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CONTEMPT FOR DEATH That the American at the front shows the utmost contempt for death is the testimony of a Frencli officer who has been attached to our expeditionary forces from the beginning beginningIt It is contained in a letter written to Capt W J Denny onetime AttorneyGeneral for South Aus ¬ tralia who says As an Australian soldier of three years experience in Kngland and France I indorse the Frenchmans tribute tributeIn In July 1917 Captain Denny was In Dijon on fur ¬ lough from the Komnie KomnieAn An American major staying at the same hotel Les Cloches saw I was an Australian and with characteristic American frankness said Our boy are arriving tonight I must see that everything is provided for them Will you come I saw the troops alight and talked to many of them They were strong bronzed earnest determined athletes with great fighting qualities Their con ¬ versation disclosed that they had no delusions well knew they were up against it But they joked and talked and laughed and ate as if the great ren ¬ dezvous were not for them or if they thought of it then how could men do better than lay down their lives for their country countryWe We expected nothing else of our men hut it is pleasant to know others recognized their quality qualityThis This picture should ever be borne In mind When anything is seen that tends to jeopardize the suc ¬ cessful prosecution of the war let those at home who are truly loyal recall the men abroad fighting for us more than for themselves with the utmost contempt for death For profiteering for seekers after personal ngran dizement or for those who would sacrifice patriotism for political consideration there should be gibbets as high as Hainans New York Telegram
