The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-01-05
Nerve Centers of British and Ca
madam Armies Peaceful
Even in Battle.
IS like BUSINESS HOUSE
Function Calmly and Efficiently With
out Turmoil or Slightest Disorder
Young Staff Officers Com
plain Because They Must
Stay Out Of the Show.

London.-During the past three
years Of warfare there have been daily
communications emanating from
mysterious place called general head
quarters. whose location or surround
1ngs have never been mentioned. In
fact are not knowO to the average SOL
der fighting In France, writes Hal
O'Flaherty In the New York Sun.
To the citizen unacquainted with the
affairs Of giant armies the mention OF
the term general headquarters brings
up picture Of a building In the heart
Of the great army activities, with mud
splattered couners dashing up on horse
or cycle and with SentrieS pacing to
and fro armed to the teeth, while wOr-
within tracing upon their maps the
various positions in the front line.
The fact Of the matter IS that Brit
ish general headquarters is perhaps
the most peaceful and orderly place
that one could imagine. The roads ap-
preaching the main buildings are not
lined with troops and paraphernalia Of
war. nor is there any Of the much
talked-of dramatics of fighting.
Guards Are Unarmed.
It is q business house, conducted on
the most advanced systems Of efficien-
cy. The traffic coming up to the heart
Of the gigantic chain of fighting units
Is regulated by military policemen who
know their business and keep motors
and pedestrians going In the right d.
rectiOn.
The soldiers on duty in front of the
building visited by the correspondent
were unnrmed and directed the arriv-
ing officers in manner as courteous
as that displayed by the commission
aire at the war office in London. With
In there was nothing to indicate the
presence Of the greatest army chief
tains. The furnishings were modest.
almost homely, and the atmosphere Of
the whole place was that Of peaceful
and we'll conducted business establish
ment.
To secure IN interview with one Of
the men who conduct the affairs of the
DLlllSu III AlICS WIS SAluplASIly llSSAA. "A
telephone call sufficed to tell him Of
our coming and we were ushered into
his Office Immediately upon our arrival.
An officer Of the United States army,
known as a "liaison officer" had quar-
tiers nearby. He has been working as
hard as any man Of affairs at home
could work and his surroundings
showed he wasn't In the habit of en-
tertaining visitors.
take that rocking chair over In the
corner" he said as we entered, and one
Of the party went over as directed and
sat on the wooden box that had held
his typewriter. A wooden table, two
chairs and rack for books made up
the furnishings Of his office.
On his table was stack of CORE
spondence foot high, which If 1t could
be read by the German high command
would probably give them heart fail
ure There was something significant
In that stack Of letters. 1t was prob
ably the first nucleus Of a correspond
ence between the directing officials Of
the American army and the British
upon whom they are depending for ad-
vice and information. Some day that
little pile will have grown into an en-
tire library Of documents that will fill