of packs dropped TO the
ground. followed by doughboys. Their
rifles they never dropped. In the moon
l.ght YOU could see the ground covered
with resting soldiers, mostly situng.
There was a clicking OF rifles and
sounds Of tightening packs, and bits OF
gossip which could come c1ly from n
group heading for its first night in the
t',nches.
Indifferent to Danger.
THESE were Uncle Sans citizen sol
dlers, new men just over from the
states ms they have habit Of calling
home when over here. A few ques-
lions revealed the fact that year ago
trcse boys were clerks. carpenters
students and whatnot. in civilian
clothes. Six months ago they were in
II training camp. Now they were sol
d'ers In France and tonight they were
making their genuine debut into the
war for civilization
There was no wild enthusiasm nor
nay evidence Of fear or even 1pprr-
hcnSiCn among those citl2rn-so'dIerS
aus they rested before making ,hp last
Ian into the trenches Thee was a
ugl-cr-oi-fact sort Of confden.s prev
alert md every man was making the
mo- VI the breathing spell % SEQ th't
h. was 100 per cent ready for hal1lc
Interest and talk conferred around the
clicking rifles and other equipment
This old guns sure going to do
some work from now on" said one
doughhoy TO his psi MS he played with
the rife fondly IT'S the best gun in
This army"
say You never shot this gun" re-
piled The other. Nobody ever did, anil
nobody will but me. Its some Bocbe-
gctter Il was made for me specially,
Bo."
Officers went through the crowd, Civ
ing final warning about use % gas
masks. ana attention centercd around
MASKS for moment. A lot % chaps
tried them on again Then packs again
were adjusted, and the group Of dough
boys streamed slowly on.
Ns' Ready for Business.
As they got nearer the front trenches
the word was passed to walk moro
quietly, Conversation exccp. in I'M
dertones stopped, and they descended
Into trenches All YOU heard was the
steady knock of hohuailed shoes on
the trench duckbonrdS. ms these Jew
arrivals were quietly initiated to the
trenches IN France Quietly and with
out commotion the officers stationed
their men, with loOkOuts watching
across moonllt No Mans Land, the
former occupants Of the trenches left,
and the relief was completed
There is something about the fear.
loss quiet way these new dougbhoys
take the trenches that makes YOU
feel they know lot about warfare
They are veterans before they enter
the trenches, by firstrntc military
training if not experiences Their dis
ciplinc IS fine and their efficiency tells
Won they are ready for business
meaning whipping Germans.
well you can ten Kaiser Bin we're
here t0 fight" said one doughhov, as
be- tool, his station "llear the Gen.
mans Say we're just IA crowd Of nm.
trained boys Wen soon show them
we're soldiers
II happens thi- doughboy's platoon
Ola Il worry soon The next night l5t