The Cordova daily times., 1918-10-01
MEETS |. s. TROOPS COMING
 FROM THEIR ''BAPTISM OF FIRE"
They Were Tired Dirty With Mud and Stains of Battle but Full of "Pep'-No Illusions Either as to Glory or Pageanty of War, or the End They Were Pursuing
 or the Price to Be Paid
other sectors of the front

persons on other sectors of the front. What matter? Heaven bless the nn- l ecdotal exchange which indicates a | common point of view between all the allies on the western front. Even by now, I stake my life, there are plenty of exclusive American war stories for men to tell in later days at the gathering together of Ameri- can branches of the veteran societies 1 of the great world war.
 | Of q sudden we drew up in the out skirts of village. In front of us. about hundred yards away, we saw double line of troops far as the ! eye could see, drawn up as If for in- ! spection by a little group of officers clustered round clearing on the right. Our cars came to stand-still by group of women dressed in nurses uniforms, who looked up with smile ns we alighted. l thought at first that they were French, but q second glance detected some rather extra trimness of costume, and In q minute we were in conversation with some bright American girls, taking a minutes rest after several long hours in the local casualty station.
 They amplified what our host, the colonel, had predicted and we learned that we were face to face with United States troops straight from the firing line. It appeared that they mad passed a stormy night in the trenches, been attacked. had beat en off attacks, suffered casualties, and been relieved when all was once more quiet.
 Straight From the Firing Line.
 It was moving instant when we passed into the presence of the troops and saw them straight from their bap- tism of fire. The commanding officer received us warmly, but begged us to go down among the men and make their acquaintance face to face. The men were very tired, dirty with the mud and stains of battle. but full of "pcp" and only anxious to get come back at the enemy. They said they got their mail regularly, and that the food was good.
 Secretary Baker seemed to have won laurelS on his tour in France. More than one man mentioned his visit as real visit from way back home, and an incident that made home nearer. One man sent a message of thanks to the New York Sun for cigarettes. Sev- oral gent their maSSopps tn ralntfyeS and friends. Very brave and uncom- planning were these men who had that morning stared death out of COunte- nance. Like other seasoned troops of other armies. they had no Illusions as to the glory or the pageantry of war: but they were men, too, with no illu- SionS as to the end they were pursuing or the price they were prepared to pay for 1t. That, I think, was the spirit that animated them within. Outward ly one only noticed their frendlinesS, their patience and their soldlerly ap- pearance.
 The "Medlatory Sacrifice"
 I walked back to our waiting motor with q Roman Catholic chaplain. The experience which 1 had just passed through made talk seem incOngruous, on my side at any rate, and we walked in silence. We passed the village church, n typical building of no inter est at all, with large notice announc- ing special masses, with an English sermon for the Catholic United States soldiers.
 Not very easy to put your feelings into words. is it?" said my companion. interpreting my thoughts. Tt Is only In very old language and In very old conceptions that we can find an equa- tion able to express at all what the world is going through, and what we see around us at the front"
 "You mean?' I answered, puzzled.
 "The world Is learning a new lesson as to the meaning of mediatory sac rifice,"
 Catholic or non-Cathollc. Christian or Freethinker. who Is there that will say him nay?