The Republican journal., 1914-09-03
Safe at Home.

Direct from the European war zone.
where there are still about $1,000 Ameri-
cans. Rev. and Mrs. George w. Hinekley
have arrived at their home at Good Will
Farm, of which DR.. Hinckley is supervi-
sor. Obliged to live on bread alone, and
with little or no money to purchase food.
hurried from place to place in country
that was in theoretical stage of siege,
were some of the experiences that DR..
and Mrs. Hinckley passed through. They
reached Good Will Farm Monday after
noon, August oath. The next day DR..
Hinckley was met in Watervllle by re-
porter of the Kennebec Journal, to whom
he gave the following account of his ex-
perlences abroad:
Early in the summer DR.. and Mrs.
Hinckley went to Oxford, England, to
attend the International Convention of
Boys Work of the Y. M. C. A. At the
close of the convention they planned a
trip through the western portion OF Eu-
rope. Before going to Germany, where
they first learned of the war. they were
travelling in Holland, and naturally not
being able to read the Dutch papers,
knew nothing of what was going on.
After leaving Holland their voyage took
them on sail up the Rhine, and here
they discovered for the first time that
the German army was being mobiized
for great struggle. Seeking to get into
neutral country they FASTENED to rail-
road station soon after they landed, and
entrained for St. Ludwig, On the way
to st. Ludwig, which is four miles from
the line between Germany and Swltzer-
land, the train was stopped four times.
and the passengers were obliged to get
out; they knew not for what.
1t was just before sunset when they
reached St. Ludwig. The distance to
Basic, the nearest Swiss settlement of
any size, was six miles. Naturally no
trains could go across the border, but
DR.. and Mrs. Hinckley We're fortunate
enough to get the only bus for the little
town. The great problem that faced the
people in Switzerland was that of food.
The country does not keep more than ~
weeks supply on hand, and is dependent
on the country round her for supplies.
The Swiss people wanted to feed their
own first, and consequently, advised all
Americans to leave as soon as possible.
DR.. and Mrs. Hinckley then went te Lu-
cerne.
Several thousand Americans were as
sembled here and mass meetings were
held to lay plans for the quickest and
best means of getting out of the country.
Mr.. Hinckley attended all the meetings
while he was there, and said that 900
gathered for the last he was able to take
part in. Intense excitement prevailed
IN the little Swiss towns. Only the notes
of the American Bankers Association
and the American Express Co, notes
were exchangeable. DR.. Hinckley said
that he never came so near being crush
ed in all the great crowds that he had
been in as he did in Lucerne in front of
the American Express office, while he
was trying to get an express money Or
der for 500 cashed. 1.-The Swiss were
uniformly calm," said DR.. Hnckley.
because they hoped Italy would remain
neutral, and she could get her necessary
food supplies through her, but if Italy
takes hand in the conflict it will make
it hard for the SWISS people"
All the Americans suffered for lack Of
food and drink. Without money to pur-
chase, and then only little obtaina5le,
some of the people had neither food or
water for % hours. Mrs. Hinckley bore up
we'll during all the trying scenes and sur
roundings, and managed to eat the mea-
ger rations that they obtained as best
they could.
One of the Y. M. c. A. workers in
Geneva sent word to DR.. Hinckley that
he could get train from Geneva for
Paris, and against the advice of the con-
sui, took a train there. 1t was necessary
to procure special passports, as passage
was held up short while. Again it was
necessary to secure documents from the
French consul at Geneva and then finally
after long wait they were able to board
a train for Lyons. 1t was 17-hour
Journey and all through France they saw
thousands and thousands of soldiers
camping on the plains. AS the train
crossed the bridges uniformed pickets
could be seen guarding the crossings.
At one station in small town the train
on which the Am orican tourists were be-
ing carried to Lyons stopped alongside of
another train loaded with French soldiers.
The Frenchmen found out that their
temporary nelghbors were Americans
and began to cheer them. Some of the
Americans made known that they want
ed the soldiers to sing, and they all
struck up the national air, "Marseilies,
and tie tourists hummed an accompani-
ment. AS one train began to move there
began hearty exchange of handshakes
between the men who were going to the
battlefield and the Americans who were
seeking safety.
1t was O'Clock in the evening when
the party reached Lyons. There was
train leaving at o'clock that would
reach Paris at the next afternoon, and
another leaving at 10 that would reach
the French capital the next forenoon.
The party of which DR.. and Mrs. Hlnck-
ley were members, decided to wait until
the 10 o'clock, believing they could reach
Paris in time to get the train for Dieppe,
whence they hoped to sail for New Ha-
ven, England. In Paris there was moth
ing for them to eat except bread anG
wine, and they were again delayed get
ting the necessary passports and docu-
ments. Paris, being the capital city,
was in theoretical state of siege. and
in order to get without the limits special
papers had to be obtained from the chief
of police.
At the Paris station, where they hoped
to get train for Dieppe, their hopes
for safe escape into England. continu-
ally fuctuating according to their cir
cumstances, were again lowered. Only
stamped tickets were disable on the
night they intended to leave, and not
having their billets properly stamped
thew had to wait over until the next