The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-04-05
AMERICANS ON
BATTLE FRONT
France Accepts General Perish.
Ing's Offer.
ON PLAINS OF PlcARDY
khaki-cIad Americans Singing, March
Through Driving Rain And Wade
Through Deep Mud, In Order To
Get Into Position For Great Battle.

| SVk iuAO TOSthtOU " W SAtCds S0eet~s
| American Army in France.-All the
American troops have been turned
over to the Allies for such use as they
see fit to make of them. American
troops may soon be fighting side by
side with their British and French
allies in the battle which is raging in
Northern France.
| 1t is enough to say that gerat ac-
tivity of many sorts is in progress in
the entire American zone. Miles OF
motor trucks loaded with ammunition
have passed through the towns, some
| going in one direction, some in an
other. Through a driving rain the
motor trucks plowed their way along
muddy roads, the Americans singing.
Many of the trucks had American
flags fastened to their tailboards.
| On other roads mile after mile of
marching Americans splashed through
the mud, which came over their
| ankles. The horses were steaming
from the work they had to do. All
| the men are working as hard as pos
| sible, with the realization that they
are to be of service in the common
| cause and used in the present con-
| fict
Every man is thrilled to the core
| by General Pershing's offer.
They show the results of their train
! ing in their whole conduct, even in
! the salute when staff cars passed. The
training is now over. The beginning
| of the real thing is at hand. The
troops are glad to get into action,
particularly in this crucial period.
News reaching here is to the effect
| that the French and British have
definitely stopped the enemy. This
is indicated even by the communiQue
| from Berlin.
The news was received with the
intentest joy by the Americans, who
now feel sure that they will be in the
thick of it when the tables are turned
| on the foe.
Baker Approves Action.
Secretary of War Baker gave news
papermen, calling on him at General
| Pershing's residence, the following
statement:
II am delighted over the prompt
| and effective action taken by Gen
eral Pershing in placing all Amer
| lean troops at the disposal of the
Allies. In the present situation,
his action will meet hearty ap-
prevail in the United States, where
the people desire the Expeditions
| airy Force to be of the utmost
service to the common cause.
Il visited practically all the
American troops in France, some
| of them quite recently, and had
an opportunity to see the en-
thusiasm with which officers and
| men received the announcement
| that they may be used in the pres
ent conflict The regiments broke
spontaneously into cheer when
they were appraised of it."
Secretary Baker said he did not see
the American railway engineer on the
| British front
May Be Open Warfare.
The news that the German drive
has been definitely stopped, which
even the Berlin communique prac-
| tically admits, was received with the
greatest enthusiasm by the American
| troops, who had become somewhat
pessimistic temporarily
Everywhere it is realized that time
means much more to the Allies than
it does to the enemy. If worst comes
to worst, many Americans otherwise
regarded as unfit for the trenches be-
cause of lack of lengthy training could
be thrown into the struggle, especial
ly if the war became a campaign of
movement instead of the old station
airy tactics of intrenched positions
In open war the training in trench
warfare would not count so heavily
and the troops of lesser training might
be thrown in line.