davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-03-07
Taking Provision. to the Front.

relax his watch for a second. IF he is
questioned from the trench or asked
his ORDERS he replies witho at turning
around or taking his eyes from the ex.
panse of dirt in front of him. The re.
mainder of the occupants of his trav.
erse either sit on the fire step, with
bayonets fixed, ready for any emer.
gency, or If lucky, and q dugout han.
pens to be in the near vicinity of the
traverse, and II the night is quiet, they
are permitted to go to same and try
and snatch few winks of sleep. Little
sleeping Is done; generally the. men sit
around, smoking flags and seeing who
can tell the biggest lie. Some of them,
perhaps with their feet in water, would
write home sympatllizing with the
governor" because he was laid up
with cold, contracted by getting his
feet wet on his way to wor,s in Wool
wich arsenal. If a MAN should manage
to dOZe Off, likely as not he would wake
with start as the csaanm,y, cold feet
OF rat passed over bis face, or the
next relief stepped on his stomach
while stumbling on their way to relieve
the sentries in the trench.
just try to sleep with u belt full Of
ammunition arouad You, your rifle bolt
biting into your ribs, iihrenclling tool
handle sticking into the small of YOUR
back, with tin hat for pillow and
feeling very damp and cold, with
"cooties" boring for Oil in your arm
pits, the air foul from the stencil Of
grimy human bodies and smoke from q
juicy pipe heing whitfield into your nos
trils. then you will not wonder why
Tommy occasionally takes a turn in
the trench for. a rest.
While in front-lfne trench orders
forbid Tommy from removing his
boots, puttees, clothing or equipment,
The "cooties" take advantage Of this
order and mobilize their forces. and
Tommy swears vengeance on them and
mutters to himself, "Just wait until I
hit rest billets and am aDle to get nv
own back"
Just before daylight the men. turn
to- and tumble out of the. dugouts, man
the ire step until it gets light. or the
welcome order stand down lis given.
Sometimes before stand down. is or
dered, the command five rounds rap.
Id" is passed along the trench. This
means that each man must; rest his
rifle on the top and fire. as rapidly as
possible five shots aimed toward the
German trenches, and then duck with
the emphasis on the ''duck')i. There is
a great rivalry between the opposing
forces to get their rapid fire all off
first, because the early BIRD, in this In
stance, catches the worm sort of gets
the jump on the other fellow, catching
him unawares.
We had sergeant in cur battalion
named Warren. He was on duty wit h
his platoon In the fire trel ich one.afte :.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-03-07
CHAPTER XII.
Over the Ton.

On my second trip to the trenches
Our officer was making his rounds Of
inspection, and we received the cheer
. full news that at -four In the morning
we were to go over the top and take
the German front-lhne trench. My heart
turned to lead. Then the officer car
ried on with his instructions. To the
best Of my memory recall them as
follows: "At eleven wiring party will
go out In front and cut lanes through
our barbed wire for the passage Of
troops in the morning. At two o'clock
our artillery will open up with an in
tense bombardment, which will last un-
TIL four. Upon the lifting of the bar
rage the first Of the three waves will
so over" Then he left. Some Of the
Tommies, first getting permission from
the sergeant, went into the machine
gunners' lugont> and wrote letters
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-03-07

tumbled off the step, fell into the mud
at the bottom of the trench, and lay.
still in a huddled heap with bullet
hole in his forehead. 4,
At about the time he expected to ar
rive ut Waterloo station he was laid.
to rest in a little cemetery behind the
tines. He had gone to Blighty.
In the trenches one can never tell
it is not safe TO plan very far ahead.
After ''stand down" the men sit ca.
The fire step or repair to their respec-
sive dugouts and wait for the rum is,
sue" to materialize. Immediately fol-
lowing the rum comes breakfast,
brought up from the rear. Sleeping is,
then in order unless some special work,
turns up.
Around 1890 dinner shows up.I
When this is eaten the men try to-
nmuse themselves until "tea" appears
Mt about four O'Clock, then "stand to-!
and they carry on as before
While in rest billets Tommy gets up
nbout six in the morning, washes upj
answers roll call, is inspected by his
platoon officer, and has breakfast. At
S:45 he parades (drills) with his com-
pany or goes on fatigue according to-
the orders which have been read out
by the orderly sergeant the night pre-
vious
Between II 80 and noon he is dis
missed, has his dinner and is ION his
own" for the remainder of the day,
unless he has clicked for digging or
working party, and so it goes on from
day to day, always looping the loop"
and looking forward to peace and
Blighty.
Sometimes, while engaged in a
"cootie'' hunt, you think. Strange to
say, but it is u fact, while Tommy is
searching his shirt serious thoughts
come to him. Many time, when per-
forming this operation, have tried
to figure out the outcome of the war
and what will happen to me.
My thoughts generally ran in this
channel:
Will I emerge safely from the next
attack If do will skin through the
| following one, and so on? While your
AiA1AN 10 WdASACAAh6 AhlO IuC 1utuIC IL
is likely to be rudely brought to earth
| by Tommy interrupting with, whats
good for rheumatismY'
Then you have something else to
think of. Will you come out of this
war crippled and tied into knots with
rheumatism, caused by the wet and
mud of trenches and dugouts? You
give it up as a bad Job and generally
| saunter over to the nearest estaminet
to drown your moody forebodings in a
glass of sickening French beer or>to
try your luck at the always present
game of "house." You can hear the
sing-song voice of Tommy droning
out the numbers as he extracts the
little squares Of cardboard from the
bag between his feet.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-03-07

nifty Of making dessert. This is
trench pudding" 1t is made from
broken biscuits, condensed milk, jam-
little water added, Slightly favored
with mud-put into canteen and
cooked over little spirit stove known
as 'sTommy's cooker"
"a firm in Blighty widely adyertises
these cookers as a necessity for the
men In the trenches. Gullible people
buy them-ship them to the Tommies,
who. Immediately upon receipt of same
throw them over the parapet. Some
times q Tommy falls for the nd, and
uses the cooker in a dugout to the dis
gust and discomfort of the other oc.
cupants.)
This mess is stirred up in q tin and
allowed to simmer over the flames
from the cooker until Tommy decides
that 1t has reached sufficient (gluelike)
consistency. He takes his bayonet and
Oy means of the handle carries the
mess up in the front trench to cool.
After it has cooled off he tries to eat 1t.
Generally one or two Tommies in q
section have cast-iron stomachs and
the tin is soon emptied. Once tasted
trench pudding but only once.
In addition to the regular ration is
sue Tommy uses another channel to
enlarge his menu.
In the English papers a "Lonely
Soldier column is run. This is for
the soldiers at the front who are sup.
posed to be without friends or rela-
dives. They write to the papers and
their names are published. Girls and
women in England answer them, and
send out parcels of foodstuffs, ciga-
rettes, candy, etc. have known
lonely" soldier to receive as many as
I'VE parcels and eleven letters in one
week.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-03-07
CHAPTER x.
"The Days Work.


I was fast learning that there is a
regular routine about the work of the
trenches, although it is badly upset ut
times By the Germans.
The real work in the fire trench
commences at shutdown. Tommy is
like a burglar, he works at night.
Just as it begins to get dark the
word stand to" is passed from tray-
erse to traverse, and the men get busy.
The first relief, consisting of two men
to traverse, mount the fire step, one
man looking over the top, While the
other sits at his feet, realty to carry
messages or to inform the platoon Off
Ger of any report made by the sentry
as to his observations in No Mans
Land. The sentry is not allowed to
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-03-07

In rest billets. The next day our cap
tain asked for volunteers for bombers'
school. | gave my name and was ac-
cepted. l had Joined the Suicide club,
and my troubles commenced. Thirty
two men of the battalion, including my
self, were sent to L---, where We
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-03-07

other to his sweetheart. While doing
this I cursed the Prussian war god
with all my heart, and think that st.
Peter noted same.
The machine gunners in the dugout
were laughing and joking. To them
Pete was unknown. Pretty soon, in the
warmth of their merriment, my blues
disappeared. One soon forgets on the
western front.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-03-07
CHAPTER XII.
Bombing.

q boInbIhg.
The boys in the section welcomed me
back, but there were many strange
faces. Several of our mon had gone
West in that charge, and We're lying
somewhere in France" with Il little
wooden cross at their heads. We were
Evening star., 1918-01-15
FIRES ROUT PATRONS OF
ROCKVILLE CAR LINE
Flames in Trolleys Call Firemen
Twice Within Twelve Hours.
Wire Breaks, Passengers Flee.

Patrons of the Rockville line of the
Wellington Railway and Electric Com
pany have come to the conclusion it will
be much safer, before starting on a trim
on the Wisconsin avenue cars, to take
out hre insurance policies. Within
twelve hours from $50 o'clock last
night to the same hour this morning
two of the cars operated on that line
caught fire. Fire companies on connec-
ticut avenue near Cleveland Park and
in Tenleytown had to be summoned to
extinguish the blazes.
A Somerset car leaving the junction
of Wisconsin avenue and p street at
$50 o'clock last night caught fire near
the Cathedral close, a short circuit in
the motor being responsible for the
blaze. The car was crowded with pas
senge-s. who scrambled Off in a hurry
when the flames began to break up
through the floor of the car. Chemical
engines from Cleveland Park and Ten
leytown were called and after half an
hours delay ..le fire was extinsuished
and the car proceeded to the barns. The
Rockville car leaving Georgetown at
$50 had to wait until the fire was put
out.
A car, badly belated by reason of icy
track and trolley wires, which started
from Georgetown at $3.50 this morning,
caught fire on the hill in front of the
National School of Domestic Arts and
Science, and before this fire was ex-
tinguished the trolley wire broke. The
fire burned large hole in the floor of
the car and caused a small panic among
the passengers. also delaying traffic on
the northbound line for more than an
hour. The Tenleytown engine company
was also called to extinguish this blaze.
Evening star., 1918-01-15
SAVE FUEL BY MAKING
. MONDAY LEGAL HOLIDAY

NEW YORK. January 15.-As a means
Of conserving fuel throughout the east
ern states, which have been vitality
affected by the coal shortage. it was
announced today that federal fuel ad-
ministrators have recommended that
President Wilson declare Monday a
legal holiday throughout this territory
for the next eight or ten weeks.
It was stated that this decision was
reached at a meeting last night attended
by P. B. Noyes. representing Fuel Ad-
ministrator Garfield; A. H. Wiggin. fuel
administrator for New York state:
Reeve Schley, New York county fuel ad-
ministrator. and ]. ]. Storrow, fuel ad-
ministrator for New England.
The declaration of one legal holiday
weekly was unanimously agreed upon
as the best means of conserving fuel
and effecting general relief from hard
ships incidental to the coal situation.
The proposed holiday, it was esti-
mated, would save 100000 tons of coal
in the territory in which it was OBJ
served, or 100000 tons il observed for
ten weeks. The territory will include
all the New England states. New York,
New Jersey. Maryland and Pennsyl-
vania.
Evening star., 1918-01-15
Story Of Caillaux Case.

More or less defined murmurings in
French political circles against former
Premier Caillaux which had persisted
for months were brought to a head last
November. with open charges published
by Gustaye Herve in his newspaper La
V..rorfe that NJ. Caillaux had conspired
during his stay in Italy a year ago
with notorious advocates of a peace
dishonorable to France and with being
the interchangeable protector of Boio
Pasha. now on the point of being tried
for dealings with the enemy.
Although the former premier prompt
ly brought suit against NJ. Herve, the
cfamor of accusation against him grew
more insistent and one Of the early acts
of the Clemenceau government, which
went into office largely on the issue of
the suppression Of disioyal agitation.
was to bring formal charges against
him. in the chamber of deputies. He
was specifically accused in these OF
planning In Rome the signing of u
treaty of alliance. in the name of
Frances with Germany. Italy and Spain.
aEainA Great Britain and Russia. Other
easfnAbfe relstiosis. and activities In
Tlconfinned On Second FaSe.5
Evening star., 1918-01-15
WOMEN ADMITTED TO COLLEGE
To Enter Evening and Summer
Glasses in New York Institution.

NEW YORK. January 15.-The sex
barrier at the College of the City of
New York has been lifted. The trustees
announced today that women might en-
ter the evening and summer classes
as fully matriculated pupils beginning
with the classes of February 13.
"Our admission Of women in the even
ing session on the same basis as men,"
says the Official announcement, "opens
q big vista in education in New York
for which women have long been eager.
The division Of vocational subjects and
civic administration has attained phe-
nomenal growth. and female students
will now obtain its advantages and
session."
Evening star., 1918-01-15
FOR THOSE.21 SINCE June.
Senator Chamberlain Offers Bill for
Their Registration for Mill
tary Duty.

At the request of the War Depart
ment today Chairman Chamberlain of
the Senate military committee intro
duced a bill for the registration for
military duty of all men who have be-
come twenty-one years old since June
5. 1917. when the draft law went into
effect.
Another bill which Senator Chamber
lain introduced at the request of the
administration would provide for fur
loughing National Army men for har-
yesting crops and other agricultural
duty.
Another bill would put the quota of
the states on the basis of available
men in the first class instead of on
population.
Evening star., 1918-01-15
DEMOCRATS HONOR
j. S. WOMAN VOTERS
National Committee Creates
Auxiliary to Organization to
Boom Suffrage.

Quick to perceive the rising tide of
woman's influence in politics, the demo-
cratic national organization has taken
prompt action to launch a bark upon
the crest of the wave. The democratic
national committee. which maintains an
active headquarters organization in this
city, has created a womans auxiliary
to the national committee
This was done by the executive com-
mittee of the national committee at a
meeting here yesterday afternoon. A
resolution was unanimously adopted by
the executive committee providing that
national advisory committee" should
be, created, to consist of one woman
from each state, to be chosen hv the
state organization through the national
committee.
Mrs. George Bass. manager of the
woman's bureau of the national COM
mittee. will be chairman and headouar-
ters Will be established in Washington.
Not an Extension.
The national advisory committee" is
mittee. 1t Is explained, but Just what ito
name implies, an advisory BODY. The ma
tiona! committee is created by the na-
tlonai convention every four years. and
cannot expand itself. but it can create
auSiiiary and advisory committees and
in this case has created one to be com.
posed entirely of women
Ihe, interest of women who vote and
prospective woman voters in democratic
pollcies and candidates is expected to
be stimulated through this oreanization
IN other words. the national committaa
is reaching out" it is said for the
Expect to Boom Vote.
AS the work of the new committe.
enlarges. it is expected it will result
In getting women to the polls in COM
munities where they have a vote and
increase their general interest in demo-
cratic politics. There will be contests
Tor United States senatorships in sew
eral states this fall where women vote
and the new organization is counted
upon to swell the democratic returns
at the polls. no
This Is the second innovation which
the democratic national committee has
inaugurated in political campaigning
recently. The committee management
adopted the zone system of chairman.
ships OF campaign committees. dividing
the country into groups of states and
placing one chairman at the head ~
each, with full responsibility. Reports
of the successful operation of this Ma ~
where it has thus far been inauguratad
were made to the executive conlmittee
yesterday. The work of extending the
plan is going ahead, and new zones will
be established from time to time.
Evening star., 1918-01-15
SERVICES FOR WHISPERS
ARMY BANK VICTIMS

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, January 15.--Fu-
neral services for three of the victims
of Capt. Lewis r. Whistler, who were
slain with an ak in the robbery of the
ARMY bank at Camp Funston, Kan, last
Friday night. were held today.
Six Army officers from Camp Funston
were active pallbearers at the funeral
of Fuller Winters. vice president of the
federal reserve bank of this city, of
which the Army bank was a branch.
The services for Mr.. Winters and for
Earl w. Ohleson were held at Kansas
City churches.
The body of John w. Jewell. editor OF
Camp and Trench at Camp Funston,
was taken to Springfield, Mo.
Evening star., 1918-01-15
RETURN H0NORS IN PROTEST.
Manned German Officers and Sol
diers Resent Promiscuous Awards.

LONDON. January 15.-An appeal is
being circulated among mutilated Ger
man officers and soldiers having the
iron cross asking them to return the
crosses as a protest against the fact
that a number of ''home warriors" and
leaders of tho fatherland party are
wearing the same insignia. according to
an Exchange telegraph dispatch from
Amsterdam.
There has been a large response,
thirteen hundred crosses from Berlin
sione, being sent to the war minister
the first day the appeal appeared.
Evening star., 1918-01-15
D. c. MEN TO FIGHT
FIRES FOR PERSH|NG
Fourteen Firemen, Headed by
Owen R. MoxIey, Part of
New Organization.
TO USE U. S. APPARATUS

Former Sergt. Owen R. Moxley of the
District of Columbia fire department
new first lieutenant. in the ordnance
department of the Army, and thirteen
former members of the District fire de-
partment, now in training at different
camps and cantonments, are to form an
important part of fre-fghting force
now being organized to guard supply
bases of the American expeditionary
forces in France.
According to plans, Lieut.. Moxley is
to be assistant to Capt. Oscar Fogg
in the power and construction fire pro-
lection branch of the ordnance depart
ment. Commissioner Brownlow, who
has supervision of the District fire de-
partment, has not only approved Lieut..
Mox1ey's application of indefinite leave
of absence, but has highly commended
the former local fire fighter for his
Willingness to go abroad at once in the
service of his country.
Protect Supply Base.
Inc work OF the 1OrCe Will Which
Lieut. Moxley is to be connected will
be the protection of supply bases from
fire. These bases, from which food
and other supplies of all kinds are dis
tributed, will be shifted from place to
place as need arises. and the protection
of the bases from fire is an exceeding
ly important phase of the service.
Capt. Fogg and Lieut.. Moxley are
now recruiting a number of fire COM
panies for this work. American-made
fire apparatus is to be taken with the
force to France, and every effort is to
be made to obtain fire fighters and
other capable men from various
branches of the service.
Thirteen members of the District of
Columbia fire department have already
the purpose of Capt. Fogg and Lieut..
Moxley to obtain the transfer Of these
men from the organizations of which
they are now members to the fire fight
ing force in process of organization.
Thirteen Years in Department.
Lieut.. Moxley served thirteen years
in the District of Columbia fire de-
partment, and served as aid to Chief
Wagner for seven years. The past
three years he has ben a member of
the Office force. Before being assigned
to assist the chief of the department
he served in Nos. and IA engine COM
panies, in the business section, and dur
Ing the thirteen years he was connected
with the department he responded to
every fire which caused the sounding of
q second alarm.
Yesterday. when four. alarms were
sounded for the fire at Washington
barracks" said Lieut.. Moxley. "I felt
as II I must go, but was prevented by
duties elsewhere"
Lieut.. Moxley lives at sth and G
streets northeast and has wife and
daughter
Evening star., 1918-01-15
FOOD PRICES IN WASHINGTON.


ba
be timeto time
he of olumb
Low prices
Evening star., 1918-01-15
sinn Feiners Issue Threats

LONDON, January 15.-The Sin Fein
executives says Dublin dispatch to
the Daily Chronicle, will shortly de-
mand that Irish nationalist members
of parliament resign. In tho event of
noncompliance the Sim Feiners pro-
pose to establish in Dublin what they
call q national assembly.
Evening star., 1918-01-15
Yard Lacks Engines.
John H. Davis Denounces Germany.

CHICAGO. ILL.,. January 15.-A sweep
ing denunciation Of the German gov
ernment for its plots against the peace
and security of the United States was
delivered last night by John H. Davis.
solicitor general of the United States,
at q. mass meeting under the auspices
Of the Illinois council Of defense.
Evening star., 1918-01-15
BRITISH NOT SURPRISED
NEAR CAMBRAI, is VERDICT
Kv ,,,e Associated Press.

Hy the Associated Press.
LONDON. January 15.-Andrew Bonar
Law, chancellor of the exchequer, an
nounced In the house of commons to-
day that, as a result of Field Marshal
Haigs Inquiry, the general staff. war
cabinet and the government considered
that tho British higher army command
had not been surprised by the German
ber 30. and that all proper and ade-
quate dispositions had been made to
meet 1t.