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Show LETTER FROM FRANCE You say this to your American friends: It is impossible to imagine a more perfect understanding of one another than now exists between the j French and the American pollus. J The reason for their ready cam-' araderie is easy to find; its base Is1 j mutual respect. When the Yankees j first came our poilus looked with a little distrust on these troops with their elaborate equipment and all their spending money: we waited to see what they would be like in action. ac-tion. Well, they have been there and they have shown extraordinary nerve and guts. When surprised by the boche in a recent raid they defended de-fended themselves like wild men even with their feet and fists. The boche did not take a single prisoner. American patrols are models of coolness cool-ness and ingenuity. Under bombardment bom-bardment they do not give way, and that is test enough. They have not the silly vanity that thinks it can't be "shown"; on the contrary, they ask questions whenever they get the chance, and learn how to do things better next time. Their conception of discipline shocks us a bit. Here's a case In point: The other day an American driver was trotting down a steep hill with his four mules. The harness har-ness broke and the animals , ran away. Very skillfully the driver managed so that he drove into some trees and stopped his team, but one mule was smashed against a tree. The American got down from his seat, cool as a cucumber, examined his beast, then tranquilly drew and fired his revolver and drove on. If you could have seen the look on the faces of our men. They talked of it for days. Had such a mishap happened to us, we'd have been swamped under all the reports and statements. I have seen a few of their officers in little villages near the lines. The village people are strong for them. |