St. Louis Post-Dispatch
November 8, 1914

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— . ts ‘ Sesel o se His os 53 #) bea it 2 pet's eeehte ae set sect. liges ites = a tesa : rit : +4 ibtehs A ist S53223.. te nS cmon POST-DISPATCH Pygrieees sue dg es os MA SRESBAIEEEE TUSERATTECESONS | oCtT ts coaar tees: ei MMBC ED revege ict FREE fry et ere aR RR RE ESBS italia bs Ses es RSH Pa ———— * i ‘ frst By Sofi Bis Pises i —_— —- -VOL. 67. NO.80. ST. LOUIS, SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 8, 1914. CENTS eee “UNDER FIRE se al Notable Instances of Daring or Demoralization in Europe’s War Bravery, Concludes Veteran Correspondent, Is Chiefly Power of Imagination and That Man Who Will Act Cowardly Under Some Cir- cumstances, Will Become a Hero for a Cigarette or to Escape Cold Fingers or Minor Discomfort Because He Cannot Comprehend Death. In the second of a series of weekly articles on the war, Richard Harding Davis, America’s most famous war correspondent, who spent two months with the armies of the allies in Belgium and France, for the Post-Dispatch, paints a graphio picture of how soldiers and olwilians act under fire of the enemy. By Richard Harding Davis NE cold day on the Aisne when the Ger- O mans had just withdrawn to the east bank and the allies held the west, the French soldiers built huge bonfires and huddled around them. When the “Jack Johnsons,” as they call the six-inch howitzer shells that strike with a burst of black smoke, began to fall, sooner than leave the warm fires, the soldiers accepted the chance of being hit by the shells. Their officers had to order them back. I saw this and wrote of it. A friend refused to credit it. He said it was against his experi- ence. He did not believe that for the sake of keeping. warm, men would chance being killed. But the incident was quite characteristic. In times of war you constantly see men, and women, too, who, sooner than suffer discomfort or even inconvenience, risk death. The psychology of the thing is, I think, that a man knows very lit- tle about being dead, but has a very acute knowl- edge of what it is to be uncomfortable. His capable of informing him that his fingers are cold, Often men receive credit fot showing cool- ness and courage in times of danger, when in reality, they are not properly aware of the danger and, through habit, are acting automatically. The girl in Chicago who went back into the Iroquois Theater fire to rescue her rubber overshoes was not a heroine. She merely lacked imagination. Her mind was capable of appreciating how serious for her would be the loss of her overshoes, but not of being burned alive. At the battle of Valestinos, in the Greek-Turk- ish War, John F. Bass of the Chicago Daily News and myself got into a trench at the foot of a hill on which later the Greeks placed a battery. All day the Turks bombarded this battery with a cross fire of shrapnel and rifle bullets, which did not touch our trench, but cut off our return to Velestinos. Sooner than pass through this cross fire we crouched in the trench until about sunset, when it came on to rain. We exclaimed with dis- may. We had neglected to bring our ponchos. “If we don’t get back to the village at once,” we assured each other, “we will get wet!” So we raced through half a mile of falling shells and bullets and, before the rain fell, got under cover. Then Bass said: “For 12 hours we stuck to that trench because we were afraid if we left it we would be killed. And the only reason we ever did leave it was because we were more afraid of catching cold.” In the same war I was in a trench with some finfantrymen, one of whom never raised his head. . Whenever he was ordered to fire he would shove his rifle barrel over the edge of the trench, shut his eyes and pull the trigger. He took no chances. fis comrades laughed at him and swore at him, but he would only grin sheepishly and burrow deeper. After several hours a friend in another trench held up a bag of tobacco and some cigarette papers and in pantomime “dared” him to come for them. To the intense surprise of everyone, he scrambled out of our trench and, exposed against the skyline, walked to the other trench; and while he rolled a handful of cigarettes, drew the fire of the enemy. It waa not that he was brave; he had shown that he was not. He,was merely stupid. Between death and cigarettes his mind could not rise above cigarettes. Varied Conduct at Rheims. HY the same kind of people are so dif- W ferently affected by danger is vary | hard to understand. It is almost im- possible to get a line on it. I was in the city of Rheims for three days und two nights while it was being bombarded. Dur- ing that time 60,000 persons remained in the city, and, so far as the shells permitted, continued about their business. The other 50,000 fled from the city and camped along the road to Paris For five miles outside Rheims they lined both edges of that road like people waiting for a circus pa- rade, With them they brought rugs, blankets and loaves of bread and from daybreak until night fell and the shells ceased to fall, they sat in the hay fields and along the grass gutters of the road. Bome of them were most intelligent looking and had the manner and clothes of the rich There family of five that on four occasions, on to and from Paris, we saw sexted on és ground at a place certainly five miles away from any spot where a shell had fallen. They ‘were all in mourning, but as they sat In the brain is not able to grasp death, but it is Oe om ce CHARD HARpING Davis... R) steamer rugs they were comic. Their lives were no more valuable than those of thousands of their fellow townsmen, who, in Rheims, were carrying on the daily routine. These kept the shops open, or, in the streets, were assisting the Red Cross. One elderly gentleman told me how he had been seized by the Germans as a hostage and threatened with death by hanging. With forthy other first citizens, from Sept. 4 to Sept. 12, he had been in jail. After such an experience one would have thought that between himself and the Gernians he would have placed as many miles as possible, but instead he was strolling around the Place du Parvis Notre Dame in front of the Cathedral. For the French officers, who, on sight-sccinz bent, were motoring into Rheims from the hatile line, he was acting as a sort of guide. Pointing with his umbrella he would say: “On the leit is the new Palace of Justice, the facade entirely destroyed; on the right you see the palacs .of the Archbishop, completely wrecked. The shells that just passed over us have apparently fallen in the garden of the Hotel Lion d’Or.” He was as cool as the conductor on a “Seeing-Rheims”’ observation car, He was matched in coolness by our Consul, William Bardel. The American consulate is at 14 Rue Kellerman. That morning a sheil had hit the chestnut tree in the garden of his .eign- bor at No. 12 and had knocked all the chestnuts into the garden of the consulate. “It’s an ‘ll wind that blows nobody good,” said Mr. Barcdel. Knitting Under Fire. N the bombarded city there was no rule as to | how anyone would act. One house would be _ closed and barred and the inmates would be either in their own cellar or in the caves of the nearest champagne company. These latter took with them books or playing cards, and among mil- lions of dust-covered bottle, by candle light, they waited for the guns to cease. Their neighbors zat in their shops, or stood at the doors of their houses, or paraded the streets. Past them their friends were hastening, trembling with terror. Many women sat on the front steps knitting and with interested eyes watched their acquaint- ances fleeing towards the Paris gate. When over- head a shell passed, they would stroll, still knit- ting, out into the middle of the street to see where she shell struck. By the noise it was quite easy to follow the flight of the shells. You were tricked by the sound into almost believing you could see them. The six-inch shells passed with a whistling roar that was quite terrifying. It was as though just above you invisible telegraph wires had jangled and their rush through the air was like the roar that rises to the car window when two express trains, going in opposite directions, pass at 60 miles an hour. When these sounds assailed them the people fleeing from the city would scream. Some of them, as though they had been hit, would fall on their knees. Others were sobbing and praying aloud. The tears rolled down their cheeks. In their terror there was nothing ludicrous; they were in as great physical pain as were some of the hundreds in Rheims who had been hit. And yet others of their fellow townsmen, living in the same street and with the same allotment of brains and nerves, were treating the bombard- ment with the indifference they would show to a summer shower. Hunting Bargain Soap. E had not expected to spend the night In W Rheims, so, with Ashmead Bartlett, the military expert of the London Daily Telegraph, I went into a chemist’s shop to uy some soap. The chemist seeing I was an Ameri- can, became very much excited. He was 2ver- stocked with an American shaving soap, and ho begged me to take it off his hands, He would let me have it at what it cost him. He did not know where he had placed {t and he was in great alarm lest we would leave his shop before he could un- load it on us. From both sides of the town French artillery were firing in salvos, the shocks shaking the air, over the shop of the chemist shrapnel was whining, and in the street the how- ' led oo N elderly gentleman (in Rheims) told A me how he had been seized by the Germans as a hostage and threat- ened with death by hanging. With 40 other first citizens, from Sept. 4 to Sept. 12, he had been in jail. After such an exrperi- ence one would have thought that between himself. and the Germans he would have placed as many miles as possible, but in- stead he was strolling around the Place du Parvis Notre Dame in front of the Cathe- dral. For the French officers, who, on sight-seeing bent, were motoring into Rheims from the battle line, he was acting as a sort of guide. Pointing with his um- brella he would say: “On the left is the new Palace of Justice, the facade entirely destroyed; on the right you see the palace of the Archbishop, completely wrecked. The shells that just passed over us have apparently fallen in the garden of the Hotel Lion d'Or. He was as cool as the conductor on a “Seeing-Rheims” observa- tion car.—RICHARD HARDING DAVIS. | ot TT itzer shells were opening subways. But his mind was intent only on finding that American shaving soap. I was anxious to get on to a more peace- ful neighborhood. To French soap, to soap “made in Germany,” to neutral American soap I was in- different. Had it not been for the presence cf Ashmead Bartlett, I would have fled. To die, even though clasping a cake of American soap, seemed less attractive than to live unwashed. But the chemist had no time to consider shells. He was intent only on getting rid of surplus stock. The majority of people who are afraid are those who refuse to consider the doctrine of chance. The chances of their being hit may be one in 10,000; but they disregard the odds in their favor and fix their minds on that one chance against them. In their imagination it grows larger and larger. It looms red and bloodshot, it hovers over them; wherever they go,-it follows, men- acing, threatening, filling them with terror. In Rheims there were 100,000 persons and by shells 1000 were killed or wounded. The chances against were a hundred to one. Those who left the city undoubtedly thought the odds were not good enough. Parisians and the Bombs. HOSE who, on account of the bombs that T fell from the German aeroplanes into Paris, left the city, had no such excuse. The chance of any one person being hit by a bomb was one in several millions. But even with such generous odds in their favor, during the days the bomb dropping lasted many thousands fled. They were obsessed by that one chance against them. In my hotel in Paris my landlady had her mind fixed on that one chance and reg- ularly every afternoon, when the aeroplanes were expected, she would go to bed. Just as regularly her husband would take a pair of opera glasses and, in the Rue de la Paix, hopefully scan the sky. : One afternoon while we waited in front of Cook’s office, an aeroplane sailed overhead, but so far above us that no one knew whether it was a French airship or a German one preparing to launch a bomb. A man from Cook’s, one of the interpreters, with a terrible knowledge of En- glish, said: ‘Taube, or not taube, that is the question.” He was told he.was inviting a worss death than from a bomb. To illustrate the atti- tude of mind of the majority of the Parisians, there is the story of the street gamin, who, for some time, from the garden of the Tuilleries, had been watching a German aeroplane threatening the city. Finally he exclaimed impatiently: “Oh, throw your bomb. You are keeping me from my dinner.” A soldier under fire furnishes few of the saur- prises of conduct to which the civilian treats you. The soldier has no choice. He is tied hy the leg and whether the chances are even or ri- diculously in his favor, he must accept them. The civilian can always say: “This is no place for me,” and get up and walk away. But the swl- dier cannot say that. He and his officers, the Red Cross nurses, doctors, ambulance bearers, even the correspondents, have taken some tind ot oath or signed sume kind of contract that makes it easier for them than the civilian to stay on the job. For them it would require more courage to go away than to remain. ‘ Indeed, although courage !s so highly regarded, it seems to be of all the virtues the most com- mon. In six wars, among men of nearly every race, color, religion and training, I have seen but four men who failed to show courage. I nave seen men who were scared, sometimes whole regi- ments, but they still fought on; and that is the highest courage, for they were fighting both a real enemy and an imaginary one. There is a story of a certain politician General of our army who, under a brisk fire turned on one of his staff and cried: “Why, Major, your are scared, sir, you are scared!” “I am,” said.the Major, with his teeth chatter- ing, “and if you were as scared as I am, you’d be 20 miles in the rear.” Men Fighting in a Daze. N this war the onslaughts have been so ter- | rific and so unceasing, the artillery fire, especially, has been so entirely beyond hu- man experience, that the men fight in a kind of daze. Instead of arousing fear, the tumult acts as an anesthetic. With forests uprooted, houses smashing about them and unseen express trains ''___Richard Harding Davis Writes of the OW ill Eccentricities of Soldiers and Civilians -0-—0- Persia Join Germ o- any in Great War?” Prof. Usher Discusses the Immense Strategic Importance of the Shah’s Country to England and Russia in Present Crisis Turkey’s Asiatic Neighbor, Through Control of Trade and ~ Military Routes and the Best Refuge Harbor in the Indian Ocean for Germany’s Fleet, Becomes Vital to the Allies, Says Washington University Historian. ' : ———e From “Who's. r— control of the roads into eastern Russia, would enable the German allies to invade the Caspian district with ease and lay waste the country. The hand of Russia in that part of the world has/ by the Turkish army, whica is lar Germans and commanded by a German General — long been heavy. There are a good many tribes who hate the Russians intensely and who would be only too glad of an opportunity to take their revenge in the most approved Oriental manner. There may be, therefore, “Warbarians” on the German side before very long. Germany and Turkey are thinking of some- thing more than the advantages which Persia’s assistance would certainly give them. Persia is at present in the hands of England and Russia and is a very present danger to the allies of Germany in the Near East. Indeed, if Russia could spare the troops, Persia would afford the Triple Entente an excellent basis of operations and might almost succeed in robbing the Turk of most of his ability to help Germany. As Basis for an Invasion. ERSIA flanks the Turkish possessions in P Asia Minor, and from Persia a very suc- cessful invasion might be made into the Turkish district farthest from Constantinople. The tribes in this part of the Turkish Empire are none too loyal and, if they join the invader, the invasion would have to be met by a consider- able army. This explains the prompt expedition of an army by Turkey to this very district, which ought to have reached its position as the reader peruses these words. This army has, of course, been withdrawn from the army protecting Con- stantinople from an assault by Russia and has weakened the Porte in Europe. Persia also fianks the Baghdad Railway and an English or Russian army in Persia would cer- tainly make that road of very little consequence to Germany. Through those same passes an En- glish or Russian army, or for that matter, a Persian army, would be in an admirable position to take the rear of any Turkish army which \ y (ddl if 5 a , y mY 4 . y D oa gee ' “F af . ie ry wae . yu ZF eos a! ‘ ri ‘hy 4h. ° Pe 87) «4 7 ; nm? mts te. Yer Pf eto . ; rier er a eer eee, f ast . to «5 te tm Sn “ . t »? “es . ; y ; ate re elie es 6) Se ¢ ot “ Ate iy vs Mann 4 ? ~ gr. “ Torpatl : a ee SUS oe : >. ry * he Ww 4? ae es +. oe Ss 4 > te ; Ut “4 t “Oy Me a * “& aa . »* ‘ edd ‘ | e ry - ’ ry . te ~ ee © ‘ ,™ > a : ew aS ST ea Sea ASS teehee nS . ; A avy oe oe okt, aS. 4 — de : 27 ‘ 9 Saher . y 8 a S fe: J eee > ae Nay See ee a mee v , BN. «SE haw trap a ont aes =n p™ vo ae . « . ry } “ : rR . mM Ake» ‘ .* tet . : 4 5 . v4 aa, et oY 7—' oh 4 eld SPT : * . . " oe ’ - i “ j ~ NA ~. Le SS A a te aad Ue Pat 4 ‘et ys ar eA ¥ . ™ f i : i ; ” ‘ Who” for 1944 SHER, ROLAND GREEN SB, Prof. History; bors at Lynn, Mass. May $, 1880; son of Bd ward Preston and Adela Loutse (Pay son) U.; A. B., stud ded Oxford, Paris and Cambridge, England, 1902-4; Ph. D.. Har ward 1905; married Florence Wymen Richardson of 8 Louts, June 9, 19107 Assistant in History Harvard 1904-7; tw structor in history 1907-10; Asst. Profes sor, 1910-12, Asta Professor in charge of Department of History since July I, ~ 1912, Washington U., member American Historical Associa tion, Mississippi Val ley Historical Asso ciation, Mo. Soctety Teachers of History and Government, Mo. Historical Se ciety. Repubdlicen. Episcopalian, Author: Presbpter+ an Movement in the Reign of Queen Eltz- abeth, 1905, the Re construction of the ‘ English Church (2 vols.) 1910; Pan Germanism, 1918; the Rise and Fall of the High Comméis- sion, 1918; the Rise of the American Peo- ple, 1914. Home: 57874 Cates av., St. Louta. P . -—. (From a photograph by Strauss.) should attempt to move on the English posses- sions in Egypt. Indeed, as it is very likely that the Germans are planning an attack upon Egypt gely officered by at present, this is the necessary first step toward the success of a German campaign on Egypt. It is very important, therefore, for Germany to take the control of Persia away from Bngland and Russia, who now hold it. The Germans and the Turks both have secret agents in , aaa Pretender to the throne has publicly 4 his adhesion to the German cause and a reyolu- tion in Persia against the present government (which is directed by Russia and England) is believed to be imminent. Advantage of the Germans. T must be owned that the Germans have the | advantage. The Turkish army is not only. large but very capable. It is not needed in E'urope at present. If it moves in force upon Persia, nothing can prevent it from taking pos session of Persia except an equally large Russian army, or the dispatch of troops from the Engifsh- Indian army to Persia. It is by no means cléar that Russia or England can spare so many troops as this for a campaign, so far distant from the, field of battle in Europe. They may be forced, for the present, to allow the Turks to take Persia in Germany’s interest. It is their misfortune, and upon this fact the Germans have often counted, that their empires extend over Asia and’ Europe and compel them to guard a vast area of territory with their armies. Now, when they are both anxious to put into the battle in Bue’ rope every available man, trouble in the Near’ East is pgrticularly dificult for them to handle: and the opportunity for a successful revolt par’ ticularly great. A large party of native Persians are eager for independence and are ready to welcome German assistance as a most important step toward that goal. ——3 } In this article, analyzing the impor- tance of Persia in the great European war, the Post-Dispatch presents the first of a series by Roland G. Usher, Professor of History at Washington University and author of “Pan-Ger- manism,” the most notable book of the day. Prof. Usher's articles will make clear to the reader the importance of the chief diplomatic and_ military moves of the' warring countries. Prof. Usher originally intended to write of the invasion of Egypt, but altered his plan because of the greater significance now of the Persian crisis. By Roland G. Usher Written Exclusively for the Post-Dispatch. (Copyright, 1914, by the Pulitzer Publishing Co., Publishers of the Post-Dispatch.) RESSURE is being brought upon Persia by Pp the Germans and. the Turks to join them in the present war, and if the large Ger- man party in Persia should succeed in getting control of that state, its assistance would be very material to Germany and create difficulties for England and Russia which conceivably might compel them to send to the Near East troops which they cannot afford to spare from the battle fields of Europe. Persia occupies an extremely important stra- tegic position and one whose consequences are only too often forgotten. She holds the key to the roads between Europe and Asia. Through Persia have moved for centuries the caravans carrying trade between Asia and eastern Russia. Much of the trade of the Volga River in eastern Rus- sia, practically the whole of the trade of the Caspian region depends upon the maintenance by Russia of access to these caravan routes. Just at present when the access to Europe, and to America, is difficult if not impossible for Russia on account of the war, her connection with Asia is more important than usual. Should Persia join Germany, these trade routes would be cut. Southern Persia controls the roads along the Persian Gulf to India, the only land approaches from Asia Minor to India which are feasible for an army. If, for any reason, the English should lose control of the Suez Canal, this would be their only land route for sending reinforcements to India. Should Persia join Germany, it would practically mean that the Germans knocked at the gate of India. Gulf a Stragetic Position. HE Persian Gulf has only one opening and, T therefore, would make an excellent naval station for a German fleet in the Indian Ocean, to which they could retreat if attacked by a large British fleet. It goes without saying that it would be an easy position for them to defend and it would afford a splendid position from which their cruisers could slip out to prey upon English shipping in the Indian Ocean. A Ger- man naval base which could be maintained by control of the land would, therefore, menace all English trade with India and its moral effect might almost be enough to bring that trade to a close for a time. The insurance rates soar at once when capture becomes possible, fgeight rates go up and the cost of shipping of goods, there- fore, becomes very great dnd sometimes prohibi- tive. There are already in the Indian Ocean some very active German cruisers who have sunk a great number of English merchantmen. With the Persian Gulf in German hands they will have a refuge and a base of supply. We must not forget, also, that Persfla, by its hurtling through space above them, the men are too stunned to be afraid. And in time they he- come fed up on battle and to the noise and dang»: grow callous. On the Aisne I saw an artillery battle that stretched for 15 miles. Both banks of the river were wrapped in smoke; from the shells villages miles away were in flames, and 200 yards in front of us the howitzer shells were bursting in black fumes. To this the French soldiers were com- pletely indifferent. The hills they occupied had been held that morning by the Germans and the trenches and fields were strewn with their ac- countrement. So, all the French soldiers wio were not serving the guns, wandered about seek- ing “souvenirs.” They had never a glance for the villages burning crimson in the bright sun- ght or for the falling of the “Jack Johnsons.” They were intent only on finding a spiked hel- met: and when they came upon one they world rors and also to breakfast and lunch on them. So, after one regiment has been. pounded in the trenches, it is withdrawn for a flay or two and kept in reserve. The English Tommies spend this period in recuperating in playing football and cards. When the English learned this, they for- warded so many thousands of packs of cards to the distributing depot that the War Office had to re- quest them not to send any more. Sharp Contrast of War. HEN the English officers are granted W ' leave of absence they do not waste their energy on foo*ball, but motor into Paris for a bath and lunch. At 8 they leave the trenches along the Aisne and by noon arrive at Maxim's, Voisin’s or La Rue’s. Seldom does warfare pre- sent a sharper contrast. From a breakfast of “bully” beef, eaten from a tinplate, with in their nostrils the smell of camp fires, dead horses and give a shout of triumph and hold !t up for their / unwashed bodies, they find themselves seated on comrades to see. And their comrades would lacgh red velvet cushions, surrounded by mirrors and delightedly and race towards them stumbling uver the furrows. They were as happy and eager us children picking wild flowers. walls of white and gold, and spread before them the most immaculate silver, linen and glass. And the odors that assail them are those of truffles, It is not good for troops to sup entirely on hor-{ white wine and “artechant cause coussalina.” It is a delight to hear them talk. Their point’ of view is eo sane and fair. In risking their legs and arms, or life itself, they see nothing heroic, ' cramatic or extraordinary. They talk of the war az they would of a cricket match or a day inthe . hunting field. If things are wrong they de not whine or blame, nor when fortune smiles are they’ jubilant. And they are so appallingly honest and” frank. A piece of shrapnel had broken the arm of one of them and we were helping him te cut. up his food and pour out his Scotch and soda. Instead of making a hero or a martyr of himeelf, he said, confidingly: “You know, I had no right tc be hit. If I had been minding my own busi-. ness I wouldn’t have been hit. But Jimmie was” having a hell of a time on top of a hill, and I just ran up to have a look in. And the beggars: got me. Served me jolly right. What? . © I met one subaltern at La Rue’s who had that all his money save 6 francs was gone. He 4 27 3 3s Beas as he . ae ) He ay _ ee ae sifll had two days’ leave of absetice, and, truly pointed out, in Paris, even In war th francs will not carry you far. I offered to CONTINUED ON PAGE 86. d ee OLD AD Ae BME ren BA MY nme ” ah Roahape ie Saga sae ~~ sopuaae 4 given so many commissions by his brother off tq cers to bring back tobacco, soap and a gone. fe