South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-06-07
KALEIDOSCOPE
Of PEACE AND
WAR ON MARINE
Some PIuCky Civilians Stick
to Peaceful Pursuits While
Germans Rush Forward
in Paris Drive.
BY NEWTON c. PARKE.
News Service.

international News Service:
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
on THE MARINE, June 6.-(De-
lsyed)-On Whichever front Won
Hindenburg strikes next it may be
expected that American troops Will
acquit themselves as bravely as in
the Marne fshting. Or in the recent
engagements near Montdidier con
the Picardy front)
4 motor ride behind the Marne
battle front on this sunny June day
brings kaleidoscope transition
from peace 10 war within a space
OF so minutes.
Our car speeding along the dusty
roads through the AIarne battlefield
OF 1914 passed hundreds Of little
crosses. marking the burial place Of
French and German dead At one
point we crossed swampy ground
where thousands OF Germans had
been slaughtered.
Pick EloWcr- in Fields.
Unmindful Of the dull rumble Of
guns 10 the north. two pretty school
teachers were out in a field OF but
tercups and pconies intoxicating a
love OF nature in the hearts Of 50
red-cheeked French Youngsters. who
were picking at buttercup petals and
investigating the mysteries Of
peonies and poppies with the air Of
juvenile scientists
In the same field lay 80 German
prisoners who had been captured
near Chateau Thierry They were
worn out and we're fast asleep while
French sentries stood guard over
them.
Presently French infantry began
dutung the roads, who laughed and
shouted pigs" as the car shot by
them. because it stirred up so much
dust Occasionally a huge train of
trucks. carrying ammuuition and
supplies would rumble through
villages half destroyed in the Marine
lighting In 1919.
Enter Ruined Village.
Here and there were British Tom
mics who drew off occasionally. as
American dispatch bearers flashed
by on motorcycles that were hum
ming with the speed of whirlwinds
amidst binding clouds OF white dust
We soon found ourselves i'm VIII
lagos Immediately behind the battle
front from which practically all OF
the civilians had fed at the German
advance.
I'm one quaint village a corpulent
old woman with white handker-
chief wound around her head alone
refused 90 flee She stood az the
safe OF her little cottage waving
her hand and wishing AN Americans
eood luck
Watch an Air Duel.
Now as we approach the bltue
line we sweep through 81 town in
which American ambulance men are
billeted. I'm one place there is a
crowd upon the street watching an
air duel between French and a
German aviator. Tn another place
ambulance men could De seen duck
ing for cover while boche airmen
were aiming to hit the biuets The
Germans dropped 50 flew bombs
which fell in fields. doing no dam
age The air WAS sitting with dust
and the boomine of cannon became
sharper
The car mounted The t,p of "a
hin and turned sharply and we
found ourselves ou tcp oG the
southern ridge of a valley just south
~ Chateau Thie-r, lust across the
valley on the northern ridge. the
earth Spouted ssyvard jon miniature
volcanoes as shells from German
siN-inch guns beat "a rapid tattoo
The French guns were rocking the
earth with their eplie>
Another sharp descent and We had
crossed q narrow brid.e over the
Placid M8rne 10 was hard to-
realize that the course or this peace
!ul stream had been the scene Of
such terrific lighting i'm which
American machine gunuers had
PLAYED an important part