Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-28
SHRAPNEL.
Sidelights on the War

Tens Of Thousands Of young Ameri-
can soldiers are experiencing for the
first time tho sensation Of airing their
nrst shot at . human being with In
tent to kin. Just what this means
is indicated BY q British soldier. who,
in describing his experiences on 60
ing into the fray. said:
81 expect that every infantry SOL
der remembers the circumstances in
which he fred his first shot at the
enemy. To me it was a momentous
occasion; had trained and lived.
marched and dug, for q twelvemonth
with the one object of getting fit to
take my place in the trenches. but
had not done anything up till then
which actually endangered the life OF
a German. But with my hrst shot
all that was changed; was an enemy
to be reckoned with. and in return
Of taking the life of a Hun.
my first shot was fred on De-
Gambler night in 1915. How carefully
1 charged the magazine OF my flne.
and transferred one round to the
self on the firestep and rested my
rifle on a wet sandbag, taking cafeiul
aim at a spot where reekoned the
German paFapet would bel had not
seen it up to then, for it was my hrst
night in the trenches. How LOUD the
report sounded to me when at length
l pulled the trigger, in the silence
which is nowhere more profound than
at night in the trenches in the IN
tervals of firing. And the hash
seemed sufficient to indicate my ex-
act position to the enemy, though ne
M oV60 q
"Of course nothing would suit nae
after that but that must fire away
nine more rounds straight on the
reel, until . stream OF maehane~eon
bullets playing along eur parapet
showed that I had drawn the atten-
ton Of some vigilant sentry to my
efforts to annihilate the German
army"
Ground sheets oftenttmes are used
by soldiers as tents
The American can be led, but he
cannot be driven. This In the conclu-
sion Of British soldiers and others
of allied nations who participated IN
the recent liberty bond campaign. IN
Europe speakers at bond rallies may
succeed in intimidating by fiouting
those who fail to buy. Rather than
helping the cause in the Un1teo
states. this hindered. say some speak
ers. In other words the average
American likes to be either coaxed
or permitted to believe that his &C
ton is his own, not even suggested,
and certainly not dictated.
British country folk are looking for
omens indicating the end of the war:
One has been found which is deemed
a sure sign of victory in the present
struggle. Concerning it one British
journal prints the following:
1t is a far cry to the year 1856, but
it lives in the memory of some as the
last year Of the Crimean war. In the
previous summer, that Of 1855, the
corn bore a curious mark; capital
'.B' impressed on the green blade as
though by q seal OF signet ring.
Great excitement has been caused
in a certain northern county by the
temperance of this strange mark
for the first time since the before
mentioned date, especially as in some
districts the barley has a ''V'' instead
predict British victory. OF course,
we all know that when victory comes
it will be more than merely British,
but worldwide and world-beneficent.
"But, nevertheless" writes CORE
spondent. 'the sign leads US to feel
more assured of peace than perhaps
we were before; that is, as far as the
superstitious are concerned"
Unfortunately. the mark disappears
as the blade of corn withers or dries,
SO that specimens cannot be sent far,
but the writer has found the mark
frequently and widely spread. and
has an actual speciment with a well
marked capital 'sB' lying on the desk
at the moment of writing.
Rain or shine. Field Marshal Haig
takes a horseback ride daily.