Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-06
Continued from Page One

Continued from Page One
in arms and symbolizing the hope of
peace in the united strength of the
armies that now defend her soil.
And it was the first time the Amer
lean soldiers had fought on the Brit
ish front They understood that on
their few companies fighting as pla-
toons among the Austrians rested the
honor of the United States IN this
adventure. The general and his on
GERS addressed them before the battle
and called on them to make good.
You are going in with the Austria
lians," they said, 'and those lads al.
ways deliver the goods. we expect
you to do the same. We shall ne
very disappointed II you do not fulhi
the hopes and belief we have in you.
The American boys listened to these
words with a light in their eyes. They
we're ready to take all the risks to
prove their mettle. They we're sure of
themselves. and were tuned up to
high pitch of nervous intensity at the
thought of going into battle for the
first time and on the Fourth of July.
There were thousands of the other
American soldiers desperately eager to
go with them. though a battle Is not
pleasant pastime. but all their training
all their purpose in this war and their
pride in their own regiments lead up to
the fighting line, and they wanted to
pass the test of 1t and measure their
spirit against it's terrors and dangers.
In the hearts of these men, new to war,
the adventure of battle is greater than
its choice Of pain or death. and there Is
! the call to the hunters instinct in them
so they went gladly. strange as it may
| seem to people who. after four years OF
war look only on the tragic side of IL.
! The Australians had many requests
from American companies who had not
been called to share in the battle.
Cant we lend you hand?" they
/ asked. Cant we be of any use to
you?"
! In one case outside of the order of
battle their offer was accepted The
Australians took so many prisoners that
they found it difficult for the moment to
provide a proper escort for them from
the forward to the back inclosure.
Some of your lads might help us to
conduct prisoners" said an Australian
officer in charge of this work
They did help. No German prisoners
had such a strong and proud escort as
that provided by the Americans who had
not the luck. as they thought II, to take
Fart In the actual fighting with their
comrades who had gone forward with
the Australian infantry and the tanks
into the smoke clouds and the light of
shellfire.
Enemy Utterly Surprised
, Up there these lads from America
were engulfed in the frightful excitement
OF battle. and found It an easier and
less fearful thing than they had thought
because of the utter surprise of the
enemy and the silencing of his guns
More formidable to them was the in.
tens'ty of the British gunfire which
swept the ground in front of them ant
close to them with a backward blast OF
smell spiinters and an informal tumult
OF drumfire They could not tell at first
whether it was the British barrage o,
the enemy's They seemed to be in tn.
center of its fury and were SURPRISED
TO hnd themselves alive. still moving
forward with their comrades and with
the dark line of Australians on either
side of them.
The barrage passed like a storm,
SAID an Australian officer. leaving be
hind perfect peace" And it was II
this peace of the battlefield like tn,
peace of the death that the American
t and Australians met groups Of men VIII
}: were the enemy, strange. uncanny crea
d lures. many Of them in gas masks AM
that surrender was their only chance
u life. Those who showed any fight, lik
n some who used their machine guns to tt
last. had hardly thread of A chance.
u The Americans were not tender-hearte
D In that eighty minutes of the advance I
the ultimate objective with any of tn
u enemy who tried to bar their way. The
went forward with fixed bayonets, shout
, Ing the word "Lusitania" as a battlecry
y Again and again the Australians hear
; that word on American lips. as II ther
- was something in the sound of 1t strength
ening to their souls and terrifying to tn
enemy. They might we'll have been tel
rified-any German who heard tha
name. for to the American soldiers it
" call for vengeance
Americans Stern of Spirit
It Is curious fact. with less Prov
= cation than the French, who see the
p own towns destroyed before their ow
e ewes and a great belt of ruin across the
e country and a world of tragedy wher
!, their own families are separated froi
them by the German lines, the America
. soldiers have come over here with
:, :, stern a spirit and with no KIND OF TO-
a. giveness in their hearts fCr tne fheh WI
n caused all this misery. It'll.
q Today
n who come out of battle wounded tell
their experience. and through 'ne"'
;s tho conviction thai the Germans al
.bad men" and that death is just pu
,.hn,ent for all that they have done.
ons Young corporal with most DO
;sh Iool, described in a simple way ho
o before the battle he was placed III on"'
of twenty-four of his comrades ne'nu -,
ba mad worked hard and done ms pe
n tGlbecon,e a good soldier. ana no" t'l
g NJ, had gathered together the h,t
of t,afora Going into the line ana resoiN'
n ~ ine,ct as much loss upon the ene'l
le o they could, because that was the
duty ., would ey
n -. ,rojn in this life. they then sho'
,e a Itch zach other. and the you'
le nornoraI placed himself at the heao
I'd tha nlatoon and went with them up
s. Tho support line and afterwaro 10 :
F. front line. 49, .-ont 4,
K None of them had seen the 1ron' i, II
trench before. as their reslInenN ~
he come to France only a fe" "ne
he and for the first time 'neg sew
he a. and then. two minutes heiore
nd ..ots harrage. It astounded them
re that they held the'r ofea'"'
Is kent their nerve.
is Real Fourth Of July
OF at was a real Fourth OF July ce
bration." said one boy. -,
:. The line of country in front OF tL'
- N Hamel village and the trehcn ssst'
beyond was over little riose anu "
80 valley and then over anotr
Tx small ridge of ground IN we
tbey were held up for n few minutes
'"S' l.a i've and maChine-gun n