Gilpin observer., 1918-04-25
CHANGED BY WEEK
OF TRENCH LIFE
Boys From United States Rapidly
Turned Into Men.
ACQUIRE AIR OF VETERANS

and They Usually Get 4 on Time
French Airmen Always on Guard for
Enemy.
All day yesterday we watched the
American soldiers who were to go to
the front that night wandering about
the streets Of the little village from
which the start was to be made. Other
soldiers were there. mostly men of the
French line, and Moroccans and Al
gersans, writes Herbert Corey in the
Chicago News.
What is the difference between the
American and the French soldiers7" we
asked each other. BY and by the an
swer came.
They look so young"
Yet they were not unduly young.
Take the Americans one by one and
they We're seen to be stout, physically
matured. decidedly intelligent young
men. Their fnces were full of char
acter and decision. 1t Is doubtful IL
they are younger collectively by day
than the men Of n company of Moroc-
can shock troops who have been watch
Ing them with Interest," Some Of these
latter are mere kids. One had not yet
raised beard.
The explanation came to us eventual
ly. The French troops were veterans.
Even though they may be no older they
have matured In war. 1t often happens
that the veteran is mere child In the
affairs of civil life. These French may
not. be the equals In prompt decision
and resolution and forethought of the
Americans In matters that have not to
do with war. But In fighting they are
centuries older.
eoyish Illusion Persists.
few hours later we saw the Amer
lean troops marching out to take their
places In the trenches. That Illusion
of boyishness persisted. Even their
gait seemed to be that of boys, al
though they wore soldiers full ac-
coutrement and carried 6O-pound
pack. Yet we know that week In the
trenches-granted that they are called
on to do real fighting-will transform
them from amateurs of war into nerve
tested veterans. More time will be
needed to teach them the tricks Of
their new trade. but in a single week
they will have altered their personall-
ties to meet the new demands.
The village was one of the thou
sands of tiny towns which are scattered
along the French front. Shells had
fallen In II from time to time, and
roofs here and there were crushed In.
and holes dug In the roadway. Some
thing had happened to the church.
do not now remember what 1t was, and
yet my memory preserves distinct
impression that the church was not as
1t should be. 1t seemed disheveled aud
ragged. Now and then German avia.
tors flew over 1t, to see what was
going on. The French flyers always
challenged them.
The few Inhabitants Of the village
hardly looked up to watch the air
fights. They were old stories to them.
The Americans wandered about,
curiously, trying their scanty frag-
ments Of French on the people and
accustomlng themselves to the village
life so near the front. Their billets
have been at greater distance from
the line for the most part. The Ger
mans are but seven miles away here.
The front line of trenches into which
they will move tonight are in places
only five miles away. :,
French Alrmen Always Guard.
At the outskirts of the town group
of Americans are gathered. Half OF
them, perhaps, carry the cheap double
II.
where. They put in hours searching
the details of the horizon where the
German is hiding.
Every half hour or so Boche fiver'
tries 30 get over the town. Perbons ba
wants to bomb the village. What I.
more likely Is that the Germans or,
merely putting over the daily recon
naissance. They may suspect thot
something is going on and are trying
to confirm the impression. Each tima
French flyer materializes I'm some
mysterious Is fashlon. One never sees
where they come from. One is watch.
Ing the Germnn. and suddenly one secs
him veer toward the safety of his own
lines, vicious looking Spad Is ON
his heels.
Toward the latter part of the after.
noon smoke begins to pour from the
short chimneys OF the rolling kitchen.
Coffee Is being cooked-real American
coffee-well "doped" with condensed
milk and plentifully sweetened. The
men gather with their aluminium cups
and plates, and beans are ladled our
to them. An enormous sandwich of
white bread and corned beef from
cans Is handed to each. Even a sol.
dier's appetite is satisfied. But thew
have been at the Job long enough to
learn how to kick.
"Im of beans for the rest Of ,.,,.