The Washington herald., 1918-04-25
Thank, for the Lesson.

the Berlin press over the '1ssSon" that the Huns
taught the Americans at Seichprey. Doubtless our
troops will be glad to go to the school and
80 through the same lesson many times again.
1t was an interesting and not improbable ex-
perience.
However, in the absence OF any official advices
from our own War Department upon which we
may depend, let us see what kind of "tripe" the
reptile press of Berlin is feeding to guible Ger
many about this event at Seichprey, the first con-
siderable engagement involving American troops.
The Berlin Tagebatt says that thanks to COM
plee preparation, the attack against the American
troops at Seichprey was a complete success After
effective preparation by the artillery and the trench
mortars, during which the Americans suffered
heavy losses, it continues the Germans stormed the
positions front of about mile and half,
and penetrated as lar mile and quarter in
some places.
"and the American dead strewn over the
field"
The fighting the village is said to have
been desperate, and brave troops annhilated
almost to the last" In the region OF Remiercs
Wood there a hand-to-hand combat and the
American losses particularly heavy at that
point
NnOther German paper says:
MANY Americans were killed by artillery FIRE
y,
bodies barricading the way OF the advancing Ger
troops, who had to drive the Americans from
houses gardens and cellars But even then Ameri-
cans continued to fight tenaciousy that they
nearly all killed.
In the Wood OF Remiercs nearby, similar
most sanguinary occurred Here, too, there
bitter fighting, against man, ior the
possession of some dugouts."
Another German journal concludes its account
H., IL. D.
small whereas the inexperienced American troops
suffered severe losses"
That is the German legend OF this engagement.
Where is the American rebuttal? We have a few
driblets OF news, enough to that the COM
bat instead Of being defeat, was in reality an
American victory. But that is all
For some inexplicable reason the American pco-
pie denied official and authoritative news about
the conduct of their armies in this war. A
clumsy and absurd situation could not be
imagined. OF course, it not to the War De-
partment to which Mr. Frank B. Noyes was re-
ierTng when he said, recently, that duties vital
have been entrusted to hands governed by
stupid malcvolence that in other times would meet
with swift reckoning" but inclined to be-
lieve that the stupidity to which Inc refers might
be inclusive ol certain features OF the army
ship, ii the malevolence which he added TO
his Indictment might not be.
we nave an American Otncial statement OF not
than 80 words about the engagement north
OF Tou" but it lacks candor and dchnitencss
There is genuine official communQue the
subject Of the fight We the only nation in
the world which denies its people adequate
frank and truthful accounts of the activities the
front, and the present situation is so anomalous
that the people at large hardly know what to think
about it, They do know however, that it has given
enemy propaganda a golden opportunity OF which
it has not been slow to take advantage, as anyone
who is at all conversant with the barometer of
opinion and information in certain outlying sections
OF the country knows
Gen Pershing is 5000 miles away from Wash
ington and his eyes pointed towards No Mans
Land, rather than towards home He has
been particularly effective in his handling OF
soTship questions. Yet the War Department pun
dts have vested him with absolute authority and
will not say boo" about even the most trivial
and routine things concerning the fighting in
France unless specific authorization comes from
him.
So we are compelled to rely on Berlin for news,
even If II Is garbled. German fiction from the days
Of Goethe and Schiller always has been trifle
heavy and soggy, however, and we doubt if Ger
accounts of engagements the American
front will afford much really entertaining light
summer reading after the first few installments
are in.