The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-05

"The individual feels very small In
the midst of all this majestic uproar
but at the same time he is tremen
dously thrilled and excited He is
driven by an irresistible urge to dc
something. He wants to help; to add
his mite Of strength to the cause OF
his comrades. He wishes to rush
ahead, right into the thickest part OF
the action.
Like a Great Game.
AT the moment he feels that he Is
a player in the most absorbing game
in the world. a game of fierce and
titanic dimensions. He does not fear
death; he does not even think of the
possibility of being hit. He knows
what his chances are, but for the
time he disregards his own danger.
when man is wounded. he
walks back to the dressing station If
he can. If he is too badly hurt, he
lies still until night, or crawls into
shell hole. Not many cry Que be.
cause of their wounds. When night
fall comes, the stretcher bearers go
out. Then cries for help may be
heard from the men lying about in the
grain fields or in shell holes"
There is not trace of yellow in the
American army, so they tell me, and
| believe it. Captain Burress of the
Twenty-third regular infantry regi-
ment told me of an incident which
illustrates the thorough gameness of
our men.
Brave and Modest.
1T was during heavy engage
he
times l was wearing a private's uni
form. On my way up to the front
line / met one of the boys in my
company, who did at the moment rec
ognize me. The lower part of his
left arm hung only by a thread, and
he held the wrist in his right hand,
hoping that something might be done
to save the arm. Say, Buddy he call
ed out to me, can you tell me where
the dressing station lisp I directed
him and then he recognized me.
He was full of contrition at having
called his captain Buddy, and start
ed to apologize. Think of the grit,
the gameness of lad hurt like that
who forgot his wound in showing that
he meant no disrespect!"
1t was ten weeks after the Argonne
battle that We passed over part of the
field where our men won deathless
glory by their willing advance against
and through obstacles that are beyond
the grasp of realization unless they
are seen. Having seen, shall carry
with me to my last day the feeling of
admiration for our men that was en-
gendered there. They have given us
new reasons to be humbly proud Of
sharing American citizenship with
them.
Late in September the allies began
their great movement to drive the Ger
mans out of France. They aimed to
push back the Germans as one would
close a door. The hinge was just
north of Verdun, and the outer edge
of the door touched the English chan
mel. To the Americans was assigned
the task of pushing on the sector near
est the hinge, and in doing this they
were expected to sweep through the
Argonne forest, a tangled wilderness
spread over precipitous hillsides and
in narrow, deep ravines.
Back in New York, a news editor
On one of the evening papers insisted
upon playing up the Argonne battle
during its progress. though at the time
It did not get credit for being very
remarkable campaign. When opposed.
he pounded his fist on the desk and
declared, Il tell you the war is being
won right there!"
He was right. This l say in full
knowledge OF all the wonderful ACHE
vements of our allies long before we
entered the war, as well as after. The
American army in the Argonne was
headed for Sedan, the chief railroad
center on the Germans southern line
Of communication. With communica-
ions cut, the German would have been
penned up in Belgium. The Ameri-
cans reached Sedan on the last day
If the war. The Germans knew when
% quit.