davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-03-30
Hottest of All
Corners

For twenty-five days-the longest
time, it is said, that ary division has
served in the front lines without even
a few days rest-the 82d fought
through the Forest Of the Argonne as
it had never fought before The di-
vision lost $500 men in killed, wound
ed and missing 1t suffered from bull
lets, it suffered from hunger, it suf-
fered from cold, it suffered from shells
and gas and machine guns and all the
horrors the Hun could bring to bear
1t was, for fact, almost wiped out.
Yet it captured, in turn, 845 prisoners,
sixteen cannon, 121 machine guns,
many minenwerfers and large quanti-
ties Of stores. 1t cleared the Argonne
of the Boche that blocked it's path, it
slew them wholesale, it broke the fa-
nous kriemhild- -Stellung line and,
when it was finally relieved, it finished
the war with enough glory to last all
days.
With the German driven out of this
section of France and deprived in large
part Of his captured territory; with
the famous Kriemhild- -Stellung line,
his heaviest bulwark in that section Of
Y the Western front. broken, and 81 path
way opened for drive through Lux
eniburg, there was brave hope and in
very truth splendid chance that the
movement might cuminate IN 80 pre-
t.,a.s .ata af ttaa
through Belgium back into Germany
that, If his army was not indeed capt.
ured, his hasty return to his own ter
ritory, where he could be held at bay,
would be inevitable
This was the grand scheme of the AL
lies on the eve of the drive through the
Argonne Forest. 1t was a formidable
F undertaking. Every device of the Hun
commanders, supplemented by the natu-
raj defences of the forest, had been ex-
erted to make it impregnable. 1t is one
of the most dense forests of all Eu-
: rope. And, in addition to this blanket
ing of heavy woods, hills and deep ra-
vines intersect the forest at frequent in
tervals, and these latter, at the season of
( the year when the drive was launched,
were deep with mud from the heavy
autumn rains. Supplementing these
natural defences, barbed wire barricades
twenty feet high had been erected by
+ the enemy, the hills and the surrounding
towns and villages had been fortified and
machine gun nests studded the wood
land.
1t was through this devils caldron
that the Allied command decided to at
tempt the drive, and it was to the Amer-
can troops that the honor of leading it
was awarded.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-30

NOMEWHERE in France, eager for
a sight of home and just little
~ bit hurt over New York's SEEM
ing indifference to their splendid
achievements in the war, are 10000 Man
haitian and Brooklyn lads-proud mem
hers of Duncan's SD Division, which
helped clear the Argonne Forest of the
Hun. They fought at ST. Mihiel and
Chateau Thierry, but the battle in the
Argonne Forest is the most brilliant
level in their crown. And if in the
press of events the vital part they played
has not yet received fit recognition from
the folks at home this is to notify them
that they have not been forgotten.
When the history Of the war comes to
Be written those twenty-five days of con-
slant fighting in the Argonne, in which
the SD was literally shot to pieces, yet
held its ground, will require chapter
by itself.
When the fighting was over, of $4,000
men who went smiling into the fray but
1000 remained standing on their feet.
That's the record of the SD.
That they should be proud of their
achievements, these boys of the 82d Divi-
sion. is natural. Pershing himself was
nroud. and in general orders commended
the division for it's work. That hereto
fore the work of the division has not re-
ceiyed more recognition is due to the
fact that it went over the seas from
Camp Gordon, Georgia, where 1T was
trained away from the watchful metro
politan eyes.
The S2d is one of those splendid units
which was recruited from the original
draft. Formed originally from Georgia,
Alabama and Tennessee regiments, when
the wedding out process came New York
was called upon for rep acements, and
forth from Manhattan and Brooklyn or
from Mills and Upton went 10000 en-
thusiastic men,. from Brooklyn 5000, the
remainder from Ma Nattan. When the
wedding out continued other sections Of
the country were called upon until
finally, when the division was pro-
nounced fit for service overseas, New
York and California, Maine and Florida
and all the states between had represen-
tation in its ranks, and, bearing the proud
designation of the "All-America" Di-
vision it Jared forth across the waters.
Wherefore, when these heroes found the
honors going elsewhere with small credit
allotted to them, being wrought up to
high tension, they just naturally got
sore. And since New York didn't seem
TO care, though it does whole lot, their
minds--that is, the minds of the New
York ads-reverted to Atlanta, Ca.
which in its pride over this "All-Amer-
lea" division, which was trained almost
within stones throw Of Peachtree
Street, had adopted the S2d.
Forthwith petition was drawn up
over there where the warrors tasks are
ended and men chafe to be about the
arts Of pcace-and in this petition it
was set forth that inasmuch as New
York didn't seem to care, "by these pres"
ents it is requested that we be returned
to Atlanta and mustered out there, and
we'll go home quietly and New York may
90 hang" or some other more fitting
snidiariv larouaOe
New-York tribune., 1919-03-30

was to send the SD against the salient
on the right and drive in between the
28th and the 1st. While the SD was en-
gagged in that effort the French were to
push from their side, and thus crush the
Zoe between them. 1t was a fiankinx
plan which would expose the SD Divis-
ION to counter attack and concentrated
machine gun and artillery fire from both
west and south. Crowned by success.
however, the plan would free the Ar.
gonne OF the Hun and clear the path for
the drive on Sedan, which it was be-
heved would mark the beginning of the
end
They marched all the night of October
o. through quagmiress and with a heavy
ram beating a tattoo on their sstin' he'll
NETS. There had been no reconnaissance.
no artillery assistance Cold. hungrv
footsore, at dawn on the morning of the
'th the l64th Brigade, under command
OF General Lindsey, with the l63d Bri-
gade, under General Cronin, in reserve.
advanced to the attack. The 325th In
fantry, commanded by Colonel Ely. led
the way, with the 32Sth, under Colonel
Wetherill, close behind.
Coats and blankets had been thrown
on by the men. Enthusiasm ran nign.
Yet not one but did not know the chances
he was taking. Set smiles on their
faces, bayonets fxed-into the grim.
dark, dank and ghastly forest the legion
plunged. Like soldiers on parade" one
officer afterward described it.
1t wasn't a battle of minutes or of
hours, but of days, which ensued. Ma
chlne gun bullets swept the advanc;np
columns IN sheets They charged through
villages, fought through morasses. ford
ed swollen streams, bayoneted machine
gunners at their posts, used their rifles
as clubs when they came to grips with
the foe in wire entanglements. Hunger
and thirst joined hands with the enemy.
Gas attack followed charge and charge
succeeded gas attack. From overhead
boche aeroplanes rained bombs down
upon them. Their comrades fell on every
slde-the cries of wounded rose above
the shrieking of shrapnel and she'll
Pressing steadily onward. the 164th
Brigade slowly relieved the pressure Of
the Hun and made sure the advance of
the Americans through the Argonne.
The 82d was making good.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-30

it marked the first all-Amercan blow
against the Boche For four years the
ST. Mihiel salient had been thorn in
the Allies side. Particularly at this
time, when it bulged out like bag into
the Allied lines, it constituted grave
menace. The Yanks were given the job
of obliterating it. How they did it his
tory has told. In two days they swept
forward through all the enemy defences,
captured their detectives, took 10000
prisoners and 443 guns, freed scores Of
French villages from Hun rule, and es-
tablished a new line that directly threat
ened Metz
1t is to be added to this that in thus
putting Metz in jeopardy the partci-
pating troops, including all of the 82d,
cleared away the ground in this sector
for the general advance which Marshal
Foch was planning when the Germans
saw utter rout facing them and opened
negotiations for the armistice.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-30
"HeH Turned
Loose"

In those two days Of inferno. flashes
of gallantry at intervals lighted the gem
eral gloom. For instance. in daring
charge that would challenge comparison
anywhere, the first battalion Of the
327th infantry, on the first day Of the
DIVISIONS operation In the forest dashed
forward and captured HI NO. 1870 un.
der decimating enemy fire.
An officer who watched the movement
relates it;
1.-TWO companies Of the 327th fnfan-
try, under command OF Captain Davis.
advanced across the valley TO reinforce
the right flank Of the second battalion.
32sth Infantry. They were under ter
rifle concentration of machine gun and
rifle fire. All hell seemed turned loose
upon them.
only forty men of those two COM
panies reached their objective.
"Yet we who were watching from the
rim of the amphitheatre saw the assault
waves advance across the open as if at
drill and with seeming Indifference to
the fact that men were going down like
tenpins before a ball"
Since the night of October the d.
vision had been engaged in constant
lighting. They had driven the Boche
through the wellnigh impenetrable
woods, and out into the clear. and were
hghtlng on open ground with the de-
termination of men resolved to make a
cleanup and bring bad Job to close
Their ranks had been pitifully reduced.
Battalions had shrunk to companies One
battalion which had entered the fight
with twenty-eight officers and a thou
sand men now numbered seven officefs
and l25 men. Another was reduced TO
three officers and IT'S men,
Then, November l. the high command
having taken note of the almost extinct
condition of the sgd, it was relieved by
the goth Division. And none too soon.
The Argonne was practically the last of
the lighting engaged in by the SD.
! Eleven Gays later came the armistice
But, If only in those grueling TWENTY
tour days OF battle - not mentioning
what 1t had endured before-the 82d
had earned its place in history. At the
end OF the battle of Argonne, the divi-
sion OF $4,000 men in round numbers
had only 200 men on their feet.
For the rest, the SD Division, in what.
ever 1t was set to do, did it with the
same gallant dash and finish and SUCCESS
which characterized its work at st. Mi.
hiel, at Chateau Thierry, at .srgonne
Where so many men distinguished them.
selves by acts of daring, il is idle "a
draw comparisons. The division has Il,
share Of citations, and its honor mey
rank with the best in the expedit;onays
force, or for that matter. with the hes
IN the grand army of the Allies.
New York is proud to have had w;th;,
It's ranks the ten thousand brave ms,
who represented the metropolis in n.
SEC, and welcome awaits them ,,nn,
their return TO their homes. Bpt th,
people OF New Yors are no less pra,,,
! Of the entire division. '
New-York tribune., 1919-03-30
Holding the
HinQeS

The First Army Corps, under COM
mand of Major General Hunter Liggett,
occupied the extreme right Of the line
his right resting on Pont a. Mousson.
There, as a part of his force, was the
S2d Division.
"From the position of the division"
says the historian of the SD, con the
right flank Of both the corps and the
army, it will be seen that no attack was
to be expected from it. Its instructions
were to exert pressure and maintain
contact with the enemy In other
words, granting that the ST. Mihicl
salient was an open door, the SD was to
hold the hinges fast while otner divisions
pushed the door Shut
The object, Of course, was the pro-
lection Of the right flank Of the 9Oth
Division. -Four days of hard fighting for
the o28th now ensued. On the 18th the
"a Battalion, under command of Major
Buxton, with machine gun detachment
from the 21st Machine Gun Battalion.
advanced toward Norroy. The Hun was
beaten off and the town occupied by the
Americans. The streets were found to
be strewn with German dead.
From captured German prisoners il
was learned that the Bochc had fallen
back upon Wanderers. two kilometres
north Accordingly, just before dawn
Of The 18th Of September, the third bat
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07

been left in Kansas for the winter.
After the strike was called German
decided to pay his family a visit.
He arrived home the day before
Thanksgiving to find his wife and
babies actually cold in their home.
He went out and tried to get some
coal, but found none. Then came
the Governors call, and Friday
morning he went to some friends,
arranged for them to take care Of
his family and then took a train
for Topeka.
"My first duty is to my country
and the people who are suffering
from cold," German told Governor
Allen. "I'll go into the pits. And
I'll go as an American citizen, with
out being bound to any organiza-
ton" He reached into his pocket
and pulled out q cardcase, extracted
q card showing him to be in good
standing with the United Mine
Workers Of America and tore it up.
Guy Gascoigne, a member of
union in Topeka for eighteen years,
did not tear up his union card, but
was one of the first to volunteer.
"My allegiance to the state and the
nation is above any union affilia-
tions," he declared.
There were three steam shovel
crews near Kansas City. They were
not working because of the bad
weather and knew that there would
not be steady work for considerable
part of the winter. The men went
in body to their foreman and told
him they were going to help Gov
ernor Allen dig some coal, for they
knew of the suffering among their
own friends and neighbours and
wanted to help.
"Why don't you take the shovels
along? They might use them down
there" said the foreman as he
wished them good luck and prepared
to join them.
The men then went to the company
officials for whom they were work
ing, explained what they intended to
do and asked if the company would
not lend the three big shovels if the
state needed them. The manager of
the company turned to a telephone,
called the Governor by long distance
and in a few minutes had arranged
for his men to join the volunteers
and for the Governor to use the
steam shovels if he could find place
| for them. The company arranged to
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07

men which had been building state
highway near Lawrence sent it's fore
man to the telephone to call up the
Governor and tell him the thirty
men, who had spent months on out
door road work, were ready to leave
on the first train.
John M. Miller, farmer, and his
two sons walked into the Governors
Office.
when do we start?" asked Miller.
eve left the youngest boy and two
girls at home to run the farm and
feed the stock and we are ready to
go down and help dig some COAL"
The most peculiar group of men
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07
ansas Volunteer Army Is Digging Coal
Governor Henry ]. Aliens Call
for Volunteers Is Answered
by Thousands

less quarrels in the making of
which they have had no part.
The people of this state are
interested, of course, that Just
and equitable settlement shall be
reached between the coal miners
and the coal operators, but they
see no reason why the industrial
activity of the state should cease
and its very life be threatened
while two parties at interest
blcker over the distribution of
human necessity which forms the
basis of their trafficking.
THE people know that this is
not In any sense strike-breaking
enterprise. 1t is not intended to
affect the adjustment of the issues
between the miners and the oper-
ators. But once and for all it
must be understood that the
powers of the state now sum-
moned into action for the protec-
ton of its people are above and
beyond those of any association
or organization, whether of capt.
tai or of individuals.
Coupled with the appeal was the
call for 1000 volunteers to man the
strip pits. Only experienced men
can mine coal in the deep. shafts.
But the strip pits are great open
places where the upper strata of
soil and rock have been stripped off
with steam shovels, leaving the bed
of coal, from two to four feet thick,
open and ready flor the dynamite
charges which break it up. Then
the big shovels come back and load
the coal into cars. There are fifteen
of these mines in Kansas. The only
skilled labor required is that for the
steam shovels, a fireman, engineer,
crane man and five helpers. All the
other labor required about the pits
is such as can be provided by COM
mon, hard-WOrkng men.
1--WE do not want Office men or
those unused to hard, outdoor labor
with picks and shovels," said the
Governor. owe want husky young
Americans who are not afraid to
work, chaps who can stand the most
gruelling sort Of manual labor in
the worst kind Of weather, and keep
at it. The sort of lads who built
roads, dug trenches and constructed
dugouts in the rain and snow and
cold and under shell fire in France
a year ago are the very best sort
of chaps to save thousands Of
women and children from suffering
and horrible death. They are the
lads we are looking for"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07
Bows From the Trenches

Two days later Governor Allen
looked over the application cards of
the volunteers. Real tears came into
his eyes as he said:
Gee, aren't they a bully lot! I
knew lot Of these boys in France,
and l knew they would not fail the
cries of the innocent sufferers in
this state. The spirit of chivalry
and true Americanism is still ram
pant in this state"
For within thirty-six hours after
he had issued his appeal Governor
Allen had more than four times as
many men as he wanted, many more
than he could possibly use. They
came from everywhere in Kansas
and few from outside the state.
They came, ex-scrvice men, from the
farms, the shops, the industrial
plants, the railroads, the offices,
schools-from everywhere that a
whole-s ouled, Woodworking, honest
American lived. They came, not by
tens, but by hundreds. The state
was actually swamped by the num-
bers of men able to do the work and
willing to go into the coal pits.
For a few hours the Governor
and the receivers were worried be-
cause of the big steam shovels.
These machines are very expensive
and are the equal in size ard ca
racity Of those used by the govern
ment in building the Panama Canal.
To operate the mines successfully
the steam shovels are the key
links. Some coal could be gotten
out, but not nearly enough to supply
the urgent necessities of the state
except with the steam shovels in
full operation. Experienced men
were needed for this.
But the Governor need not have
worried about the skilled labor, for
it came to his call just the same as
the unskilled. Trained men left
good jobs to join the ranks of the
Kansas coal miners, just as they
left their jobs to join the army and
navy a year and two years ago,
when the call Of democracy was at
stake.
In less than forty hours the Gov
ernor had twenty-three complete
shovel crews of eight men each, and
in less than fifty hours they were
OH their way to the coal fields. By
the time the receivers were ready
to operate the mines on three
shift-a-day basis there were more
than enough skilled men to man the
steam shovels for every shift.
4 Unios, Volunteer
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07
By Cecil Howes

DURlNG the short but Oft
times exciting history of
0 Kansas there have been
numerous calls to the men
of the state to fight Indians, floods
and grasshoppers; to clean up the
wrecks of tornadoes and to take care
of tremendous wheat crops that
we're doomed to waste but for the
volunteer efforts Of those unaccus-
toned to that sort of work.
But never in the history of the
state nor of the country has there
been a call for volunteer coal min
ers to get out fuel to prevent suf-
fering among the sick, the babies,
children and women of the state
until Governor Henry ]. Allen is
sued an appeal last week for 1 900
husky young Americans to go into
the strip pits Of the Kansas coal
fields and get out the coal already
exposed.
1t was not q call to break a strike,
but q call to prevent suffering. The
Governor went down into the coal
fields and pleaded with the coal min
ers to dig some coal that there
might not be untold privation and
death among the innocent and de-
fenseless women and children of the
state. He promised the miners every
protection to their interests. The
native Americans among the 10000
miners were willing and ready to
return to work, but the radicals
would not permit them.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07

Francis M. German was union
steam shovel operator in the coal
mines of WyomingA His family had
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07

D ,::: .s *; ;. ::'' bis; s: ::' Oft: +:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07
Deaf to Tie Pleas

What care we how the public
susfers?' was the reply of the radi-
Gals. The miners have suffered
for years. Let the people suffer a
few weeks and they will force the
operators to come to our terms"
Kansas had to have coal. Many
Industries wee closed, schools had
only scant supply, some hospitals
were without fuel, and thousands of
homes had no coal and could not
get wood to keep the stoves going.
Tie situation was actually the most
desperate that Kansas folks had
ever faced.
50 Governor Allen determined to
test the manhood of the state and
get the coal. First, he went to the
Supreme Court and took the mines
away from the owners, having re-
ccivers appointed for all the coal
mines in the state. Clarence Sam
pie, Mayor of Fort Scott and a
banker, and Ben S. Gaitskill, a law
yer, were named as the receivers,
and they took charge of all the
mines.
On Thanksgiving Day Governor
Allen issued his appeal for men.
This appeal said:
ut is the duty of government,
and it has the inherent power, to
protect The people whose welfare
is dependent upon it. Facing a
desperate situation, through a
stoppagc Of coal production at the
beginning of winter, government
in Kansas is brought to the pass
of using all it's powers to protect
the people whose suffering will
be unspeakable unless relief is
afforded. If government is to
mean anything, then it's obliga-
ton is to prevent innocent people
from becoming the victims of q
fuel famine which, in the course
of events, is both unnatural and
unnecessary.
Every department Of human
life is bound up in this issue.
Every industry and private occu-
patton which government is or
ganized to support is affected by
it, and the challenge Of those who
would bring upon us this catas-
trophe is a challenge to govern
ment. So far as Kansas is con-
cerned, government is gong W
accept the challenge. For this
sole purpose we are asking for
volunteers whose service we will
accept as rapidly as mining opera
tions can be increased. The duty
to which these men are volunteer
ing is hard labor, but they are
accepting it willingly out Of their
recognition of call as patriotic
as any that has brought men into
service. 1t is the age-old obliga-
ton of just government to pro-
tecs the innocent against the ruth