The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-19

TREACHERY SUSPECTED
Proposal for EvncuAtaon Cnuses Many
Snailce Among Men Who Have Been
Enforcing Involuntary Departure
Of Invaders.
BY DAMON RUNYoN.


few minutes OF the last quarter OF a
football Kame, when our side has only
ten yards to gain and they blow the
whistle for time.
This is the way one American SOL
dier commented today on Germany
acceptance OF President Wilson's
peace conditions. The. soldier is a
former Harvard football player He
was standing in the muddy road read
ing a damp newspaper, with the rain
drops trickling from his steel helmet.
He spoke quite dispassionateiy
Yes, or in the last round. when
4 guy 10 on the floor, being counted
out" said another. who did not 60
to Harvard. He was just as dispas-
6ionate.
All along the roads leading to the
front soldiers could be seen standing
in the doorways Of wet billets looking
at the papers fresh from Paris car
rylng news. Some had papers print
ed in English and were reading aloud
Others were trying to road French
papers. Some of them were excited
and cheering. but most OF them seem
ed to take 1t AS matter OF course
For days the American soldiers
have apparently felt that peace WAS
not far away They considered the
capitulation Of Germany inevitable. so
the naturalization OF the fact---if 1t
Is a fact-does not appear to surprise
them much.
"Jerry's logging it, is the way a
-hi& -infantryman- EXPRESSED u when
the news OF the first German offer
reached the front line. Jerry be-
ing the soldier name for the enemy.
Much speculation has been INDUCED
In hs the soldiers a. to whether Ger
many is up to some new treachery.
Is proposal to evacuate this particu-
lar part of France IL being comment
ed on sarcastically by the douGhboys
in view OF the enforced evacuation
that has been going on during the
past week or SO.
Tn on the front line the men read
their papers huddled in dripping dug
outs. with German shells sttil break
ing around them. Under such condi-
tons, q man has a better perspec-
tive OF war than some OF the men
sitting at the fireside In carpet slip
pers. Under such conditions man
II not apt to be as bloodthirsty an the
''hresidcrs.'
II was probably dif,cuit for the
men in the trenches to reconcile the
peace talk in the papers with their
surroundings. 1t is still all war up
there.
Further back, behind the lines. the
soldiers are already specializing on
hcw long II will take to get them
home after peace really comes. ana
what they will do after they get
there, Even while they engage In
such speculation they are busy load
inr munitions and other supplies for
the front or making ready to 90 there
Tnere Il ne cessation Of the long
transports chnrning up the roads lead
ing 70 the cannon. although the
drivers gossip Of their future plans
- they 80. The infantry still moves
forward, afoot and in motor lorries
The men may he commenting on the
pYosDect Of peace rs they shunle
y al0uxs The rasdss are bending under
The dripping packs but they push on
70 the trenches.
In the little French towns, women
laugh and chatter over the'news. be-
cause II means that their menfolks
viii come back to them. They VIII
resume the tilling Of the field and go
tnr about peaceful pursuits. fearless
OF shell fire and bombs. But they
are not oversanguine. They have
been disappointed before. They listen
eagerly to the American soldiers ex-
plantations of the situation.
The wonderful French soldiers. who
are also still showing steadily along
ON their front. beam when Ia park
an no other soldier in the history or
The world have seen II, and they have
remained steadfast throughout 1t for
four years. They are pleased over the
possibility OF peace. but chiefly be-
cause II IL peace with victory.
Probably the most delighted men
ia France are the German prisonerv.
Patches OF them In the dull-gray uni
forms which seemed unusually dull
afnu
here and there along the roads. herd
ed by American and French guards.
They had no hesitancy in saying they
we're glad that the end seems IN sight.
One OF them. In bunch taken by
the Americans. once tended bar In
saloon on Ninth avenue. New York.
He 10 going back there AZ soon ~ he
eets his liberty.
One thing Ia certain in the minds
Of aIl-that 1t Is complete triumph
OF the allies and Americans over the
Germans.
The first thought that strikes the
mind OF the average American here
Who has seen the ruined towns and
the devastated countrywide In that the
Germans are getting on only too easy
II their own land escapes retribution.
burning towns up at the front az they
retreat. but they already have done
- much in that line that no last
minute sparing by their inhuman hand
can ever repay. Civilians are re-en-
tering lawns almost - fast ~ they arc
evacuated. They Hive IN the ruins OF
their former homes until they can get
something better.
-nuy Liberty BsnAs-
How Singing speeds work.
According to Peter DykouSa, Of the
~