The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-10
THE WORKERS OF
MIRACLES NOW IN
FRANCE ARE THE
BOYS IN KHAKI
10y RHETA cHlLDE DoRR.)

|
The first anniversary of the Amer
lean entrance into the world war was
the occasion of what almost might
| be called special American editions
Of most Of the large English and
French newspapers. Columns Of
| space in these papers were devoted
to encomiums Of praise Of our enter
prise, our ingenuity, our manifold
and miraculous accomplishments in
the space of twelve short months.
! Miraculous was a word frequently
used, miraculous and astounding.
| 1t Is too bad that the people Of the
| United States cannot at present be
told all Of the amazing feats of
| building, engineering, transportation
and railroad construction which have
SO impressed the allies abroad. It
| would inspire and encourage them
to know it, but unfortunately it is
necessary to keep as many Of the
| details as possible a secret from Ger
many. Beforet he fateful August day
in 1914, when the vast German army
started on its march across Belgium,
the war lords knew the French rail-
road system as well as they knew
their own. They had maps Of every
foot Of railroad in the French repub-
lie, They had an accurate catalogue
Of French rolling stock, and they
knew exaxctly the number and ca
pacity Of railroad manufacturing and
repair shops. They probably knew
the railroad men Of the country down
last patch on an engineers over
alls.
What United States Has Done.
But the Germans do not know has
happened to the French railroad sys-
tenn since April 6, 1917, the date Of
our entrance into the war. OF course
we DO not want them to know, but
don't mind telling them that what
has happened deserves the adjectives
lavlshed on us by the English and
French newspapers. I have been
over thousands of miles Of that part
Oft he French railroad system which
moves our men and their supplies
front. and / agree with Secretary
Baker when he said, on his departure
from France, that what had been
accomplished was inspiring to be-
hold.
shall never forget a Sunday that
I spent at railroad station in
town in central France. The town,
which cannot be named, Is a small
and not very important manufacture
ing CITY, but it is one Of the imports
ant functions in the chain Off all
roads leading from the southwest
ern and northwestern seaports to
the battlefront of the northeast.
The day was Sunday, just three
days after the great push on March
81 began. was returning to Paris
after a visit to certain large aviation
fields in the neighborhood, and got
off at this junction for luncheon and
a change Of cars. Few French trains
now carry restaurant wagons, and
travellers, except on a few express
kets or depnd on station buffets.
Battlefront Expresses.
I arrived at the junction at II
o'cioc, but did not take the O'Clock
Paris express, as I had planned. I
stayed in the station all day and all
evening watching the breat- taking
procession of trains tearing north
ward to the fight, and the equally
amazing procession Of trains rolling
southwark and bearing the flotsam
and ietsam Of battle-Wounded and
dying men, desparing refugees, dam
aged guns, broken airplanes. French
trains, including our own over there,
move methodically in blocks called
marches. They never nave any Craf-
fic tie-ups, because all the trains
move at exactly the same speed, and
every train has it's prescribed place in
the marche, just so far ahead or be-
hind the next train. It is an excel
lent system. But 1t seemed to me
that day that the trains would GER
tain1y telescope one another, they
on so INCREASINGLY and so close to-
gether.
The trains moving northward were
laden with soldiers, horses, guns, air.
planes ammunition, wagons, food,
supplies OF every conceivable descrip-
ton Trainload after trainload Of
horses, eight to a car, with four men,
generally asleep on the hay in the
middle space Of the ear. Tn horses,
beautiful, tragic creatures, going to
almost certain destruction R{rung
the heart to see. They gazed out at
the flying landscape and the cheer
ing station crowds with big, soft, UNI
comprhending eyes. How wish
we did not have TO use horses in
war. OF course the lives of men are
EAR more valuable but the men at