American war correspondents at the French front in Serbia 160 Headquarters of the French commander in Gravec, Serbia 172 After the retreat from Serbia 176 The ruined village of Gerbeviller, destroyed after their retreat by the Germans 190 "Through these woods ran a toy railroad" 192 A first-line trench outside of Verdun 200 A valley in Argonne showing a forest destroyed by shells 208 War in the forest 216 A poster inviting the proprietors of restaurants and hotels and their guests to welcome the soldiers who have permission to visit Paris, especially those who come from the districts invaded by the Germans 228 All over France, on Christmas Day and the day after, money was collected to send comforts and things good to eat to the men at the front 232 A poster advertising the fund to bring from the trenches "permissionaires," those soldiers who obtain permission to return home for six days 236 "Very interestin'. You ought to frame it" 252 "They have women policemen now" 262 WITH THE FRENCH IN FRANCE AND SALONIKA CHAPTER I PRESIDENT POINCARE THANKS AMERICA PARIS, October, 1915. While still six hundred miles from the French coast the passengers on the _Chicago_ of the French line entered what was supposed to be the war zone. In those same waters, just as though the reputation of the Bay of Biscay was not sufficiently scandalous, two ships of the line had been torpedoed. So, in preparation for what the captain tactfully called an "accident," we rehearsed abandoning ship. It was like the fire-drills in our public schools. It seemed a most sensible precaution, and one that in times of peace, as well as of war, might with advantage be enforced on all passenger-ships. In his proclamation Commandant Mace of the _Chicago_ borrowed an idea from the New York Fire Department. It was the warning Commissioner Adamson prints on theatre programmes, and which casts a gloom over patrons of the drama by instructing them to look for the nearest fire-escape. Each passenger on the _Chicago_ was assigned to a life-boat. He was advised to find out how from any part of the ship at which he might be caught he could soonest reach it. Women and children were to assemble on the boat deck by the boat to which they were assigned. After they had been lowered to the water, the men--who, meanwhile, were to be segregated on the deck below them--would descend by rope ladders.