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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 1917)
THE 8EMI WEEKLY TRIRUNE NORTH PI ATTP, NFRRARKA AMERICAN OFFICERS TAKE PART M ATTACK ON CROWN PRINCE'S FORCES Form an Actual Part of the French Fighting Units That Took German Positions After They tillery Fire Although Men Dropped on Every Side Not an American Was Hit. Paris United States nrmy officers Assisted In the recent French drlvo ncnlnst the omwn nrlnrn tn (tin tinrlli of Verdun when positions along n 15 mile front on hoth sides of the Mouse were wrested from the Oermnns. This wns the first action In which Americans, its part of the United States nrmy, figured, nnd the brilliant, furnishing, rnpld success of General Pctnln'fl forces In this section Is re garded ns a happy augury of future activities of the American nrmy. The officers who were engaged were more than observers the United Stntes nrmy hns had representatives with the various forces In the field ever slnco the wnr stnrted. The American officers formed nn actual part of the French lighting units that bounded over the shell-shattered parapets ten minutes after dawn broke, nnd strode slowly forward to ward the pulverized German posi tions, In the wnko of the celebrated "creeping barrngo" of artillery lire. Steel helmets on their heads, re volvers In hand, their field glasses slung nround their necks, gns mnsks handy, and their uniforms stripped of all marks denoting rank, tho Ameri can officers accompanied the French platoon nnd battalion leaders, learn ing at first sight and directly under fire how crack "shock troops" are led into action In a modern offensive. Although French soldiers fell dead and dying all nround them, nnd n number of French officers were hit niso, not ono American was even wounded. They advanced from the original French positions south of tho Mort llommc, on tho loft bank of the Mouse nnd south of IIIIl on the right bank, clear up to tho most ad vanced trenches captured by the won derful French Infantry. Order Comes to Charge. At half past four o'clock In the morning, after wnltlng ull night In tho front line positions, they heard tho word passed nlong tho trenches by tho under officers for tho men to get rendy. They saw tho war-calloused French soldiers shnke them selves from slumber In tho deep dug outssometimes 40 feet underground whero they had been sleeping, un mindful of tho hideous uproar occa wloncd both by their own nnd tho en emy nrtlllcry. They saw tho "pollus" ndjust their long, slender bayonets to their rifles nnd gingerly feel tho hand grenades In tho belts nround their wnlBts. And then they saw them lino up along tho tiring step of tho trench. At n quarter to flvo tho shrill whis tles of tho siibofflccrs announced thnt tjio Infantry attack was on that tho soldiers more flesh nnd blood had etnrtcd to finish and clinch the work performed by the thousands of giant guns in tho rear. Almost tho first thing tho Amerlcnns learned was thnt nowadays troops do not "chargo" from trenches nt "double quick time." ' In tho first plnco, tho condition of tho ground over which tho troops must advance Is such that they cannot movo rapidly. Pitted with shell craters, ono to thirty feet deep, gouged with pits cuused when mon strous mines wero exploded, and knee deep In tho most clinging mud in tho world, tho ground offers every obsta cle to rnpld moving. ENGRAVE EMPTY SHELLS French artesans who are serving their country at the front have found new way of raising funds for the Red Cross. They now utilize the empty hells by polishing the cases and then engraving tho most beautiful designs an them. These cases so engraved are sold to souvenir hunters nnd the proceeds go to the French Red Crosj fund. Thus the soldiers aru servlna their ce-untry in a two-fold capacity. Had Been Pulverized by Ar And with tho perfection "creeping barrage." troons of tho cannot movo faster thnn the mirinin r n wlilnii ,n,m,u .1 . m, . barrage moves forward very slowly, as fast as tho nvernge man walks when he Is not In a hurry. Tho first wave of attacking troops follows nnout !() yards In tho renr of tho row or bursting shells. Grab for Gas Masks. Groping forward beside the French oiucers, tho Americans stnppnpi.il fnr, ward until one of their guides sniffed suspiciously, and hauled his gns mask OUt Of Its till box. Htnmnrwl iirmiml his waist. Tho Amerlcnns fnllnwnl and none too soon, ns nlready the Ger i.n. ... .... "mi wineries wero Olltl tlL' nvi.r gas shells to try to break up the ot- hick. -two Hundred yards forward mi tho Americans with the first attack mg wnvo reached the former firt lino of German trench Oft. T.I M In tvnu left to differentiate the strip of con vulsed earth frcm tho rest of tho tor- rain except thnt the litter of wood nnd accoutrements wns deener mill n long, uncertain straggled lino of dls lorieti corpses marked whom ti.n Germans on duty In the trench ii.ni been destroyed by tho bombardment. Ji-ven ns the Amerlcnns renelu.ii tin. trench a handful of Germim nr. vlvors crawled from tho mouth of n cnved-In dugout, their arms oxteniimi screaming "Mercy, Kamerad." Tho men were taken prisoner and directed toward the renr, ns tho nttncklng wave continued its ndvnnce. a cer tain number of the troops being told ou 10 iianuie the underground shcl ters nnd tako prisoner such Ger mans ns might come up. between the first nnd second line of Gcrmnn trenches It was even hunt er going than crossing No Man's Land. Hero the work of tho French ar tillery had been concentrated, and noyaus and communication trenches nan neon plowed to pieces by tho gl nnc nign explosive French sln.iin In the second lino German trench, tho number of corpses was greater, inn more wero a few Gcrmnns, only wounded, who cried out for help. Nono of tho survivors In tho ilnpmitn came up whllo tho attacking wave iiimeu a moment, and ndditlonnl French pollus wero told off to mount gunru over tho entrnnces to tho nbrls, Americans Under Fire. It was a longer stretch between tho second and third lino German trenches and It was In this part of tho nttnek thnt tho Amerl eiins on..... under direct mnchlno gun tiro for tho nrst time, nodding a oner. nmUn.m. Ing tho ndvnnclng lino ns possible, they suddenly heard the rntuo or a mnchlno gun to the right, nnd ovcryono dropped In his trucks! lTom ino nottoin of n shell hole ..-... iMiu i ll ill I bled with n French cnptaln he helned into which ono Ainer can lm.i tho officer set un and iIIkpIi rocket In tho nlr, summoning nn nlr plnno to help spot tho hidden mnchlno gun which had escaped destruction by uio preliminary uomimrdmcnt. Mean wmio the I'Tcnch troops hud been busy. From neighboring shell holes their machine guns, which they hnd uraggcu with them and set up, began FOR THE RED CROSS to rattle at. they sprayed the terraii. ahead, searching for the German gun crew. Soon a French nlrnlnnc. then nn oilier, circled down from above, low or nnd lower, as the observers scru tlnlzed tho ground. One of tho mn chines had descended to loss than fiOC leet, when the German machine gar rattled again, nnd. nocrlnir over thr top of their shell hole, the French and American officers saw the barrel of the Gorman iruti aimed Into the nlr ns me crew ground out leaden bullet.' against the prying nviator. Hut tin uennun's very fenr of detection irnvt them away, for n French gun crew to the left hnd snotted the barrel, too and In u moment was turning Its fin uio enemy, tho nlrplnno had upon the enemy. The nlrplnno had "rapping colored flares In the ball light of the mornlnir. directing Its nnr- ticuinr battery where to shoot Machine Gun Wrecked Almost Immediately a big Frencl- shell whistled by. nlumnod ncalnst the ground Just ahead and exploded hurling a waterspout of mud and debris high Into the air. Another sic mil and the next shell fell a little tc the left. Another signal, and fout shells a salvo from tho battery- dropped together nround the snot where the German machine gun was emplaced. With n cry. the keen l' rench observers snranc forward from their dugouts, dragging mnchlno guns nnd nccoutrcments with them, nnd crept forwnrd. As thev nnnronch ed the "strong nolnt" whero the Ger mnn gun crew hnd been thev hcimn tossing hnnd grenades In nmoug the rums. 'Iho exnlod nc bombs comnleted the wreckage. Then n bit of dlrtv white probnbly n handkerchief- appeared falterlngly above the spot, and the extended nrms nnd the fnce nnd body of a German, his gray-green uniiorm spattered with mud. ap peared. Tho French went forward, tho American officers with them, to the spot where tho machine gun had neen. All thnt wns left of tho concrete nnd steel "pill box" wns some mud 'lied debris, which might hnvo been anything. A little twisted metal. looking for all tho world like several smashed up umbrellns, was all that was left of tho machine gun. Three of tho crow of ten men were alive. and two of them were wounded. Tho other seven might have been henps of rags instend of men Americans Go Forward. Tho American officers continued for ward with the "French captain and tho storming nnrty. which hnd to hns ten ns best It could to catch un with tho creeping barrage. They pnssed the third Gcrmnn lino of trenches nnd then two extra lines of sunnort trenches, and then they traversed tho zone, criss-crossed with communica tion nnd supply trenches, whero the uermnn nrtlllery bad been emplaced each gun In its little hidden spot, with room only for the muzzlo to pro trude. Scattered about, too. wero tho pnssages leading to the various un derground dugouts, some of them lnrgo enough to accommodnte 300 sol dlers. They found the wreckage of uermnn Red Cross stations advanced dressing points whero tho wounded wero first bnndaged. Then they came to the region of shell dumns. reser volrs whero ammunition was kept, to bo sent forward In, little trucks on tiny rnllronds, down tho winding . - "'n trenches. Past all this and close up against the first trench lino of the see ond German defensive position, they proceeded before they stopped. They had gained all their objectives of the dny, and would be In danger of be ing shelled iy their own artillery If they proceeded further. Seo More Fighting. Whllo t.U French troons remained to consolidate the positions thev hml won, while they due; communlcntlnp ,ussnges between tho lino of shell holes they had decided to occupy nnd to open up communication trenches with the rear for bringing up sup. piles and guns, the American officers started back before tho enemy's bar rage. bfiKun. On the way back they saw mort lighting; they saw French soldiers bombing treacherous Germans whe had como out of their dugouts to tiro on them from behind, nnd thev snu long lines of German prisoners being marched down trenches in tho direc tion of the "cages" further back Thev saw the "brancardlers." ns thnt eall the stretcher bearers, circulating about tho terrain, picking up frlem' and foe alike to bo carried back and receive attention at tho dressing sta tions. They saw French soldiers en ter German dugouts and como out carrying German stretchers which they had found there. Thev thorn distribute the stretchers to tlu German prisoners and let them earrj buck German wounded. DESTROYED ORCHARDS WITH "INSECTICIDES" Meridian, Miss. In France, when tho- Germans retreated, they cut down fruit trees, in Mississippi, It Is charged, Ger man sympathizers have found nn easier means of blasting the fruit producers. Two men were arrested near hero charged with selling to fruit growers and furm ers Insecticide, which, when ap plied to the trees, killed them. Ono orchard of COO peach trees Is u total loss. One of 400 trees, three of 100 and two df BOO trees have been badly damaged. Tho farmers believe German sympu thlzers are responsible. ROYAL LINE IN A DEMOCRACY "Ronds Rule the World Not Kings or Congresses, Not Courts, Nor Con stables or Soldiers." In nn nrgument for good'roads somp wise man, whoso nnme has been lost, made use of the following: "Roads rule the world not kings, nor con grosses, nor courts, nor constables, not ships nor soldiers. The road If the only royal line In n democracy, the only legislature that never changes, tho only court that never sleeps, the only nrmy that never nults. the first aid to the redemption of any nntlon, tho exodus from stagnation In any so ciety, the call from savagery in nny tribe, tho high priest of prosperity, lifter the order of Melchlsodec, with nut beginning of days or end of life The road Is umpire In everv war. nnd when the new map Is made, It simply pushes on Its great campaign of help, hope, brotherhood, efficiency nnd pence." Hio vnlue of good ronds mny 'be better understood when It Is known thnt the nvernue cost to formers nt tho United Stntes to trnnsport produce to market Is more thnn 23 cents pet ton per mile. These fltruros do not In. elude the cost of brenknge of hnrnoss or vehicles. The cost per ton per mllo over hard-surfaced roads Is less than half the present nvernge. GAINER BY IMPROVED ROADS Careful Analysis Shows Greatest Gain Over Presynt Conditions Is Man on Branch Road. The development of sentiment for Issuing bonds to build permanent roads hns brought to tho surface mnnv questions which require careful con sideration nnd demand clearly stated and convincing replies. Of these, the one recurring most frenuentlv Is: What advantage Is there In n bond Is. sue for the farmer who lives sevcrnl miles from one of the Improved ronds?" At first glance It would seem thnt the man living directly upon tho Im proved road obtains the greatest bene. fits, but careful annlysls proves that tho greatest gain over present condi tions Is the mnn on the side rond. With the limited rond nnd brldce funds usunlly available in any town ship nnd the necessity of keeping tho ranln hlghwnys nt lenst tn nnssnhlo condition, little or nothing Is left for wonting upon tho less traveled ronds. As repnlr expense practically ceases when permanent roads are built, tho road and bridge funds formerly snont on main ronds will be released for uso upon the side roads. In addition, money spent unon theso sldo roads will go five times as far, or do flvo times ns much wnrlr na Soli Road in North Carolina. when It wns spent unon the minis whero heavy travel nulcklv wined out every trace of the Improvement. A reasonable amount of road and bridge money used In ditching nnd drnirelnc side roads will place them In condltloa to carry tho comparatively light traffic that passes over them to the main i highway. Tho man on tho sldo road will have, In place of a continuous haul through tho mud from farm to town, a much-Improved surfnee rntn farm to tiut main highway and a high ly Improved road, maintained at much loss expenso to tl- township or coun ty, tho remainder f tho way to his town or market.- -Turin Engineering. J?r?g Afire Rain. Drag tho road as soon after every rain as nosslblo, but not when tho mud Is In such a condition ns to stick to tho drag. Attention o Road Drag. If wo would piVy more attention to tho road drug, wo would have better oads. Powder for Cabbage Worms. For O'lbbago wurnis: Mix ono part of fresh Persian Insect powder with four parts of air-slaked lime, and dust It on tho plants at regular Intervals. Don't Pay to 8crlmp. It doesn't pay o go to tho expense of cows, stables, land, utensils, etc., for dairy work, tfcen Bcrlmp tho cows. Don't Use Whip. Don't uso tho whip too freely on n horso thnt shies. Patience and kind ness will do better. jjlllj Specialist in All Matters of National Defense UTASIIINGTON. He might he n matinee idol, for he has the raven-black. " hair and the llnshlng blnck eyes and the pearly white tcth but ho In not. no is Grosvenor tflarkson, secrctnry of tho council of national defense. The career of Clnrkson hns been a varied one. lie came originally from Dos Moines, la., where ho was engaged' In newspaper work. He heard the siren call of the lnrge Eastern cities, how ever. He wanted to work and mingle with the rushing throngs of America's, metropolis, and he went to New York. Clnrkson fitted In with the hustle and the bustle of New York, for Clark eon wns a hustler. He went Into the advertising business and made n namo for himself as a mun "with n punch," u man who could put anything across. Then there came the great American movement for preparedness. Tiose who were financing the movement saw In Clnrkson n man who could nppeal to the Amerlcnn people In a manner which would nttract them. Clarkson became the publicity man behind the movement. When the wnr came, Clnrkson wns taken Into the council of natlonnl defense. As secretary of the council he finds himself with the sturdy task of handling the enthusiastic spirit of thousands of Americans who wnnt to help, He Is a sort of official buffer the mnn who sepnrntes the sheep from the goats nnd who considers the weight of the various propositions of help that nre put up dally to the council of national defense. Every moment of the duy Clarkson from every war administrator In Washington. He is the one mnn who has nt his finger-tips the mass of knowledge concerning people and things that make It possible for him to ulwnys recommend the right mnn to do the right thing. The burden of his work is showing occasionally and takes himself to a tennis court, where he forgets the war. und his worries uud dlsplnys his ability us a rncqueter. Girls Add to Lure of PRETTY girls, neat In bib and tucker, are soon to take the places of red headed and gawky youths of the sterner sex ns dispensers of soda water and other liquid refreshments in Washington. Hnlf a dozen establishments in Washington have already made tho change, which will undoubtedly make them so popular with the male contin gent that all others will follow tho example. An unprecedented shortage of soda "Jerkers" of the male variety has caused the proprietors of such estab lishments to insert advertisements for girls to act as dispensers nt soda water and refreshment stands. The ease with which nn expert- enced boy attendant at such places can get employment hns made them nave apparently with one uccord decided to dispense with male "sllngers." unce tno gins get the Jobs, there dispensers, for the substitution of the drinks with an alluring smile worth the price of many drinks will, undoubt edly, prove so popular with tho patrons that no fountain owner will dare to return to tho unattractive male attendant.' While girls may possibly bo employed for slightly less than the figures mentioned above, tho law says they last mentioned fact Is probubly one reason why they have not been more extensively employed as attendants In the past. There Is now an unprecedented experienced youth has no trouble In getting a job. Many are of draft ngf, and have been called to tho colors. Others have volunteered for milltnry service. Higher wages given In practically nil trades hnvo caused hundreds to forsnke the cnlllng for positions ns Eastern Artist Is at Work A LARGE, cngellke, wooden structure, rotunda of the capltol, attracts the The answer to the Invariable question is )j - sVfV (Al J &' i-x " ifi taken down. The episodes In Amerl cnn history chosen by Mr. Whipple are tho Invention of the locomotive nnd: the application of steam to travel and transportation; the development of electricity; the freeing of Cuba; the building of the l'onnmn canal, and tho development of the modern battleship and the airplane. The capltol rotunda frieze was started by Constantino Brumldl, who car rled his work to the group representing Penn's treaty with tho Indians. After his death Flllpo Costogglni carried out the idea, beginning with tho three Indians nt the left side of the Penn group. Ills lost group represents the ills covery of gold In California. Costagglnl died In 1007, and slnco then no work has been attempted on tho frieze. Infallible Sinns Prove "Passing of Summer" INFALLIBLE signs of autumn are dally appearing on the streets of the national capital with the result thnt a favorite topic of conversation In. hotel lobby groups Is tho "passing of summer." Perhaps winter's ndvoncu press agents nre not so competent us 'hose of Dame Summer's, for It Is n 'crtnlnty that the latter season Is her alded much more auspiciously than the former. Be that, as It may, however, tnero are certain "111" things, both seen ami unseen, which unfailingly register tho annual near decensement of Old Sol's piercing reign. For lnstnnce, when n Tfller begins to seo his corai mlons searching through their last year's vest pocket for a yellov. ,iawn ticket bearing the meaning Inscription "one overcoat" they may feel safe to wager their all that tho warnlng-"fnlllng of the Ienves leaves, leaves," has not been without fruitful result. Then, too, tho nppeurance of golden pumpkins In tho glusscil window ot your favorite lunchroom all tends to steady your wavering reasoning. And to clinch It nil you pick up your morntng newspaper nnd see nn article about world series dope. Then you remember how you shivered on tho autumn afternoon when you attended those historic games lust season, (this Is deep humor If you are n Washlngtonlnn) and are honest to good nessly convinced that the "passing of summer" Is something that must be reckoned with. CITY He Is the Adonis of all of Amerlcn's' wnr makers. Still a mnn of youth, Clnrkson. cnrrles upon his shoulders grent bur dens, nnd his fnce betrays the fact In the street he wnlks, nlwnys with n furrowed brow, deep in thought. In. his office he Is found most frequently, silent nnd thoughtful. When he camo to Wn8hIngton he wns n young man. Under the pressure of wnr work he Itr rapldly growing old. Is available. To 1dm come appeals for aid upon Clnrkson; but he throws It off the Soda-Water Fountain ANOTHER. SODA. DM PEACH: 1 I exceedingly "cocky," so tho proprietor will probably be no return to bovs an neater, sweeter maidens who serve llHL- shnll work only eight hours a day. This shortage of soda "jerkers" and the semiskilled enrpenters. on Famous Capitol' Frieze suspended from the bnlcony In thd attention of every visitor theso dnys.. that Charles Ayer Whipple, nn nrtlst of New York nnd Iloston, Is nt work on a proposed continuation of the fa mous Brumldl-Costagglnl frieze, which ends nbruptly with a group represent- Mr- Whipple has received per mission irom tne joint committee on library of congress to plnco In the vn cant space his suggestion for complet ing tho circle, no Is vtwklng this out In such mnnner thnt If congress does not npprove the work enn be erased ot