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Show AMERICAN SOUVENIR HUNTERS li DANGER Retreating Germans Attach i Helmets and Other Equipment Equip-ment to Bombs. BY BEET FORD, Staff Correspondent of International News Service. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, May 1. In the recent battle at Selcheprey, northwest of Toul, the Germans, Just before being driven out of the village, scattered helmets, bayonets, belts and other equipment, planning on the fondness of American soldiers for souvenirs. To each of these "souvenirs" was attached a wire connecting with a high-explosive bomb. A few Americans, eager for keepsakes, were wounded in this fashion, but the majority had been previously warned by their superior officers to beware of such devices and of the old German trick usually played before retiring from the field of battle. The Yankees were too wideawake for Fritz to trap them in this way. During the last twenty-four hours artillery ar-tillery activity along the Toul and Verdun Ver-dun sector has been the quietest in weeks. The Americans at the front have banished ban-ished the name "Sammies' It has never been popular with them. They also dislike dis-like "Amexes," as well as the sobriquet 'Buddies," whioh has been spreading along the whole American front of late. It was introduced by former Montana cowboys, one of whom said: "It means 'pals.' We allies are all pals. 'Buddies' means the Yankee pals of the French, British and Italians." Writers here and at home are wracking their brains for a suitable name for the American soldiers In foreign service. The term "Yankees" Ls most emphatic and expressive of the national scope. The allied troops like It. Some Americans claim the only objection to it is that it might be offensive to southerners. But officers and men generally agree that there is no Mason and Dixon line now. To all Europe "Yankees" means "Americans," "Ameri-cans," northerners as well as southerners. southern-ers. Besides, it has the "punch." |