Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-11-20

SpIudiy L IL tlieSt SHIPS went 10 anu
from Falmouth and followed a pre-
scribed course going and returning If
the steamers were painted in spDci-
fled way and carried specified flags;
If one steamer a week each way were
sailed. and if the United States govern
ment guaranteed that no contFabAnd
was carried.
The immediate answer of the United
States was given February 3-the sew
eranee of diplomatic relations with
Germany. April the president signed
a joint resolution Of the two houses
of congress declaring state of war
TO exist with Germany. In quick suc-
cession came the selective service act
for the raising of an army; a war
appropriation OF S3.000,OO0O00: the
sending of an expeditionary force of
regulars to France under General
Pershing; the registration of nearly
100000 men for military service
the closing of the tirst Liberty loan
with large overSubscription; the
drafting of the state militia into the
federal service. October % formal ar
nouncement was made that American
troops in France had fred their irst
shot in war.
Nevertheless. the spring of 1915 saw
three huge drives on Paris by the Ger
mans. BY June ! the Germans were
within &c miles of the French capital,
in Chateau-Thierry. Unless they were
speedily stopped Paris would be under
their guns. The plan of the French
was to delay them as long as possible
by rear-guard actions until reserves
could be brought up,
Yankees Stop Huns.
And then took place the thing
which all good Americans were prayer
fully expecting; American soldiers
got into action in American fashion,
under American leadership. with
American artillery and machine guns.
The French commander sent to
Chateau-Thierry an American division
made up of marines and of infantry
from the middle West June the
leathernecks and doughboys moved
into support positions back of season
ed French troops. The French were
forced back and filtered through the
Americans; the support positions soon
became the front.
June /. about five O'Clock I'm the aft
ernoon, the Germans attacked in force
through a wheat field, In platoon col
umns. in perfect order, supremely con-
fident The Americans raked them
with shrapnel and machine guns. Then
they opened with rife fire. Cool, I'M
hurried, they picked their shots as II
at target practice Military experts
will tell you that the American ma
rines are the most effective lighting
men in all the armies of the world GER
tainly they have no equals With the
rifle.
The Germans wavered, then came
on again. Twice more they stopped;
twice more advanced. Then they broke.
Flesh and blood could not stand that
rifle fire. They crawled Off through the
standing grain. The Americans sent
bullets wherever the wheat stirred.
That was the end.
Days and nights of heavy lombard
ment followed. Sleep was impossible.
The Americans lived on monkey
meat" bread and water Then they
went on and took the town of Boures-
ches, cleaning out the nests of machine
gunners with rifle fire, bayonet and
grenade,
What They Have They Hold.
Next they took the Bots de Belleau.
1t was D jungle. II was every man for
himself. Indian fashion. from tree TO
tree, from rock to rock. The battal-
ion of Ieathernecks which took the
wood went in with 95S men and &c
officers. They came out with $40 men
and seven officers. But they took
the wood. Then they dug themselves
in and fought off counter-attacks for
five days until relieved. constantly
shelled and gassed, not one hot meal
all that time. What the leathernecks
have they hold.
This one division used up five crack
divisions of the Germans.
There are those among the allies
who say that the Americans at Cha
teau-Thierry saved Paris. just as the
Canadians saved Calais. When the
military history of the Great War is
written Chateau-Thierry is likely TO
be called the turning point of the
struggle. For its moral force was he
yond estimate. / put new heart into
the war-worn French and British. All
France famed with joy. The Ameri-
cans ha dstopped the Hun. had driven
him back, had beaten him Off. And
thousands upon thousands Of just such
Americans were in plain sight pushing
to the front
General FOch in supreme command
of the allies on the western front, soon
afterward launched the allied offensive
and victO-y followed victory all along
the fighting line Of $50 miles from the
North sea to Verdun. II was the be-
ginning of the end.
BY early October the Hun was beat |
on to his knees and asking for peace. |
October 81 the Italians utterly routed |
the Austrians. The same day Turkey |
surrendered. November 3 Austria
signed an armlstice virtually amount
ing to unconditional surrender. No /
vember 9 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated |
and Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm |
the throne. both fleeing to
Holland 10 escape people In revolu
ton.
So the mad ambition Of Emperor