The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-07-02
NATIONAL army men Eager TO GET
Ik INTO FRONT LINE TO STOP BoCHE
"hey Make the Finest Soldiers in World" Says General Over.
seasSodes Determined to Fight to Finish-Snpers Take
Daring Chances in "Pot Huntng"-Negro Troops
| Furnish Much Of Humor in War Zone.


nrmy ins arrived In France to beal
out the predictions that this army VIII
he one of the finest bodies of military
men in the world. recently went Il
section of France where new trOOpi
are quartered for final training, write,
Don Martin in the New York Herald
There l saw the vanguard of the mil
lions who were legally selected to serve
their country. A general who has
been all his life in the army fairly
glOwed IN admiration of them.
"Thcy are splendid lot Of boys
the officer said. "They are proud to
be here. They are sorry for the boys
nj home who are not to help in the
great battle for democracy. They want
to get right In the line. They realize
the dangers fully, but that doesn't wOr.
ry them. They have had their eyes
opened fully to the wonderful sacrifices
France has made. They have seen
how the villages are stripped of every
thing but the very old and the very
young, and yet they have seen how de-
termined and cheerful the country is,
SO they are proud to be here, and they
are going to make the finest soldiers
the world has ever seen."
Superlatives ordinarily are not per.
mitted by the censorship when refer
ence Is made to Americans. A deeply
grounded principle of the American
censorship Is that America, while glory
ing in her own idenlism and achieve
ments, must not forget that France and
England have been ut war for nearly
four years and have set very high
standard for Uncle Sam. But the su-
perlatives INDUCED In by the general
were sincere. He actually believes the
, National army will he as fine lot of
after seeing them and talking with
them In more than fifty villages !
must say that think he has prophetic
vision.
All Show Their MettIe.
! TO praise the National army does
not imply disparagement of any other
wing of our military force. The mill
tia group has already, in various
clashes with the enemy. shown the
stuff of which 1t IL made. The 104th
regiment. which halls from Massachus-
etts, has been decorated by the French
government for its valor under heavy
fire. All the men have made good, hut
all they have done vii! unquestion-
ably be equnled by the excellent army
of draft men. The latter have the
physique, the initiative and the spirit.
As one of them said, "We're not here
because we're here; we're here because
it's where we belong and where we
want TO be." The training they re-
ceived in the United States worked
wonders in them.
In little village a handsome young
ster In n private's uniform saluted
with the grace and snap of trained
regular. He had the look OF the sol
dler in every line.
"Where are you frOm?" asked.
He named small city in the North
west.
"Were you ever n soldier before?"
"No, SIR" he said, smiling. II never
did anything before hut spend fathers
money and get arrested for speeding"
"Are you g!nd to be here%
'I wouldn't be anywhere else fol
anything In the world"
Seated In front of small house, a
wrinkled woman on one side, an aged
man on the other and two wee chill
dren playing on the ground in front OF
him, ! saw another young man who
would attract attention anywhere. Al
the officer who accompanied me ap
preached the young man jumped to his
feet, snapped his heels together and
sAluted ns II militnrism was In his
marrow. He said he came from a
small town In the middle West.
asked him about his affairs before he
Joined the army.
~ was in the lumber business" thu
private reioined. 81 was getting alonp
pretty well--have wife and two chill
dren about like these here (pointln;
to the two near his feet), hut even II
knew my business was going to ruin
wouldn't go back II they'd let me. Tn
here to stick II out TO the finish and
yOu'll find all the boys the same way
The spirit Of all IL, az this younl
lumber dealer said. Identical. The mer
are here to fight for France and demo
cracy. They understand exactly wha
the Issues are. They understand pre-
cisely why the United States came In
tn the war and they will he disappolnt
ed II peace comes before every alliet
aim has been achieved.
Among the first ten thousand Ma
tional army men who came here to al
In various units may he found men rep
rcscnta.ive of every branch Of citizen
ship I sew motormen. farmers, banl
clerks, architects, lawyers, manufac
turers. brokers', commission men, car
penters--in fact everything. Their
were men with names suggestive O
every nationality In the world.
These particular soldiers are II
northeastern France where they ar
going through intensive training Il
equip themselves for the front line.
Snlpers In the Trenches.