Republican farmer., 1918-05-03
AMERICANS BAR PATH
TO PARIS Confident
OF HAL Ting GERMANS
OUR INFANTRY MOVED INTO POSITION
UNDER INTENSE ARTILLERY FIRE
WITH BANDS PLAYING AND MEN
MARCHING AS IF ON PARADE.

WALL ZIG AlICI1Cdu OIOOo LII
Northern France, Sunday, April
!28-(By thevAssociated Press)
American troops have tax
en-. up positions on the battle
front. Under the French high
command, in which all ranks
have supreme confidence, the
american forces face the en-
femy on~the line barring the
tGermans from Paris and
sAmiens, where they have been
for some days.
Announcement that American troops
had entered the Allied line in Picardy
war office last Wednesday night The
Germans that day attacked the Brit
ish. French and Americans along a
lengthy front from north of the
!Somme to below CaStel. Particularly
stubborn fighting occurred around
Hangard from which the French were
driven, but part of which they re-
gained Friday.
A Paris dispatch on Thursday an
nounced that more than 100 wounded
Americans had reached Paris hos
pitfalls from the battle front
The Americans on entering the
line, found their position in a rolling
terrain. The artillery was the first
he orlr ioI7t
which was made red by the continu-
Gus flashes off friendly and hostile
! guns. Under a fire that in some cases
was rather heavy, the American gun
ners took up the positions of the
Frenchb arteries and complete the
work of digging in.
When the infantry moved in the
firing was just as intense. In some
places our troops after passing
.througs villages were raked now and
then with shrapnel In several in
stances they found the trenches shall
low, while in other cases there were
no trenches at all. By this time the
positions have been improved greatly
and the shell holes have been con-
nected.
The American lines generally are
high ground is about evenly divided.
What the future holds for the
American forces is, of course, IN
lknown, but the Americans are conf
dent that under the efficient French
direction, though the tasks may be
ldifFNult, they will give a good &C
icount of themselves and strike the
fBoche a blow if opportunity offers.
6a hof this
,sector is not especially active in COM
sparison with others to the north,
though it is more active than those
that the Americans have previously
occupied. The artillery firing is heavy
and intermittent, the German shells
whizzing over the lines into towns in
certain rear areas.
There has not been a raid on either
side of the line for several days, but
lat night the patrols are active, Amer
Iicans approaching close to the enemy
lines. All during the night rapid ma
chine gun and rife fire indicate where
the American bullets are keeping out
enemy patrolling parties,
The march from the billet bases to
the line was very impressive. Many
units started off with the strains of
the Star Spangled Banner, played by
'regimental bands, in their ears.
At one place the tune must have
reached the German lines, so close
was the band, the gun flashes being
reflected on the Instruments The
constant roar of artillery was deafen
ing as the Americans marching as II
on parade, disappeared down the
roads past the American batteries
which were sending many shells into
the enemy lines.
The training period for the Amer
lean troops lasted a few days. afte
which they moved up to within sount
of the guns. There they rested Will
awaiting orders to go into battle, a
the same time giving the last touche
to their equipment Many an infan
tryman curled up in his blankets un
der the stars, the more lucky havin
beds of straw in houses or barns. Tn
officers fareI about the same. Al
appeared uamindful of their hard
ships.
During the whole movement tn
number Of men reporting sick ha
been extraordinarily small. Tn
doctors say that in many cases tn
men apparently put off making sue
reports because they feared the
r.l:gnt be sent to the hospital and los
their chance OF taking part in tn
great battle.
For a few days before the troop
went into the trenches the officer
= took energetic measures to suppress
false and vicious reports regarding tn
progress of the battle. The Amer
cans on this front believe now moth
inc 1irIcSs officially reDOrted.