The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-08-22
Rv Frederick A. Smith.

by rIcueIlCh n, omlln.
Copyright 1918, by the New York Times
the Chicago Tribune and the Oklahoma
CITY rimos)
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES
IN FRANCE, Aug. 2l.-After several
days with a daShing regiment OF artl-
lery. messing with officers and men
slecping in shattered chateauX and Shar-
ing with them the grandeur of a strug-
gle against an enemy seldom visible,
have come away from the line with a
message to deliver to hundreds OF moth
cTs. II Is a message which should re-
% assure and make them proud The con
ditions are probably representative OF
American units generally.
First, the perfect discipline, the esprit
de corps. the robust health, the intelli-
gent, broad view OF the best way TO beat
the Hun and why il is sacred duty TO
do so. have given the regiment an ett-
cheney that has inspired the spontaneous
praise of the cooperating French forces
and American infantry.
Second the same efficiency and intel
lieent direction have reduced losses
from all causes to minimum despite
participation in some of the most vlo-
lent phases Of the second battle of the
Marne.
Third. like most soldiers, those BOYS
write home inircuucntly, but like all sol
dicrs they would rather receive letters
from home than anything else imagin-
able.
Will See 1t Through.
d, A machine gunner took me TO one side
,Mhcn departing, saying:
"You want to know what to say for us
to Dur mothers? Say we are happy and
busy, but ought TO write them oftencr
Still. if they want TO send something
ell them to send letters and chocolate
)ars and then more letters.
This gunner has been fond Of the mel
ow cafe lights of the states, always
ieen for plays, motor parties and big
town stuff generally, and he knew he
1ad come to France 10 keep render
rous with romance and adventure. |
asked him a straight question: Il have
seen YOU smoking over the guns and
horses digging pits making camp in the
middle of the night and resumlng hike
in the dark getting a late breakfast or
no breakfast at all. fighting all day and
turning in at night to repeat the whole
performance. Now, after year ot this,
what do you honestly think of war and
do YOU want to stick?'
He pushed out his chin and thrusting
his hands deep into his pockets, squared
his shoulders and said:
Personally, this service has benefit
ted me more than anything that ever
happened to me and | haven't now, and
never had, any other idea than TO stay
here until this job is all cleaned up
So much for tho spirit Of the men.
And now 10 concrete examples of how
that spirit impels them during battle.
Deeds Of ValoT
This chronicle carries them from the
Champagne sector to the Vesle covering
six weeks and is mostly based on off
cial fegimental records. One Of the es-
sentials of the artillery service is the
establishing and sustaining OF telephone
communication between forward obser-
vation posts and batteries. All concede
il is easier to work batteries where the
men feel they have something to do with
the offensive than TO go forward
through fields raked by planes using
machine guns and where shells are fall
ing on ali sides with nothing in the
hands to fight with and an absolute lack
OF protection from bullets and high eH-
plosives
For gallantry in this difficult work,
Corpl Alvin c. Robinson has won re-
peatedly the admiration OF the regiment.
On July Is. in the Champagne, he was
in charge of telephone detail Of the
first battalion Under heavy enemy fir:
he ran a new telephone line and kept II
open. Keeping the line open means that
p times after establishing the line he
went out into the open and coolly
sought out and repaired breaks, He ex-
hibited the same lack OF fear repeatedly
during actions in March Of this year
But SDuteh" Robinson is not the only
one who has forgotten self in thus as
sisting toward victories. Sergt. Salett
Y III. ...d., hsavx fire fh~rxame day