The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-06-14
NEXT twelve MONTHS WILL Be
MOST MOMENT0US IN AMERICAN
HISTORY, DECLARES PRES. PE|RCE

ly will be we'll taken care of by the
Red Cross. President Peirce further
stated that the Red Cross was taking
care of an enormous number of refu.
gees and repatriates driven from oc-
cupied territory and sent to Paris and
southern France by the boches.
THE FRENCH RED CROSS
The French Red Cross is divided in
to three sections the hospitals. ad.
ministering to the United States army
and caring for the French army. In
charge of a canteen near the front.
DIR. Peirce served from 500 to 1900
cups of coffee or tea each morning be-
tween three and seven to French poll
us just returning. mud begrimed from
the front. Referring to these poilus as
the most polite and appreciative lot
of gentlemen he had ever known,
President Peirce said that 1t was in.
deed significant that the first Ameri-
can words they learn. are THANK
you"
TELLS OF VERDUN
The marvellous defenses possessed
by that historic fortress. Verdun,
were described Interestingly by DR..
Peirce while his references to small
towns round about Verdun, made one
look In awe upon the speaker. One
town. he said. was completely eradi-
Gated from the map and If he had not
been told to the contrary, he would
not have believed that there was ever
town there. Not only did the boches
demolish the town itself. stated Presi-
dent Peirce, but they even forced their
case of hopeless destruction on the
earth so that 1t looked like huge
swamp instead of a quiet French town.
In regard to the big German offens-
i've the latter part of March, DR.. Peirce
said that the allied military authori-
ties were desirous of gaining informa-
tion as to the number of men to be
used by the Germans and the point
from which the attack would start.
TAKE HUN PRISONERS
The one solution decided upon was
to get some real, live boches" and
find out from them their information
The 9Th company of the 147 regiment
was picked>to gather the boches in a
bunch and take a few by surprise
This company was trained intensely
for three weeks SO that each man
knew almost how many steps he was
to take and in which direction.
Finally, the night for the attack
came and exactly at midnightAthe bar
rage started 1t Is an intense, rapid
pounding, DR.. Peirce states. with no
semblance of regularity. AT the end
of half an hour, the barrage lifted and
the men went "over the top"
Capturing several machine guns. the
poilus advanced toward German dug.
out. When the German commander re.
fused to surrender the French issued
ten gallons of kerosene oil and incen.
diary bombs on the hapless boches.
The dugout became flaming furnace
and the poilus returned with their
prisoners. DR.. Peirce said that he
spent one whole day in the room
where the Germans were being aues
toned by French officers and that
they all told practically the same
story. They seemed to be eager to
answer all questions and were thor
oughly tired of warning"
DR.. Peirce entertained the 9Th Co
LAT Regiment the company that cap
tured the Germans. the following
night In his canteen and said that II
reminded him of talking over a foot
ball victory-all were so happy and
desirous of going after the boches
again. Supplementing these latter re
marks, President Peirce said that the
morale today was better than II has