Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-11-22

fed way and carried specified flags;
II n steamer a week each way were
sailed, and If the United States govern
ment guaranteed that no contraband
was carried.
The immediate answer OF the United
States was given February 3-the sew
erance Of diplomatic relations with
Germany. April 9 the president signed
a joint resolution Of the two houses
Of congress declaring a state Of war
TO exist with Germany. In quick sue
cession came the selective service act
for the raising Of an army; a war
appropriation Of $3,000,000. 900; the
sending Of an expedltiOnary force OF
regulars to France under General
Pershing; the registration of nearly
100000 men for military service
the closing Of the first Liberty loan
with q large oversubscription; the
drafting Of the state militia into the
federal service. October 81 formal an
nouncement vas made that American
troops in France mad fired their first
shot in n
Nevertheless, the spring Of 1918 saw
three huge drives on Paris by the Ger
mans. BY June l the Germans were
within 46 miles Of the French capital,
in Chateau-Thierry. Unless they were
speedily stopped Paris would be under
their guns. The plan of the French
was to delay them as long as possible
by rear-guard actions until reserves
could be brought up.
Yankees Stop Huns.
And then took place the thing
which all good Americans were prayer
fully expecting: American soldiers
got into action in American fashion,
under American leadership, with
American artillery and machine guns.
The French commander sent to
Chateau-Thierry an American division
made up of marines and Of infantry
from the middle West. June 2 the
leathernecks and doughbOys moved
into support positions back of season
ed French troops. The French were
forced back and filtered through the
Americans the support positions soon
became the front.
June 4, about five o'clock In the aft
ernoon, the Germans attacked in force
through a wheat field, in platoon col
umns, in perfect order. supremacy con-
ident. The Americans raked them
with shrapnel and machine guns. Then
they opened with rifle fire. Cool, I'M
hurried, they picked their shots as II
at target practice. Military experts
will tell you that the American ma
rines are the most effective fighting
men in all the armies of the world GER
tainly they have no equals with the
rifle.
The Germans wavered, then came
on again. Twice more they stopped !;
twice more advanced. Then they broke.
Flesh and blood could not stand that
rifle fire. They crawled off through the
standing grain. The Americans sent
bullets wherever the wheat stirred.
That was the end.
Days and nights Of heavy lombard
ment followed. Sleep was impossible.
The Americans lived on monkey
meat" bread and water. Then they
went on and took the town of Boures-
ches, cleaning out the nests of machine
runners with rifle fire, bayOnet and
grenade.
What They Have They Hold.
Next they took the Bots de Belleau
1t was a jungle. 1t was every mar fol
himself, Indian fashion, from tree tC
tree, from rock to rock. The battal
ion of leathernecks which took the
wood went In with 959 men and u
officers. They came out with $40 mer
and seven officers. But they tool
the wood. Then they dug themselves
In and fought off counter-attacks TO
five days until relieved, constantly
shelled and gassed, not one hot mea
all that time. What the leatherneck
have they hold.
This one division used up five crac'
divisions of the Germans.
There are those among the allie
who say that the Americans at Cha
teau-Thierry saved Paris, Just as tn
Canadians saved Calais. When tn
military history Of the Great War
written Chateau-T hierry is likely t
be called the turning point OF tn
struggle. For its moral force was b'
yond estimate. It put new heart int
the war-worn French and British. A
France famed with joy. The Amer
; a n ha dstopped the Hun, had drive
him back, had beaten him of. An
thousands upon thousands of just sue
Americans were In plain sight pushin
: to the front!
T, General Foch In supreme comman
! Of the allies on the western front, soc
: afterward launched the allied offenslN
u and victory followed victory all alor
; the fighting line of $50 miles from II
!. North sea to Verdun. 1t was the b
= ginning of the end.
BY early October the Hun was bea
en- to his knees and asking for peac
October 81 the Italians utterly route
the Au~strians. The same day Turk
l. surrendered. November 3 Austr