The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-31
HUN SHELLS CUT
SHORT VISIT Of
CONCRESSMEN
Six Representatives View
Struggle Of U. S. Troops for
Possession of Sergy.
(By Associated Press)

WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
ON THE AISNE-MARNE FRONT, Ju-
ly 31.-Six wartired American con-
gressmen are on their way back to
Paris after having witnessed from
hillside on Monday the tussle for pos
session Of the town of Sergy, two and
one-half miles southeast Of the former
German base at Fere-en-Tardenois in
the scissors Rheims pocket.
The representatives saw American
infantrymen in action, witnessed the
firing of entente allied big guns, and
heard the rattle of German machine
guns and the crashing of the heavy
cannon Of the German crown prince.
The representatives probably would
have remained on the eminence longer
had not the German heavy shells be-
gun exploding overhead. That ended
the sightseeing trip in that vicinity,
one representative remarking that the
Germans could quit that sort OF bus
mess right then so far as he was
concerned.
First Fighting Seen :.
The representatives, who had visit
ed the Austro-Italian front, said their
observations on Monday showed to
them the first actual fighting worth
talking about. The party consisted OF
Representatives Thomas A. Chandler,
of oklahoma; M. Clyde Kelly, of Penn
sylvania; Louis C. Champion, OF Mich
igan; Thaddeus II. Caraway, OF Ar
kansas; John A. Elston, of California;
Joseph Thompson of Oklahoma, and
was conducted by Lieut.. Freeman
Light, of South Norwalk, Conn. The
representatives had luncheon on the
hillside of Chateau-Thierry amidst the
ruins of numerous fine homes, the lazy
Marne creeping along through a great
gap in what was Chateau-Thierry' S
finest bridge and now destroyed by the
Germans.
While they were sitting down to
basket luncheon a fashionably attired
woman from Paris came to the ruins
of her old home, where she found
group of American soldiers in posses
sion. The woman explained her mis-
sion in broken English. She went to
the basement, requested the aid of the
American soldiers and had a private
dig hole in in the basement at a
point indicated by her. The soldier
soon uncovered basket full of bonds,
securities and other valuables. Among
them were a lot of per cent 500
bonds of the defunct St. Louis, Okla
homa and Gulf Railroad. The woman
gave the soldier three bonds for his
trouble.
Visit Shattered Homes.
The representatives visited the shat
tered homes in Chateau-Thierry and
also the hillside dugouts formerly &C.
cupied by the Germans, gathering num-
erous souvenirs. They then proceeded
toward the battle field eventually
reaching the hill southeast Of Fere-en-
Tardenois.
When the Germans began replying
TO the allies fire in earnest. the con-
gressmen decided that it was about
time to adjourn, and they did so, leav-
ing behind the souvenirs they had
gathered at Chateau-Thierry. On their
way to the rear, however, they passed
through the forest of Fere, visiting ad-
ditional, former German dugouts and
camps and gathered up another as
sortment of rifles, helmets and various
articles, which they took back.
The congressman also visited field
hospital, having sen observation-disclosures
bringing in wounded men from the
field. They were satisfied that every
thing possible was being done for the
men on the front lines and for those
who fell during the fighting.