Evening star., 1940-03-20
French Soldiers
Keep Gaiety in
Grim War Business
Smile at Discomfort
Of Cold and Remember
The Main Issue
By ROBERT ]. CASEY

chicaro Daily News Foreign CORRESPONDENT.
ON THE FRENCH FRONT.-The
main thing to be said about the
French Army is that it is still hold
ing the fort. The butcher and baker
and candlestickmaker are sitting
side by side in the snow trenches,
alert, but inactive, eager to fight
but constantly held in check-dis-
appointed perhaps and bored while
they get harder every day. but never
forgetting the main issue. War is
temporary job, however disagree
able. The brave new world that
will come after the readjustment
will be permanent and beautiful
and
You are surprised, as you tour
the front-line posts-trench after
trench, strong point after strong
point-to discover how little stoi-
cism this philosophy has developed
The cold and the wet and, on rare
occasions, the hunger and shell fire,
have done nothing to dim the es-
sential French spirit, which is one
of outward gaiety and insouclance
covering the worlds most indom-
liable will.
Painful Metal.
You remember a battery you saw
only day or two ago. 1t had just
come into position on wind-sWept
slope. The gun crews were blue
about the lips. The lad at the sights
had trouble finding his aiming stake
through few feet of binding snow
The shells piled up alongside the
guns were so cold that the touch
of them to freezing fingers was a
definite pain. You mentioned this
to the youngster, who was always
waiting to reload when the breech
came open and the brass case
tumbled out.
Its ghastly cold" you said. How
do you manage to handle metal
like that?" And through his knitted
hood he smiled at you-a blue
Tipped smile.
It's colder in Finland" he said.
And he stepped out of the way of
the recoil as shell went over into
Germany.
Well, that's the French Army for
you. 1t has a philosophy. 1t has
excellent direction. And it has a
purpose so simple that anybody can
understand it,
You stagger along among the field
work and in front of the Maginot
Line and you look upon marvels of
human endurance. The men in this
zone are hairy-faced-not because
they are trying to set new fashion
in boards. but because they have
no adequate means for melting ice
to get shaving water. Their faces
are covered with the SCOT of char
coal fires, their eyes swollen and
redeemed by the acrid smoke that
is the chief ingredient of dugout
atmosphere. But if you want to
hear grousing, don't look for it
among these troops. They'll be in
here as much as 81 days at a time
and feel CHEEKY about it.
Earning Their Keep"
Its worth being cold for" said
lieutenant at one of these posts.
when we toss grenade or let off
a trench mortar it means something
We feel we've got an actual stake
in the war-if you know what
mean. We're earning our keep"
Well, of course, you know what
he means. Not more than 80 meters
beyond the parapet below which
you held your head at a discreet
angle were the Germans-Germans
who probably we're also aware that
when they threw grenade it meant
something. This trench, cold and
uncomfortable, was nevertheless a
place from which no matter what
the larger policies might be, one
could always take a crack at an
enemy.
And" inquired the sergeant with
logical puzzlement. what did we
get into the army for?"
Numerous agencies that need not
be named here have been getting
sentimental about the lads in the
advance lines. They might as we'll
stay their tears. This part of the
army may suffer most, but is easily
the best pleased with it's lot
You hear surprisingly little CEN
sure or even discussion of the Nazis