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IN THE REAR OF THE FOURTH ARMY 147
On the first sixteen kilometres of this road, or right up to the
village of Sommc Py, I was afforded the opportunity of
visiting some highly interesting spots. At the end of September
this was the most advanced road to the south then held by
the Germans in this region.
The first village west of Cernay is Rouvroy. We did not
intend to drive any further this day. We made a short stop
to take our plain, soldier-like early meal—long narrow slices
of army bread with butter and ham, and a glass of claret.
The General had with him an extra car, filled with bottles
of wine, which he distributed among the soldiers. There was
no need to be sparing with wine in these regions, where even
the peasants have their cellars well stocked. But nothing
is taken away off-hand. All will be made good to the owners
after the war. The terms of peace will contain a provision to
the effect that the defeated side shall pay the amount of
every receipt or voucher {bon) representing the value of the
things requisitioned during the military occupation. The
individual is not to suffer direct, but only as a participant in
the misfortune which falls on the country as a whole. It is
the duty of the State to make good the people’s personal
losses when the State is incapable of protecting the property
of the individual against the eremy. And if the invading
power is defeated in the war, its just punishment is that it must
make good the losses of the sufferers.
Perhaps someone may object that it is improper to let the
soldiers drink wine—seeing that, in the east, the Russians
have made the experiment of introducing total prohibition,
and are satisfied with the result. No doubt this demonstra-
tion of moral strength, per se, deserves admiration, though it
does not appear to have been fully carried through at home.
Nevertheless I think that a draught of red or white wine, now
and then, cannot but be beneficial to the soldier if it is dis-
tributed at the right time and in the right place, after strenuous
exertions. To preach total abstinence is easy enough for
those who are not called upon to lie freezing all night in
cold, wet trenches where it is not permitted to light the smallest
fire.
At Rouvroy we left our cars and proceeded on foot up gently
ascending ground, along fields and ditches, through hedges and
brushwood. Here the ground was much pitted by shell fire and
no one could tell when the rain of shells might recommence.
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