The daily morning oasis., 1919-01-05

can -kllleu Ill tndL SeCIlUu.
= Judge, you have read about ou
: boys "going over the top" hav'
gone over with them, and, sometimes
!, when more pressing duteies detain
: ed me at first aid station have
seen them go over. | would like tx
describe it to you, for it is grand
/ awe inspiring and awful; but I fee
that I am not able. However, l will
give you faint idea:
Generally the move or advance be-
gan with barrage fire lasting sew
eral hours; and as marched on
with our troops both at Chateau
Thierrys and in the Argonne Forest
II was as sone transported to another
world. Not hundreds, but, literally,
thousands Of cannon, of all calibres,
from the famous French 75's to the
American 14-inch naval guns, let go
toward the enemy trenches tons of
projectiles of all kinds, and all at the
same time. Guns insthe right and
guns, to the left; guns in front and
guns 'behind, with varying reports,
some thud like, and others fiercely
sharp..or heavy. In all directions
flashes of lightning shoot through
the air. One feels their giant breath,
now in one direction, and again in
another. It positively sounds as if
all hell itself had let loose.
Onward march the men with reso-
lutte step; to go over the top at day
break. AS they march in single file
they glance at one another over
their shoulders. Talking is out Of
the question, as one cannot hear for
the thunderous noise. Onward they
march, through the woods, along
trails, up hill, down hill, now and
then dodging barbed wire entangle-
ments that advance scouts have cut
for their passage. Each officer
knows exactly the spot where to
lead his men, and to arrive at cer-
tain minute Of a certain hour. = 4 4
And as they march ever onward,
with a slow, steady, resolute step,
the guns never tire Of splitting fire
and lead, until ones head aches and
ones ears split. Shelled out of their
trenches and dugouts by the fierce
artillery fire the enemy offer feeble
resistance, and send over a weak
barrage. The Yanks advance al
ways, cross No Mans Land cautious
ly and resolutely, enter the enemy's
domain and find they have decamp-
ed. American artillery is irresisti-
BILE. 1t is now a question of rushing
the fleeing enemy onwards, through
villages, fields, woods and up hills
Ithe execrable hills if they are wood
red, for they TEEN with machine gun
nests. But our boys go up, pushing
the boches along, and they go over
the top, over the crests of the hills
in spite of the barrage the enemy
throws over as a wall against their
onslaught.
The American is now seen at his
best: The thought of a reverse or
a defeat never crosses his mind.
Nothing preoccupies our soldiers but
l to get at the enemy and defeat him,
with that in quick time. He wants
Ito fight in. the open, man to man,
Isportsmanlike, and the trench war
4 fare seemed so un-American, that
when he springs into the breach
trench warfare is ipso facto thing
of the past.
Speaking Of fighting in the open
brings to my mind the work of the
tanks-our little tanks of the
French type, and the admirable
feats Of our gallant tank corps. II
/, is a magnificent sight to see two
or three scores of tanks start out
toward the enemy's lines in advance
OF the infantry about to attack.
Caterpillarlike they creep along
!, knowing no barriers, no obstacles,
their proud, dignified majestic SEM
f. blance inspiring our boys with just
as naucch confidence and faith as il
filled the boches with fear and dis
may