The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-09-26
z FRANK T ! on i

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~ FRANK j. 'TAYL On.
UniAsd Press M Is <orrss enc.
With the Amt leans Ia AllAce j. ~
ratne by rnafl, American soldiers
are becoming mountaineers IS Alpine
skill up IN the heights 81 Asare. whers
they are holding long stretches of ttse
line. They measure the line Ia three
ways in Alsace. AZ the crow flies, hort
zontaliy and vertically. AS the crow
files the line across Alsace is-compar-
atively short with the horizontal
twists north and south, east and west,
4 ia longer but when the vertical
measurement lis made up ana dowH
the mountain sides. this Alsatian line
becomes enormous ~
The dOughboys become moiintaiNeA1N
with facility They like fighting il
the mountain peaks because Il Is Ia
diyidual and Ills for ingenuity as veil
as courage. Some OF the peaks On
which they are opposing the Germans
are over 1000 feet high. II II always
cool and often cold up In tho tres
covered peaks. The lines run up and
down these peaks and through forests
so dense that only constant vigilance
prevents ambush parties. The Amerl-
cans have shown peculiar adapta-
bifity to this warfare. which 10 nearer
tAC ~ pcIa NIISlx 1OT6IAtI1GTSl W4KS0 III
America than any other phase OF tha
great war.
You get to the American positions
only after crossing high ridges along
which ran the French German boun-
Diary before the war. Then YOU drop
abruptly down the German side Of tho
ridges into Alsntian towns where tho
natives speak German as well -
French, but deny that the former IL
German
..Tf,a lv,aAs fra,.,,,, 49, A,..+;a !. ), %%.>~
tell you FIRMLY I'VE don't speak boche.'
But the German .yoO learned In school
enables YOU to converse freely with
and distinctly diderent from those
over the lire in France. Signs every
where are written In both German and
French. and in many places English
has been, added, out OF courtesy to the
Americans who go through to the lines
up the mountain sides Alsatian archia
lecture adds attractive gables to tho
houses, which are more often surround
ed by attractive yards and lawns than
ore finds ia strictly French France.
Down in, a little@town on the road to
Thanh, a place buried between two
towering ridges you stop for lunch
The woman In charge speaks German
and Is not displeased at finding you
speak 1t too, so long as you do not cali
1t German and agree that the language
is Alsatian, not German She assures
YOU it is a bad day, a neatless day In
France, and there is not much to eat,
But you may have what they have, she
says, ii you will but wait. Then, while
you anticipate eggs with little else. her
German speaking assistants bring on
four courses OF meat, eggs, and Asa.
tiam cake for dessert. more than YOU
can Find anywhere in France.
THE Americans must eat well by us.
for they will win Alsace back I'd
France" she tells you, by way of ex-
pla nation.
The outstanding feature OF the linz
IN Alsace is the system OF strongholds
and observation rosts which take tina
place Of contir Gous line for both
sides. There is a line of barbed wire.
which the Germans have attempted to
electrify In some places running tina
length OF Alsace UP and down, and
through the pine and FIR forests or
through meadows eolored with flowers.
| Streams and waterfalls and all tina
means at the disposal Of nature tend
to hide the ravages OF war.
In these mountains you at length
fina the Americans learning the means
which both the allies and the Germans
have come to use to wage war here
ana devising new ways of fighting
Around mountain peaks stronghoids in
woods or in rocks are built from which
patrols operate usually i'm force through
| the woods. These patrols cross No
Mans Land often without knowing It,
It is comparatively easy to penetrate
the line here. but 1t is harder to get
back undecided, owing to density OF
/ vegetation.
1t is an artillery warfare in this area.
Big guns operate on strong points and
villages from tho rear, and little noun
tain artillery guns do the close ranga
work. Machine guns play across from,
both sides, fairly well hidden in woods.
Into this the Americans are introduce
Ing a more aggressive element con-
slant patrol raids.
| From observation posts the dough-
boy can see German positions for
miles, and farther back can see Ger
man towns. On clear days he can sea
through the glasses every train that
enters some of the cities. and can count
the people on the streets. 1t puts ons
,dea into the average doughboy's head
Just let us loose and put some more
l-Americans in here with us, and well
| take those towns" said one OF them.
I'VE could get them before the Ger
mans know we're started That il
an optimistic idea, but il is not an idle
| boast.
Back In the towns and secluded
spots less subject to bonbardment you
| hnd still more doughboys. fresh from
the states. eager to get into the noun
| famous trenches and hold few feet
| of the long line now assigned to the
Americans. The doughboSs went in
| brigaded with the French at first. but
were soon given their own sectors
Farther down the line to the north
west, in Lorraine, the problem is much
! the same, except that the mountains
are less steep. Here il is hills the
doughboys hold, and h numerous
places the younger forests have been
/, wiped oui 'ty artillery fire from both
| sides, lea.ing a definitely formed No
Mans Land, which Is usually. well con-
trolled by the Americans. As you ap-
proach the Nosges area the battle line
again crosses back into France. and
/ it is again a war of defense. o
1 Americans in Alsace consider them
selves lucky to be where they are
This is the best part of France we
have seen" said one intelligent dough-
boy. and others echoed his sentiments.
| mo wonder the G ,rmans wanted to
steal the country. But well run them
i ont In time If they'll inst 10. i.o s.r.