Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-17
AMERICANS GAIN
WISH IN Big DRIVE
Wanted ito Go to 1t" and
Went at Pershing's
Word
ACCEPTED CHALLENGE
Longed for Chance to Hit Ger.
man Nose of St. Mihiel
Salient
ACCEPTED CHALLENGE
By CHARLES H. GRASTY
Special Cable to Epenine Public LEDGE,

CopW ;0ht. 1918, bv Nc,c York Times Go.
Paris. Sept. IL
They have had their wish From
ommander-in.chief to doughboy they
all shared it. 1t was ito go to it,"
They prayed to be shoulder.to-
shoulder in their their own army on
their own front. And no matter how
hard the job was, they wanted it
on the road to somewhere.
st. Mihiel suited them to a dot
They have been in the nelchborhood
for weeks ana months. The situa ton
was perpetual challenge to their
North American spirit and they longed
for chance to hit at the impudent
nose which the Germans on that front
had stuck far into the west. # they
could cut it off they would stand
where they could see Metz and BriCy
and even Longwy
When General Pershing gave the
word they went to ii" like fire de.
partment to a fire.
one could exhaust Superlatives with
out doing justice to Pars's enthusiasm
over this latest proof that Sighting
Americanism is a specific for German
terrorism. The French people are
masters of expression, bu' for the
moment word and gesture fail them.
They are too full for utteranCe. They
simply look at you, suffused as to their
shining eyes with tears.
All Paris speaks in the same vein of
our soldiers, Parisians with more zest
even than Americans themselves.
Nothing since General Pershing's ar.
rival has aroused such an outburst of
feeling as the news from Woevre. Few
know exactly what has happened in
the St. Mihiel salient and behind, but
everybody feels that it is tremendously
significant.
Al a hotel where the world gathers
at the luncheon hour an officer came
into the dining room with the latest
news from the scene of the battle. He
stopped to tell it to two or three
friends and within few minutes the
news had spread over the room.
American women present could
| hardly collect themselves for their JOY
over what their soldiers had done. but
this mood alternated with one of sor.
row and sympathy for the mothers at
home. Many of these women serve as
nurses at hospitals and there were
tears in their smiles. for they well
know the price of the victory and how
| the ambulanceS will be rolliug VI
|
| their care.
| noticed among those in the room
Solicitor General Davis. Minister John
Barrett, of The Hague. en- route fO'
| Switzerland TO preside over the con
ference of prisoners; Lady Lister
Kaye and Lady Hadfield. two sturdy
American women; Mrs. Johnson. who
has been singing to the soldiers a.
AK: General du Pont, Barclay War
burton and A. p. McFadden, of Phila
delphia, as well as many American
officers, and all gathered in groups
discussing the news.
Later Admiral Sims, with severa
of his staff came In. and was sur
rounded by eager Americans.
1t is pointed out that. one of tn
results to be gained may be a fina
disillusionment of the German peopl
in respect to American strength in til
war.
Even before this great demonstra
i ton of strength, particularly in tn
last few days, the German leader
themselves have begun to show thei
Generalization in a concerted peace OF
fensive. They only succeeded 4
producing disgust in the Entent
countries, and this effect is intensite
by the American success.
The blasphemy and hypocrisy of tn
Kaiser's peace offensive, coming at
time of Allied military successes, hav
confounded defeatism and hardene
, the common people in the Allie
countries for a military conclusion
and a dictated peace. This sentimen
! was expressed by an American soldie
, who said, I'D rather fight them tha
, have to listen to their lies"