The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-02-23
CLEAR
ROAD IN FIGHT
After Seeing One Of These Clumsy
Awkard Little Beasts at work
One Can See How It Would
Do This Work.

Keokuk people who have seen the
tank maneuvering in the streets mere.
and who realize what an awkard LOOK.
ing animal it is, and yet how power1ui
a lighting machine it has been oeVel
ioped into. will understand how II
could clear road for the doughooy
or infantry fighters. That tank IS
as CAPABLE of real sacrifice as Hesn
and blood soldiers, seems a bit ncreo-
ible, and yet here is story OF now
the tanks cleared up one bit OF roao'
although one of the armored turtles
was buried where it fell in action.
! II was at the end of hard days
frhring in the Argonne The doughs
had pushed back the Hun. and urgent
messages were coming to the rear de-
handing ammunition, guns, ambulances'
provisions and everything that VIC
torious, but tired and worn army
needs. Lorries, trucks, and wagons
were hurrying up to supply tnelr
wants, and the first column naa
reached a dense woods through whicn
a long. straight and narrow road lea
| to the front.
The commander of the train halted
and took a look. He knew Heinles
habits, and if that road was not nineo,
then 1t was the only one IN that part
of France that had been so negiecteu
by our thoughtful enemy. IL WASH
that he hated taking chance on II;
lit was simply that if he had Truck
blown up on the road in these WOODS,
he was blocked. The crater ana
debris would effectively hold him Tor
hours. and that simply could not De.
So he sent an S. 0. S. for the nearest
engineers. Those boys would smell
out a trap if one was there.
Now at the same time there happen
ed to be stationed at this point pla-
toon of tanks. All day long they mad
been in reserve, chatting at lnactloh
but compelled by orders to cool their
heels while messages constantly came
back telling that Heinie was on the
run. So the tank lieutenant loafed
nm to the train commander, bummed
Ia cigaret and asked the trouble.
It took about five words to explain
the difficulty, and in those few sec
onds the shavetail had a brand new
idea. SAYS he to the train command
err 'sI.et me clear the road" and that
individual knowing that tanks always
tried what evryone thought impossl-
BILE, gave a doubious, go ahead.
So out in the road trundled tank.
followed at little distance by anoth-
Ter. The driver put her nose straight
down the road, threw her in low,
hopped out, and the deserted tank
went on. Now a tank is not like
other beasts of burden, or machines
Iof more or less pleasure. Put her IN
one direction and she keeps on going
L,1 xrhko1c tn Hnn
around, nor curiosity to explore the
surrounding country So down the
road she crawled, Indifferent, uncon-
lcerned, slowly but certainly she made
her way, when suddenly-crash,
blast of fire, a deluge OF earth, clouds
Of smoke, and the train commander
i''cussed' with all the ability with
which his western Kansas life had
equipped him. The harm was done:
There was broken and shattered
six ton tank blocking his way. and
hole in the ground that no truck on
earth could cross
But the tank lieutenant had ex-
posed only part of his grand idea.
Tank the second waddled slowly and
majestically up to the first. To it's
shattered mate it hooked cable and
kept on going. Into the hole 1t
dragged the broken monster. In a
few minutes willing hands had buried
the remains in the self-made grave,
and the road was as good as new.
! Tank the second then took up the
work of the first and she made the
rest of the way securely. OF the
iroad the tank, indifferently, and as
,unconcerned as ever, allowed the
! train to whirl past on it's way to the
front The crew, standing by, with
! grins and shouts lodged the shower
F! of cigarettes and corned willie that
: the laughing drivers chucked at them.
! Chjo's Political Plunge.