The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-08

bore out the fact that they did belong
to the German regiment with the same
numerical distinction as ours"
Took Many Prisoners.
The 35srd helped the division take
IS German officers and 2,209 men
prisoner in the st. Mihiel sector and
ia officers and 1850 men in the
official reports. The effectiveness of
the work of the Funston division is
shown by the amount of material cap
tured, which included ~ cannon, 10
minenwerfers, s5 machine guns and
1000 rifles in the ST. Mihie1 and AZ
pieces of light artillery. ~ pieces of
heavy artillery, 1 anti-aircraft gun, s
minenwerfers, one-pounders, $50
machine guns and 400 rifles in the
Argonne. The official casualties of the
division are give as $50 officers and
$500 men.
AS a part of the Third army of oc-
cupation the 353rd is now in the ira
vail of counteracting German propa-
ganda. And this is a hard thing to
do for the men because they are hav-
ing life of ease now compared to
that Of battle. Those who come down
from Germany say that the Germans
just can't do enough for the Ameri-
cans. When the 353rd entered Ger
many it was billeted in a small viii
lage and every day when the men
came from their hike they would be
met at their billets by the lady Of the
house with hot coffee. tea and steam
Ing yellow waffles. For a while the
men enjoyed these privileges but the
insidious working of the propaganda
scheme to get the AmericanS to have
sympathy with the Germans was nip
ped by a general order from general
headquarters of the American expe-
dictionary forces which put the ban on
accepting German food or fraterniz-
ing with the people. There is nothing
an American likes better than good
treatment and the Germans knew this.
so they set about to make everything
pleasant in order to gain in the fu-
ture,- but 1t does not take long for the
men to get the old perspective when
they think of the manner of fighting
Of the boche.
Sleeping in Hun Beds.
Every man of the Kansas regiment
now, the lieutenant told me. In early
February the regiment was occupying
! sector Near Prum. about sixty kilo-
meters from Coblenz.
The old system still exists in Ger
many, the Kansans say, and as an ex-
ample they tell of coming into a viii
lage one day and finding a man with
gun after the commander of the
Americans had told the burgomaster
that all arms should be turned in.
master said that he would have the
town criers out and that any one
found with arms by the next noon
would be taken out and shot, Well,
the Germans brought in everything
that looked like a gun. old flintlocks
that had not been fired for fifty years
and dueling pistols of medieval days.
The German people cannot under
stand the attitude of the American
army, especially the relations between
officers and men. They stare in
Amusement when a man walks up to
an officer to ask about something.
They say: "If we didn't know how
you fought we would never believe an
army possible with such discipline as
you have" The boche cannot con-
ceive of any system working except
the whip-lash discipline of their army.
Prices in Germany are very reason
able, the Kansans say, and that every
thing is plentiful except white bread
| and soap. There is a marked con-
| trast between the prices in France
and those in Germany. which is also
part of the propaganda. The word
went out in the occupied territory
| that the Americans should not be
| held up" and they are not.
The men are paid in French money
one month and in German the next so
they have plenty of specie to have a
( good time with.