Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-27
Newspapers"
of "Over There"
BY Frederic ]. IiAakin

HHe iHtIJfd Inv itah WI illf
first cot up against his pillows and handed
him newspaper. He stared at il for a
minute; then the doloful expression
disappeared from his face and was re-
placed by n broad Yankee grin. He
turned his head toward the man in the
next cot, and IN somewhat feeble
voice began 10 read
Marie Dreasler IL dead In green
French meadow she knew and loved,
where the poppies lift their scarlet heads
To the sun. and where, az the afternoons
wane, a friendly wood stretches forth
grateful shade all that was mortal of her
| has been laid away.
This Marie Drcssler, il should he ex-
| planned at about this point, was not the
large and amiahlc actress Of that name
hut an equally large and amiabe COW.
This row, the artlc'e went on 10 explain
| bad lived an eventful life Left behind
| hy refugees. she had been promptly
| captured by a certain American battery
| and used as the trench dairy. Then.
during a lull in the fighting, che had dis-
| appeared \ search was immediately
instituted and she found tied to a post
near the barricade of anothar battery,
| cieverly concealed by camouhage busll
| She was recaptured by the frat battery
/ and led back IN triumph ~ q dugnut
| that had Just been made fur her but was
| killed by an enemy shell just before she
reached its shelter.
''rHE STARS AND srRipEs.
Tho newspaper from which tho wounded
| man read this pathetic etnrv was
Tho Stars and Stripca. the official
organ Of the American Expeditionary
Foreea one of tho hest newspapers that
has ever been put into print Il contains
| four large pages of news. feature articles
comics. cartoons and Advertisements
| that compare more than favorahly with
| those of the metropolitan dailies
| There IS one preat difference however
/ There IL very little war news Of more
| serious nature than the above incident
| over here we are much more familiar
| with the general progress of the war than
| II tho private IN Frame. who ia actually
! lighting Il While We are interested in tho
| international aarpcta nf tho war. the
| tnerieau soldier is intensely interested
~ itq personal phas a. and il # about the
| latter that. he likes ~ read
The Stars and Strips ~ Is often
| stated N - editorials is dedicated ~ tho
| private FROM the beginning Il has had
| a tremendous circulation which has
recently bad r. he cut down on account
Of the scarcity of white parer II is now
| limited to ono man IN every three or.
| iu other words. a. ono third ~ a regiment
| Rut special weekly edition i now
| distributed free of charge among tho base
| hoapltale ono paper bring taaiird ~ rvery
+, three hospital beds Here II has greatly
| hghtened tho load of the nurses. for It's
! Giippancy and ite hurnor are contagious.
| and the whole atmosphere of the hospital
| becomes healthier after the arrival o.,
The papers
WHATS notNe ~ uoNF.
The front page ~ the paper always
| contains news from home and the third
| page always prints faithful record ~
| he latest American sporting events
! Thus. while civilians on this side of the
| Atlantic arc discussing the war with
| gloomy forcboding or with anctlmon'ous
! optimism according ~ their dispositions
! the American soldier in Frame is arglI-
lng the merits ~ Henry Ford as athe
+, United States senator the justice ~
now regulations concerning the income
| tax. The alccres of the new wheat crop
/ and the difficulties the new draft will
evoke for The national hasehall league
i Aiso I'm item datelned America and
7 printed IN - recent number OF The stars
/ and stripes produced more animated
/ eliqriisslon than anv event that mas
/ hppprned IN the late drive.
This item stated that experts of the
/ Metropolitan Museum. who had made
n complete study uf ancient armOr.
/ reported that modern tin lizzie suits
might he effective IN preserving the lives
! of soldiers The stvle book, says the
article. IS not vet out, 30 we cannot tell
/ YOU Just what manner Of steel coats and
! pants you NAV ultimately wear Perhaps
! vuur uniforms IN tho future will be
! t9lored by the I : Steel Company or
| the Ford Factory, and instead Of washing
! your underwear YOU will merely oh It
! to prevent rust.
Another portion of '"Ihe stars and
| Stripes" which is extremely popular with
! It's subscribers IS the information column
| which gives advice on various forms of
t etiquette american masculimty has
/ always maintained n high regard for
correct social usage, and only occasionally
does some reckless person attempt to
introduce an innovation, and then It Is
promptly froWued upon
CENSORSHIP HEEDED.
Thus the private who wrote the
following communication TO "The Stars
and Stripes was at once discouraged
by the editor
Il want to write to young lady IN
the United States he said, "and want
to know If 1t Is better to use the military
form, like this
From: VIM Hunter. Private
To: Miss Katie Cullen.
Subject: Regards
l. Attention ~ called to the fact that
since my arrival III France my feelings
have underwent no change | am still
yours
> Answer. by Endorsement, at once,
II my photo is still on your bureau.
, | hope George Goldfish IS drafted .
The Stars and Stripes is not the only
newspaper published by the American
forces in France Several unofficial
publications, put out hurriedly in
typewritten form or by crude printing
apparatus are being circulated in the
front lines. according TO soldiers who
have returned 10 America So great
indeed. is the desire of the American
to dabhle in print, that small news
papers are even gotten out on the
transports going across One Of these,
copy of which has just been received
by Mrs Wilkes of the Woman's Co
m lit of the Council Of National De
fense, from br tn who Ger tly saI.-
Cd an American transport, IS called
The Sea Serpent
ULrRAMARINE HUMoR.
Il consists of one whole page describ-
ing an entirely imaginary battle which
took place between the transport aud a
SQUADRON of [ boats, and few pages OF