Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-02
YANKEE.LINE
ONLY 6OFEET
FROM ENEMY
Americans Within Eas,
Throw of Germans at
Some Points.

With the American Army in France,
Friday, Feb. /, (By the Associated
Press, Oelayed) American troops
in trenches on the French front at
one place are only 60 feet from the
German line. In another place mile
of ground separates the opposing po-
sitions. At this point, however, there
are number of ponds and neither
side, apparently, desires to occupy the
water covered ground.
The American trenches all are in
more or less marshy ground, making
the use of duck boards" necessary at
all times except when the trench wa
ter and mud are frozen. The trenches
were shallow when the Americans
moved in, but since then they have
been deepened and improved.
Pump Water Out of Dugouts.
In every dugout the soldiers work
almost constantly at the pumps, keep
ing out the water which seeps in. But
the watery conditions are unfavorable
for trench rats and few of them are
seen. In some places the artillery is
on ground but little higher than the
trenches, although number Of our
batteries manage to keep dry feet"
most Of the time. The enemy artillery
in some places is on higher ground
than the American and within sight of
one of our positions there is German
observation post overlooking much
territory This has been shelled re-
peatedly and doubtless has been hit
! on several occasions. On clear nights
the hill upon which this post stands
out against the sky is Illuminated &C.
casionally by rockets sent up by one
side or the other so that the men in
the line may see the shadows which
mean that the enemy is near.
Night Scene Is Thrilling.
The scene at night IS thrilling and
inspiring. On the firing platforms the
men stand near their rifles Others
spfasH through the trench, sometimes
slipping from the duck boards I'M
water abote their knees. II the posi-
ton is peasthe enemy lines hardly
| a word is ever spoken and when a
| word is necessary, it is spoken In a
whisper.
! Far away to one side of the posi-
ton a white stream shoots up to the
/ sky and breaks into white balls that
throw light as if from powerful cleo
trio batteries. The reflections show
wire entanglements and scrubby
bushes on the hills nearby, then the
lights die out.
All the while there is the intermit-
tent roar of guns and whistle as Of
express trains as projectiles of differ
ent calibres go rushing over the Amer
lean trenches. The American soldiers
| have become so accustomed to such
sounds that now they apparently pay
no attention to them. Every now and
then the sound of shell explosion
is audible, but most Of the time the
artillery targets at night are too far
back from the trenches for the men
to hear the projectiles explode.
I Green Light Means Gas.
Every man in the line at all times
mas his eyes open for two kinds OF
colored rockets. One is green and the
other is red. The first one means as
phyxiating gas and the other calls for
a barrage. And the green light to the
men in the line means more than any
thing else, for in gas attack they
know that their lives often depend
upon speed in which the gas masks
are adjusted after an alarm is given
Internationally during the night