The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-13
Birmingham Man Is Busy Helping to Care for the
 Wounded in Battle
NEW. HOSPITAL IS
 BEING FITTED UP
Will Be Located Between Paris and Soissons--Algerian Soldier Says He Is Glad to Lose
 His Arm

pr. Earle Drennen of Birmingham, al Red Cross volunteer. who is wii,ning a high reputation in the American hospital in France. in writing to his wife of the stirring scenes under his observation, says:
 Paris, November 20, 1914
 Tor the last two or three days. ve wanted to write: thinking every day that could tell you where we are going to be. It seems now that we are going to be about 2S miles north of Paris at Dammartin, which is just about 32 miles from Solssons, where the firing line now is. pr. Hogult from New York has just left and I have taken his service here on the American ambulance hospital in Paris. Here shall be for at least two weeks, and as long as care to stay.
 TT have 30 beds and they are all full, and some most interesting cases. Had an appendix operation yesterday on a con vaiescent patient, man whoshad been shot in the arm. Seems like hard luck on him, but l believe that he is pleased to know that he doesn't have to go back to the trenches just yet. I am working under Dr. Du Bouchet now and he is a very charming man and good surgeon. He has had a rather interesting life. hav- ing married Russian student, and on account of his sympathetic manifesto tions during the rioting in Odessa some years ago he was imprisoned in Russia. A year later he successfully operated on the wife of the governor of the province and so a pardon was granted him and his wife on condition that they never retrun to Russia. He is very busy with private work and does very little of the actual work here at the hospital.
 Tt has been most interesting to it out a hospital completely-almost like dream to have an unlimited amount of money to draw upon. have kept lists of every thing for the operating rooms, the wards and their furnishings. on down to the kitchen. We have complete scheme for handling patients and dividing them ac- cordins to the nature and degree of heir injuries, bathing, caring for valuabes and clothes and disinfecting the same. The French government fortunately furnishes man who is responsible for all money and valuables brought in by patients and he himself searches their clothes
 Kit of French Soldier
 'The kit of the French soldier is most interesting. To begin with, he wears a heavy overcoat which Is very warm, and waterproof. the front ends of which are turned back or buttoned back, thus ex- posing the lining of the coat and at the same time forming warm pocket for each hand. On lis back he carries a small tin cup a blanket carefully folded and strapped. extra socks cooking vessel . tooth brush and an extra pair of shoes these pointing vertically on either side ot his blanket and cooking vessel. The French army has no tents, the soldiers sleep in the open always, much as repre- sented in the picture. The Soldiers Dream. It is said that in the trenches now, when taken by the enemy no guar. ter Is given. All who cannot run and get away on account of injuries are instantly shot. Both the French and the German: do this, so that it does no good to sur render when ones position is taken.
 T talked yesterday with Mr. Porter who is q friend of Henry James. He wa in Germany and Belgium last week ant came to Paris by way of Switzerland II Germany ile says they would shoot you fl minute if they thought you were Eng lisf, but for an American, too much can not be done They treated him royalty bought meals for him. would not let hin pay for stopping at the hotels-in tact he could not spend any money at all They told him all Americans would b. guests of honor. It is quite easy to go t Switzerland and so into Germany. Tn newspapers here contain very little new and this is mostly confined to officia eommuninues. and dispatches, from tn various governments. It Is most inte,e est ing and instructive all the time. and ar very glad to be here"
 Changing Signs in Paris
 Paris, November 22, 1914.
 'Thcre are many little things indica
 tt.ontinued on Page Nine)