The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-08-09
'CONGRESSMEN SEE
AMERICANS FIGHT
Thrilled BY Our Brave Boys
Pluck at Sergy
NOT FAR FROM FIRING LINE
Would Remain Longer Than They Did
But For German Shells Bursting
Over Their Heads - Visited
Austro-ltalian Front.

American Forces on the Aisne-
Marne Front.-Six war-tired American
Congressman are on their way back
to Paris after having witnessed from
a hillside the tussle for possession OF
the town of Sergy, two and a half
miles southeast of the former German
base at En-Tardenois, in the Sois-
sons-Rheims pocket.
The Congressman saw American in
fantrymen 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 Congressman 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 Congressman remarking that the
Germans could quit that sort of bust
ness right then so far as he was con-
cerned.
The Congressman who had visited
Austro-Italian front said their
observations showed to them the first
actual fighting worth talking about.
The party was conducted by Lieuten-
ant Freeman Light, of South Norwalk.
CT, and it consisted of Representa-
tives Thomas A. Chadler, OF Okla
homa; M. Clyde Kelly, of Pennsyl-
vania; Louis C. Cramton, of Michigan;
,Thaddeus H. Caraway, of Arkansas;
John A. Elston, of California, and
Joseph Thompson, of Oklahoma.
The Congressman had luncheon on
the hillside of Chateau Thierry
amidst the ruins of numerous fine
homes, the lazy Marine creeping along
through a great gap in what was
Chateau Thierry's finest bridge and
now destroyed by the Germans.
While the Congressman were sit
ting down to a basket luncheon
fashionably attired woman from
Paris came to the ruins of her OLD
home where she found group OF
American soldiers in possession. The
woman explained her mission in
broken English. She went to the
basement, requested the aid of the
American soldiers, and had a private
dig a hole in the basement at a
point indicated by her. The soldier
soon uncovered a basket full of
bonds, securities, and other valuables.
Among them were lot of FIVE per
cent gold $1GO bonds of the defunct
St. Louis, Oklahoma and Gulf Rail-
road. The woman gave the soldier
three bonds for his troubles.
The Congressman visited the shat.
tered houses in Chateau Thierry and
also the hillside dug outs formerly
occupied by the Germans, gathering
numerous souvenirs. They then pro.
ceeded toward the battlefield, event
ually 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 did so, leaving
behind the souvenirs they had gath
cred at Chateau Thierry. On their
way to the rear however, they passed
through the forest of Fere, visiting
additional former German dugouts and
camps and gathered up another assert
ment of rifles, helmets and various
articles, which they took back.
The congressman also visited field
hospital, having seen stretcher-bearers
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 in the fighting.