The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-13
SAYS HUNS
COULDN'T j. S.
Army of Occupation Treated
People With Kindly Yet
Firm Hand.

Htlules couldn't make suckers out
Of the American soldiers in the army
Of occupation. declared Lieut. Don.
eison Lake, one OF Memphis boys rem
resented in the 42d tRainbow) division
Just returned TO his home, 534 Soutl
Mclean boulevard.
Il believe a wrong impression has
been gained in some quarters, from
what l have learned since my return .
nc continued. Where my battery was
stationed, about half way between Bonn
me seat OF the great university, ana
COblenz we met the boches IN the
country n small towns at first with
scorni later, when a little OF the new
wore off, a little more Intimately. hut
never on equality. In fact, they were
tractable as goats when they found
they were not going to be cut TO pieces
brothers.
Il had one Hun on my list who
worked at the apollinaris bOttling plant
nearby. made him bring me two
quarts each day of the good water TO
drink, No" smiled the lieutenant 81
did not drink 1t or anything else with
him or any female of the species
They were all treated firmly, hui cool
~, and they soon learned that the
American soldier, though at times in
cllhed TO play, is, as a matter OF fact,
~ eNl VI iNhOW WIN hlNUMS now TO be
rough when necessity arrives, but who
first of all is a gentleman and next
a human being with a desire for amuse-
ment and relaxation.
Played Franks on Hun,
There were some pranks PLAYED on
the Germans, though none of them re-
suited seriously. Some boys in the
company occasionally would sound the
Deus and alarms, which would cause
all to rush to the town square for pro
lection, then the Huns would be pelted
WIN rocks, potatoes and other missiles
not very harmful, but never did any
disorder arise more serious than a col
lege prank would be regarded in this
country, and in no case was there any
~treachery on the part of the populace,
when you consider" Lieut.. Lake
went on, what we had been through
you can realize that the attitude Of
mind of the American was first to get
all the comforts of life which through
those terrible weeks in the Argonnels
the Champagne, along the Marine and
around st, Mihiel had been denied him,
When y0ur soldier OF Uncle Sam found
the people at first afraid, but later in
clined to respect and obey the army
Of occupation, he took things as a mat
ter Of course, but at all times, no mat
ter how familiar he became with men.
women and children, he always left the
undertone of authority the dominant
note in his conduct.
Squareheads Dense.
1.-THE density Of the brain of the
'squarehead' was often very apparent
continued the soldier. AT first they
didn't understand the pranks of the
Americans and before we left on April
y learned to obey us with the same do
cllity that characterized their conduct
toward their own military classes, un-
der whose heels they had so long been
oppressed.
I'VE were all glad to come home.,Re-
CARELESS of the fact that some pleasure
Americas shores was before the sol
dlers' eyes in waking or dreaming
hours.
Our battery, attached to Gen Gou-
raud's Sixth army, saw action after
several months In training in Lorraine
first, about 20 kilometers east Of
Rheims. We participated in the stop
ping Of the German offensive against
that salient which began July is.
We saw action again at the second
battle of the Marne and did some good
work against the Huns when they were
thrown back on the Vesle. 1t was
there that we first heard the huge
American naval guns mounted on rail-
way carriages. When their mighty de-
donations, almost overthrowing us on
feet, were first heard we realized
the death knell Of the Hun was only a
matter of time.
The st. Mihiel battle was followed
by the ~terrors OF the Argonne, when
Lieut.. Lakes battery was in the armyl
which reached Sedan after terrific |
fighting parallel to the border. The |
unit was withdrawn preparatory to the |
titanic attack on Metz, which was
planned when the armistice came.
Through RPlUium and tha rifu ~ |
Luxembourg the Rainbow boys, hailed
as deliverers, went until they reached
the Rhine after crossing the Efffel
mountains. Stationed near Bonn. the
word came April y to entrain for Brest
and sail for home,
THAT was the most welcome word
We heard concluded the lieutenant.