The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1918-03-20
AMERICANS PROVE
WORTH IN BATTLE.
OUR TROOPS HAVE BECOME a
FACTOR IN FIGHTING AT
THE WEST FRONT.
Adapt Themselves Readily to Modern
Tactics in Warfare and Are Fear
less In Action, According to
Reports Of Military Men.

Somewhere in France.-The past
fortnight's fighting by American troops
in three different sectors Of the west
front shows conclusiyely the impor-
lance of the United States army in the
world war and proves that it will be
a powerful factor on the front from the
very start.
1t refutes, ut the same time, the Ger
mans contemptuous statements that it
would require two years to train even
the smallest army to be ready to take
the field
In the American sector, north of
TOul, In the Lorraine sector, and along
the Chemin DIES Danes, the Americans
met the shock of picked German storm
troops. hurled them back and inflicted
serious losses, and emerged from the
conflict smiling, ready and eager for
another try.
Many of the most optimistic mill
tary leaders and critics are surprised
by the aptitude the Americans show
in picking up knowledge of modern po-
sitf0n warfare forty months after the
others had been engaged. The French
and Germans picked up the new tao
tics slowly, building stronger in
,trenched positions as the enemy artil-
lery grew heavier, devising masks
against gas, then perfecting the masks
as the gases became more powerful.
building deeper dugouts as the pene-
tration of the high velocity shells be-
came greater. But the Americans en-
tered the struggle, in the thick of it,
after three and half years fighting.
Readily and rapidly they adapted
themselves to the advanced stages of
scientific fighting reached by the
others.
No small part in the success of the
Americans so far is due to the fearless
ness of the high command in discard
ing tactics that have been found ObsO-
lete and concentrating upon training in
matters long proved effective. For ex-
ample, the handling of pistol, rifle and
bayOnet is being drilled, drilled, drilled
into the American troops. despite the
reports current for three years that the
day of the infantry man with the guns
is long since over and that the car
fridge and the bayonet have been SUI
perseded by hand grenades.
Half dozen defeats of German at
tempts to penetrate the American posi-
tons We're due entirely to the fact that
our troops have confidence in rifle fire.
They stand steadily until the enemy is
well within range, and then open up u
deadly fire, causing him to break for
cover.
me much-scoffed elasticity 'front.'
also has been adopted by the American
command, which refuses to sacrifice
lives by holding advanced lines heav-
fly manned, because heavy losses in
variably result when the enemy con-
centrates his artillery or destructive
fire against such lines.
Instead, our troops are distributed
with the aim of escaping unnecessary
casualties. Even though the enemy
may be able to enter our front line, a
counter-attack Immediately elects HIM
At this season, especially, the mud
everywhere offers an excellent cushion
for exploding shells, SO although the
men are spattered with mud from head
to heels, they often escape the steel
splinters. Their helmets also save
them many wounds.