neath the blankets a pair of knotted
hands with fingers and thumbs stiffened and bent in and obviously
impossible to use on a trigger. Brady is not in the hospital for wounds.
Four days and nights in water and mud in the battle of battles had
twisted and shrunken him with rheumatism. But he is one rheumatic who
helped to save Amiens.

* * * * *

Upon the heels of the German successes in Picardy, developments followed
fast. Principal among these, was the materialisation of a unified
command of all the armies of the Allies. General Ferdinand Foch was
selected and placed in supreme command of every fighting man under the
Allied flags.

One of the events that led up to this long delayed action, was the
unprecedented action of General Pershing, when he turned over the
command of all the American forces in France to General Foch. He did
this with the words:

"I come to say to you that the American people would hold it a great
honour for our troops were they engaged in the present battle. I ask
it of you in my name and in that of the American people.

"There is at this moment no other question than that of fighting.
Infantry, artillery, aviation--all that we have are yours to dispose
of as you will. Others are coming which are as numerous as will be
necessary. I have come to say to you that the American people would
be proud to be engaged in the greatest battle in history."

The action met with the unqualified endorsement of every officer and man
in the American forces. From that minute on, the American slogan in
France was "Let's go," and every regiment began to hope that it would be
among the American organisations selected to do battle with the German
in Picardy. Secretary of War Baker, then in France, expressed his
pleasure over General Pershing's unselfish offer with the following
public statement on Mar. 30th:

"I am delighted with the prompt and effective action of General
Pershing in placing all American troops at the disposal of the
Allies in the present situation. His action will meet with hearty
approval in the United States, where the people desire their
Expeditionary Force to be of the utmost service to the common cause.

"I have visited practically all the American troops in France, some
of them quite recently, and had an opportunity to observe the
enthusiasm with which the officers and men receive the announcement
that they may be used in