The Benson signal., 1918-08-31
Our Doughboys Mean Business
When They Take the First
Line Trenches.
Their EFFICIENCY EVIDENT
Trenches, by First-Rate Military
Training if Not by Experience
Every Man in Line Has
Personal Grudge to
Settle With Huns.

With the American Troops in Alsace-
Lorraine.-By the dim light of the
moon you could barely see the stream
of dOughboys pouring out of the shell
tering woods and scraping over the
dusty French road toward the trenches.
They said very little and trudged along
with that measured swinging tread
which enables EurOpe's veterans to
carry their heavy packs almost un-
heard-of distances.
The stream seemed unending, as the
United Press staff car picked it's way
from squad to sq2ad without using
lights, without falling In bitches and
without touching a single dOughh0y.
Finally one section Of the human
stream halted in ruined village. The
press car stopped, too, for beyond this
point everything except ammunition
and food goes on foot.
The officers gave the order to- rest.
and lot Of packs dropped to the
ground, followed by doughboys. Their
rifles they never dropped. In the moon
light you could see the ground covered
| with resting soldiers, mostly string.
There was >clicking of rifles and
sounds Of Tightening packs, and bits of
gossip which could come "nly from q
group heading for it's first night in the
trenches.
Indifferent to Danger.
These were Uncle Sans citizen SOL
diers, new men just over from "the
states" as they have habit Of calling
home when over here. A few Ques-
tions revealed the fact that q year ago
these boys were clerks, carpenters.
students and whatnot. in civilian
clothes. Six months ago they were in
training camp. Now they were sol.
! dlers in France. and tonight they were
making their genuine debut into the
war for civilization.
There was no wild enthusiasm nor
| any evidence Of fear or even appre-
hensicn among those cittze,l-So'diers
as they rested before making the last
Lap into the trenches. There was q
nsrser-of-fact sort of confidence prev.
aleGt. and every man was making the
mo;- IF the breathing spell 20 see th::t
he was 100 per cent ready for barrle
Interest and talk centered around the
clicking rifles and other equipment.
''1'his old guns sure going to DO
some work from now On," said one
doughboy to his pal, as he played with
the rifle fondly. "ItFs the best gun in
this army"
'Say.. you never shot this gun," re.
piled the other Nobody ever did, aru!
nobody will but me. It's some Boche-
getter. 1t was made for me specially
b."
officers went through the crowd, Civ.
Ing final warning about use Of gas
masks, and attention centered around
masks for a moment. A lot ot chaps
tried them on again. Then packs again
were adjusted, and the group of dough.
boys streamed slowly on.
Ready for Business.
AS they got nearer the front trenches
the word was passed to walk more
quietly. Conversation except in un-
dertones stopped, and they descended
Into trenches. All you heard was the
steady knock of hobnailed shoes on
the trench duckboards, as these new
arrivals were quietly initiated to the
trenches in France. Quietly and with
| out commotion the officers stationed
their men. with loOkOuts watching
Facross moonlit No Mans Land, the
former occupants of the trenches left,
and the relief was completed.
There is something about the fear
less quiet way these new dougbhoys
take the trenches that makes you
seel they know a lot about warfare.
They are veterans before they enter
the trenches, by first-rate military
training if not experience. Their dis
cipline is fine, and their efficiency tells
you they are ready for business
meaning whipping Germans.
"Well, you can tell Kaiser Bill we're
here to fight" said one doughbOy, as
he took his station. "Hear the Ger.
mans say we're just a crowd of un;
trained boys. Well soon show them
we're soldiers"
1t happens this dOughboy's platoon
did it very soon. The next night 100