The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-06-17
GET INFORMATION
FROM PRISONERS
American Staff Knows What IL Go
Ing on Back Of German
Lines Every
Moment.
[By Fred S. Ferguson. United Press
Staff Cnrnesnnndenf

IBy Fred S. Ferguson, United Press
Staff Correspondent
WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
IN PICARDY, May 16: (By mail.)--
The staff of the American forces in
Picardy knows what officers are in
command Of the men whose road to
Paris is barred by Yankee fighters.
The American staff officers know
when the German soldiers have their
meals, when supplies are brought up,
how long each individual command
remains in the line, where their rest
camps are where their artillery is
concentrated, and in fact every de-
tail OF the German organization.
It is the business OF the intellfg-
ence department to find these things
out
But how does it do 1t
The answer is the reason for raids.
Only Germans know the things that
the American staff must know for
successful operation. The thing to DO.
then, is get Germans. Raids, there
fore, are for but one purpose-to get
prisoners. From the Identification
disc OF Boche prisoner and from
papers found in his pockets, his or
ganization may be learned. Question
ing and cross questioning will always
bring out further information, and il
there are several prisoners there is
usually at least one who is glad
enough to be out of the line to tell
everything he knows.
Raids have been especially fire.
quent by all of the armies since the
big offensive started. March Il. 1t
is highly important that the French.
British and American staffs know II
there is any change in the Boche
be kept track Of. change on one
front might mean the beginning Of
concentration on another. The in
telligence departments consequently
demands raids, raids. raids. Every
scrap of information obtained from
the prisoners is carefully gone over,
checked up, and the German order OF
battle confirmed or corrected.
Soon after the start of the Boche
offensive word came to American gen.
eral headquarters that 1t was highly
important to both the French and
British that certain information be
obtained by the Americans northwest
OF Toul. General headquarters tele-
the front. It was after q. m. when
the cali reached the front. The in
telligence officer. a major from Vir-
ginia, called a lieutenant In a front
line dugout on the field telephone.
&c. H. @. says it must have pris-
oners' tout suit" he began. Got
to get them tonight and have them in
here by morning. Get busy"
"All right" and the lieutenant sat
down to think it over.
He started by calling on four men.
Then they blackened their faces and
hands with lamp black, crawled over
the parapet. through the wire, and
across No Mans Land. Crossing the
Boche wire, they dropped into the
German trench, grabbed four men be-
fore they could fire shot OF utter a
cry, and hustled them back to the
American line Within less than two
hours after he had received the order
the lieutenant called the major.
Those G.. Fl. Q. prisoners are on
the way down." he reported.
That morning the Germans were
examined, and all information got
ten from them was transmitted TO
headquarters.
The raid which resembled an at
tack, and which prevailed early in
the spring. has now given way to the
silent raid The old raids were
preceded by violent artillery prepare
ton. German batteries were shelled.
trenches demolished. wire blown up.
and a box barrage put down on the
trench that was to be raided. The
artillery preparation lasted for fro''
thirty minutes to an hour. Then
the infantry went over behind a
Creeping barrage." Such raids were
certain OF success insofar as enter
ing the enemy lines was concerned.
The box barrage prevented Boche
reinforcements coming up, and also
held the men in the trench thus box
- N manv Instances however.