Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-21
HAVE SPIRIT LACKING
IN KA|SER'S TROOPS
Germans in for a Rude AWak-
ening in Discounting u. S.
Boys in France.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
BEHIND THE BRITISH LINES IN
FRANCE, March 1.-the Germans are
in for a rude awakening If they are
sincere in discounting the American
Army in France. in the opinion of F. NJ
Cutlack, assistant official correspondent
with the Australian imperial force
here.
THE Americans" he asserted, have a
spirit for which the kaiser would sac
rifice a good half of his numbers if he
could get it into his troops today" Re
turning from a visit to the American
forces, Mr.. Cutlack wrote:
THE dominant fact in the arrival of
the United States Army is the huge
bigness of it. 1t is new-new; as paint
and keen as a race horse in train
ins-or rather, whole paddockful of
race horses. The world will probably
not have the chance again of seeing
such a spectacle of amateur warlike
earnestness, for the Americans are
learning very fast.
Likened to Australians.
TT saw something of the same sort
when the Australian war army began
long ago IN 1914-the same light-heart-
ed enthusiasm, tho same rich, raw quail
ity all unframed and inexperienced
the same outpourtng of the very best of
a whole country in an emotion of ma
tional pride, counting neither cost nor
returns. The Americans are not SOL
diers yet, and no people realize better
than themselves how much they have
still to do to make themselves soldiers,
but they will be a great and powerful
Army in probably shorter time than
they reckon upon
Great armies have before this been
raised for great causes, and the British
empire has the best of reasons for
knowing how with the vital spark in
him the most unmilitary civilian may
become a fine soldier. But no army
you can read of in history ever marched
with a more splendid ardor or faced a
great struggle with serener satisfac-
ton than the American expeditionary
force in France. And 1t is such a
mighty Army. They will not tell you
how big, and you are discouraged from
guessing, but we ran through all a
spring day in huge automobile, and
still the American host dotted the land
scape. drilling, marching, maneuvering
building camps and roads.
Learning From Best Soldiers.
They are learning the art of fighting
from the best soldiers of France anG
Britain, and many of their officers as
seen lot of this war from the German
and Turkish side as well. We found g
major who had watched the Gal1ipol
campaign from the top of BattleshiI
hill and was in the confidence of Limar
Won Sanders and the Turkish pashas
He has, therefore, particularly warn
| regard for the Australians.
We went up to see the American line
in Lorraine. In their khaki and round
tin hats among the Lorraine hills they
look and act very much like our owr
! men: indeed. they might be our owr
fellows. They have the same sturdy
self-reliant look. They spread them.
selves over country in the fashion OF
men accustomed to vast spaces. They
walk with the same easy, free-limbet
carriage. Their discipline. like ours, i.
a thing which force could never i'm
pose or maintain. but is rather con.
tributed voluntarily to a common goot
I'M violation of temperament and up.
! bringing.
Against these men, as against tn,
| men Of the British empire, the German:
| nave no chance"