THE AMERICAN SOLDIER

We have, since the outbreak of the war, listened to stories published in our newspapers telling of the superiority of one American doughboy to countless numbers of Germans. Yesterday we learned from one of the daily papers that the Americans on the Marne slaughtered one thousand enemy troops and lost but one man. All of which is cheering news, but somewhat ridiculous, and very few educated people can be expected to take much stock in such exaggerated reports.

What is clear, however, is that the American soldier is showing up well. He is inexperienced and new to the game of war, but in spite of all he is "making good." That he is as useful as his French and English allies is liard to believe; they are veterans and he has much to learn. It is encouraging, never the less, to see that the Germans have guessed wrong once more. They laughed at the idea of a powerful English army, they were sure that no large Canadian force would reach their front, and they sneered at the notion of a million Americans in France. To them it seemed impossible that a draft army and an army of volunteers could vie with the Kaiser's trained men. We have not as yet completely proved that the American Army, man for man, is the equal of the German troops, but we are decidedly on the right track. At Seicheprey, at Cantigny, and on the Marne "we met the enemy and they were ours." This is no cause for boasting: the German offensive has for overshadowed the tiny dents we have inched in the hostile line. Yet it is, we hope, an omen of future victories. If the coming millions live up to the standards of the first hundred thousands the final outcome cannot be in doubt. The German successes now need not loom too large in our minds when we gaze toward the future. Our war machine is getting under way.