The Topeka state journal., 1918-07-23
TURNS The TIDE
America Holds Balance OF
Power in World War.
Yanks in Battle Have Proven
Themselves Good Fighters.
NO PAUSE Until VICTORY
As Cool in Battle as in Practice
ManeuverS.
Confidence in Officers and in
Final Victory BOundless.
NO PAUSE UNTIL VICTORY
BY FRED S. FERGUSON.


With the American Army in France.
July 1 (by mail.-As the world war
enters its fifth year, the fighting
forces of America hold the balance of
power in the greatest struggle in the
time of man.
The fighting men of America have
been tried on the worlds most historic
battlefields, and have proven that for
bravery, for stamina, for all of the
things that it takes to win battles,
they need bow to none.
The American ii the field is a man
of a fighting heart.
He represents Americas balance of
power that will carry the democra cies
of the world to victory over German
autocracy.
But how this power is administered,
how it is led. how it Is equipped, how
it is fed. how it is clothed, how it is
munitioned, how it is gwen 'eyesight'
by airplanes that 1t shall not fight
in the dark, how it Is nursed when ill
and wounGed-upon these thin:ss de-
pend the distance to victory.
No Pause Till Victory.
1t may be near, or it may he far,
and Ameff cans, Frcnehnlen, Britishers
(and Germans) may know that the
American fighting man will not con-
slider his job done until the allied
cause is victorious. But the distance
is not to be measured by the resist
ance of the German alone Incempe-
tence at home, faulty leadership in
any # the branches dealing with the
war, is going to mean a longer path,
and pam dyed with American blood
Representatives of Americas bal
ance Of power ara arriving in France
by hundreds hourly. As this is writ
ten r;ore than 100000 men have
a. N 1.rir h
of victory nearer, but the administra-
ton, the leadership, must be behind
him.
1 have been with the Americans in
every important action to date, from
the first raids i'll Lorraine to the TAX
ing of Cantigny in Picardy and the
second battle of the Marine. The men
taking part in these actions were from
every corner of the United States.
They ranged from newly enlisted men
to veterans.
But always there was the same
spirit, regardless of the difficulty of
the task or the hardships involved:
cheerful obedience of orders, anxiety
to get at the job and complete it, and
certainty IN execution and then modest
disclaimers of having done any more
than was their duty, or more than
any other American would have done
In Training.
LIS Ills carly IHOutHS Oh InlS
year, the Americans in France were
merely training. They could not be
| figured as real fighting units in the
| intricate game of trench warfare
First, northwest of Toul, then on the
| Chemin Des Danes, then near Lune.
Vile, and later near Verdun and ir
Alsace, American units appeared. They
were put in the line with the French
| and soldiers md officers alike learned
| from their French instructors the tao
| tics OF the new war game. 1t was al
| irksome job. Losses were always un.
necessarily heavy at first. Then the
Americans began to learn. They learn
| ed how to take cover during shell fire
| They learned when to keep quiet-ir
other words when it was to their ad
vantage not to shoot. They becam,
trained, reliable troops. When tn,
gigantic German offensive broke il
March some were put permanent,
into the line in the Bacarat region
and northwest of Toul in the place o
French divisions which were rushed
away to the big battle line. Other
/ followed the French, and in Picard,
| took their place in the line which
| they still hold, and which they extend
ed by the capture of Cantigny.
| On the Marine as bright a page ash
to be seen in American history wa
written by the Americans who stop
ped the German advance there Fo
five days they fought increasingly
They met the best divisions the Ger
man high command could throw
against them. All were turned back
MunitiOn carriers, ambulance, men
supply men-in fact everyone-worke
or fought day and night. 1t was tn,
extreme test of American stamina t,
date, and was met gloriously. TIL,
best traditions of America were NOR,
than fulfilled The German rusl
toward Paris was stopped. The moral
of the French was raised to nev
heights at the sight, and by the story
of these Americans on the windin,
Marne. insisting even in the face O
the last extremity that the German
should not cross.
Changed Course of War.
America paid a price in lives of tn
best type of men she has to offer i
the cause of democracy in the fight
ing on the Marine. Eut during thos
five days when a thin line of Ameri
cans stood between the German an
the road to Paris, the entire course @
the war for the coming months wa
changed. The American, despite hi
lack of technical training, had wo
for himself place in the line of bat
tie alongside the seasoned troops c
the allies. He hat demonstrated tha
the fighting instinct of the America
had only to be stirred to respond. In
stead of requiring long periods c
training, he had shown that with tn
instruction he had received at hom'
when he stepped from the transport I
French soil. he was ready.
On the Marine the American prove
l h nTrrI, -fr, =, rrrr- II