Evening star., 1918-06-07
AMERICAN BRAVERY
PRAISED BY FRENCH
Two Feats of Arms in Counter
: Attacks Northwest of
Chateau Thierry.
BEAT FOE BACK AT MARINE
BY THOMAS NJ. JOHNSON.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARM I IN
FRANCE, June 6.-The two most I'M
portant American feats Of arms yet
mentioned officially by the French
were the successful counter attacks
on Veuilly wood northwest of Cha
teau Thierry and the repulse of the
first strong attempt to cross the
Marne, which, if successful. might
have had serious consequences.
They were performed by troops OF
diverse character under diverse cir
cumstances and are significant Tor
that reason. The troops which re-
pulsed the attempt to cross the Marine
haven't been in France as long as
some units of the American force, and
by far the greatest part Of their in
struction was gained in the training
camps at home. So every one is es-
pecially delighted by their Splend1d
showing and sees bright promise Tor
similar troops, coupled with testi-
monial as to the quality OF instruction
in the United States.
On the other hand the Neullly wood
fighting was done by troops that nad
been tried in the fire and not found
wanting, thus adding new honors 70
a record that is already good. These
troops were operating practically in
dependently, while the troops who re-
pulsed the Marine attack operated with
the French, and it shouldn't be for
gotten that the victory there was
French every bit as much as it was an
American
Open Warfare, Pure and Simple.
Americans are operating. whether
north or south of the Marne, II is
open warfare pure and simple. exact
ly as pictured and described in books
and pictures of the old wars.
1t would be hard TO imagine a
the trench fronts than such places
as are now held by the Americans.
The Picardy battle was semi-open
warafre when the Americans first
entered there. but such experience as
we had today recalls everything
but this one. It's all here-cavalry
dashing along the road. infantry
marching. guns wheeling into posi-
tion, Signal Corps men crouched with
field telephones beside the road. long
lines of wagons and trucks parked
in woods-ihe sort of thing in which
Americans have been trained before
this war, all of which training. it had
seemed must be scrapped 70 make
way for the stalemate of the
trenches
It's a war of opportunity in which
quickness of movement is the govern
ing force.
Not a Trench to Be Seen.
It was bright and sunshiny all day
Wednesday, and over the wooded.
gently rolling country the whole
panorama was revealed without any
thing like trench visible One often
saw infantry actually deployed in ex-
tended order in open fields. while as
we watched a battery of 75s would
unlimber beside us and commence
banging away. Along an uncamou-
haged road scudded motor cycle or
derlies, and down from the woods
came riding a squad of horsemen with
blue steel lances at rest and carbines
slung over their backs.
In one village we found the Red
Cross flag flying over the church, and
inside on the floor lay the wounded
upon the cushions taken from the
pews- awaiting transportation rear
ward. The surgeon in charge gave
the number of wounded transferred
and the time consumed. 1t was a rec
ord of marvellous speed and efficiency.
Along the roadside only a couple of
miles from the front line was steam
ing-a rolling kitchen surrounded by
marines stretched out on the grass
eating bully beef and hardtack and
drinking coffee.
"Out of the trenches by Christmas"
said the grinning cook as he handed
out breakfast.
The miraculous thing about it was
that practically no shells fell near US,
but the reason was very simple. The
boche had been unable to get up his
heavy guns. The scene gave an un-
warlike impression, for these troops
seemed to be engaged in some ma
neuver between the "blues" and the
reds"