The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-21
st. Mihiel Victory Only Whet-
ted Their Appetites.
All the Doughboys Talk Is,
"Let's Go, Let's Co."
BOYS FIND GERMAN USEFUL
knowledge of Language Big
Advantage at Front.
One Bunch of Yanks Captures
Whole German Band.

With the Americans on the Metz
'front.' Sept. 20.-The doughboys are
lstraining the leash.
The units which wiped out the st.
Mihiel salient are impatient to push
on. Their accomplishments to date
have only whetted their appetites and
the newest recruits and oldest veterans
alike figure that chasing boches is the
greatest sport in the world
I They are full of pep now. more
than ever" said an officer. They beg
US constantly to let them push on into
Germany. About all we hear from
them now is let's go; let's co."
The Germans are still feverishly dig
ging in while our artillery continually
hampers their efforts to improve their
trenches and entanglements.
Accounts of spectacular deeds filter
back to headquarters. A certain bat
terry had a gun put out of commission.
The gunners Immediately took charge
of a captured gun of medium caliber.
well supplied with ammunition. They
had little trouble in understanding the
range-finder as they discovered a Ger
man range table book, which was
promptly translated by German
American members of the battery.
knowledge of German Useful.
The doughboys are finding that
knowledge of the German language is
useful up in France.
I saw a German library which had
been hastily abandoned. German
speaking Americans were browsing
were reading translation of Shakes
peare in German.
ct never knew Shakespeare wrote so
well, until I stumbled into this Ii
brary," said one.
Cut Live Wire.
An officer who was patrolling along
the German line with fifteen men dis
covered an electrified wire which pre-
vented further progress. He returned
the next night. bringing portable
stile with which to get over the wire.
1t was a rainy night and the Ameri-
cans discovered that the current had
been shut off. They promptly cut
the wires.
Talked German to Sentry.
Several Americans advancing up a
communication trench were cha1-
lenged bv a sentry. A doughboy who
spoke German talked with the sentry.
gradually edging closer. Then he
jumped the boche., They continued
and met another sentry. He dived
into a dugout. The Americans bat
tered down the door, capturing, the
sentry and three other Germans. The
patrol returned with its prisoners and
important papers.
Not Shot Fired.
Because 1t was getting daylight, 1t
was little dangerous to continue on
into Germany" it was explained. Not
a single shot was fired during the
whole operation.
Just before the attack began one
general called on eleven Salvation
Army doughnut makers and four Y.
w. c. A. women to organize auxili-
airy hospital units The girls. working
directly behind the lines. followed -he
infantry forward and moved up past
Montsec, giving the wounded first aid.
Captured Regimental Band
One American outfit captured an en-
tire German regimenta1 band. They
made it march back playing the
French war song, THE Matelet''
("Mess Mates''0. When they finally
turned the boches over to the prison
chief they demanded a receipt for
lone Saengerbund complete"
Infantry returning from the front
lines present grotesque sight. They
wear German helmets. stove pipe hats
and iron crosses and carry German
revolvers and field glasses.