Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-19
BAILLEUL HIL[TOPS
BALCONY SEAT FOR
GREAT WAR DRAMA
William Philip Simms Graph
caIIy Describes MightieSt
Battle in History as Seen
From Vantage Point
81 WILLIAM PHILIP snncs.

WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES NEAh
BAILLEUL. April 1.-THE fight now
progressing is the most spectacular OF
the war.
From a hilltop near BAilleul il can be
observed in patomime as though from
A balcony seat Miles upon miles from
around the Passchendsele salient-from
which the British were voluntarily with
drzwn-tO far southweStward OF Ballleul'
is visible TO the naked eye With neld
glasses, infantry can plainly be seen
on the move
The battles of Cambria. Verdun and
Messines were ali in a hill country, al
fording the scantiest gIimpses. But
from elevations ABOUT Bailleul the war S
most dramatic panorama stretches out
with scarcely Q tree clump obscuring
the view
Across fertile fields Of farms men
are visible going into action. Shells
burst in pasture lands. Abandoned cows
cease grazing and stare in mild aston
Ishment at the strange eruptions- The
air is filed with black and white cloud
puns and low flying airplanes in con-
tact with infantry, dropping signal rock
cts to point out targets TO the srtil-
IeTy-
Like Centennial Celebrasaon
The rattle Of machine guns and the
bass thunder OF heavy artillery. CO.
mingled with the ear-splitting. volley-
ing bangs Of field guns. is a worthy
orchestra TO the greatest drama Of all
time
Flashes from guns and howitzers
cieverIy concealed or frankly out In
the open leap ont NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
stArtlingIy near-Ehile the horizon flick
ers like thousands OF pockets mirrors
flashing in the sunlight
In the foreground a German shell
crumps fairly into q house. The for
mer occupants are probably tramping
along the roads regretting they ever
left their home. The house gives on
a white smoke for a few minutes. then
a tongue Of flames shoot toward the
sky.
Flames Of hell mount in fields 'of cui-
tivation- Strangiing vapors are trail
-rs heavily across the sprouting crops
An apparently fearless crow is due for
the surprise OF his life. The whole bust
ness looks unreal from this hilltop 1t
gives the impression OF a monster open
air spectacle in commemoration OF an
imnortan. centennial This is enhanced
when I see a gunner duck from a blazing
battery. a bucket in hand and chase an
1wncTIess red cow-ferasing for the sup
pcr milk. like an awkward stage hand
engaged IL some ElulCuAOuS ANluE III the
midst Of an ITvingesgue tragedy.
Refuse 20 Leave Homes
All the time you are standing in front
Of a tiny whitewashed and matched
cottage, feeling alone in a world where
everything is soldiers. death and war
You turn 20 90 and nslt-stsrtled-
PcerinE through a little white-paned
window YOU see outlined against the
darkencd interior the white face of an
sged woman Behind her is that of
bent old man. staring fiXedly toward
the plains They have lived in that cot
age too long TO leave il.
\ little way down the slope a Ger
man she'll bursts above similar cot
;a=c Bits OF red tiled roof fly in av-
cry direction Even now the enemy's
artillery is registering on the hill
: tabby cat. licsing a discard-d
bully bee" can, scampcrs off through
mole in ? hedge. Even she is desert
ing the old place But inside the COT
tage the old man lays his hand on the
womzn-s shoulder Together they watch
the fields below.
You move away. but something
makes you walk on tip-toe. For these
folks and those they symbolic. the end
~ the world seems 70 have como.