The Washington times., 1915-12-26

The Life of Clara Barton" b. Percy
II Epler. which has just come from
the Mcmillan press. Her fame as
philanthropist and publicist Is world
wide. for her great life-work was giving
form and motion to the greatest move
ment OF the past century-the brother
hood of nations.
1t was as founder of the American
Red Cross that Miss Barton immor-
taized her name. and necessarily the
larger part of the book Is devoted to
her work for and in that organization.
Mr.. "Epler has given the work the flavor
of autobiography by permitting his sub
Ject to tell her own story as much as
possible and half its charm and value
are found In her writings contained
in 1t.
Few men have it in their lot to know
many Presidents. but Clara Barton was
we'll acquainted with eleven. Several
of them were her intimate friends. AND
not alone Presidents, but royalty as
well, called her friend, and delighted
to honor her. No American woman ever
could boast so many foreign decora- i
tions: no American woman's name is
held in such veneration abroad.
Braved Everything.
Clara Barton was born in North
At the age of fifteen she became a
teacher. and she followed that prores-
sion for eighteen years, after which
she came to Washington to serve the
Government in the Patent Office. While
she was here a girl acquaintance COM
planed OF there being no opportunities
to accomplish ought for the world.
Miss Barton responded that yppportunl-
ties were many, that they only needed
10 he SI,o tal ha To h.,
word. The South seeded. war was ue-
clared, and she was filled with the de-
sire to help her country by minstering
to wounded soldiers. Society forbade
women at the front. Almost the only
camp followers of her sex were women
of loose life. Would humanity he scan
dalized and her reputation gone II she
tried it," In addition, there were arm
regulations which prohibited it.
Nevertheless. Clara Barton bravod ev-
battlefield No soldier riskcd his life
more readily than she. none bravcd
hardships more uncomplaininEly. At
Chantilly, she says, I remember myself
left arm, nv head resting on my hand.
imnelled by an almost uncontroilahlc
desire to lie completely down. and pre-
vented by the certain conviction that II
I did water would flow into my cars.
After the second battle OF Pull Run, she
SAYS: "You know. tho full record Of my
sleep-from Friday night till Wednosd'v v
- two hours" Superhumar
tagks were hers in those unhappy cam
paigns "In all this vast assemhlage |
saw no other trace OF womnnkind," she
wrote in the days of IIarpers Ferry and
South Mountain. II was faint. but
could not eat: weary. bot could not
sleep: depressed but could not weep"
At Antietam. while bending over a
wounded soldier on the battlefield. "a
outlet sped its free and easy way be-
tween us. tearing a hole in nv sleeve
and found its way into his body. He
fell back dead
At, Fredericksburg.
Miss Barton's own descriptions Of war
scenes are stirring pictures. and she
wrote OF only what trans pircd within
her own vision thus impartinC to them
4 Ihotoeraphic realism Perhaps the
most thrilling of these pictures IS that
telling OF the campaign before Freder-
icEsburC. After unnumbered men bad
been moved down while irving to cross
the river. finally a small body OF Union
t"oops did succeed in eneCtinR a pas
sage. and among the first 20 follow on
that shell-swept bridge was Clara Bar
ton, who found herself 'rnCkinG across
tn" swnyinC bridge. the water Kissing
with shot on either side
Huring the battle of the Wilderness
Miss Barton overheard Union captain
declare it was "a pretty hard thing for
refined people like the peon,e of Fred
erick ksb1rg to be compelled to open their
homes and admit these dirty. lousy.
common soldiers, and that he was not
gong to compel It" She observed other
deIinuucnctes on the part of officers
which were increasing the hardships OF
tho wounded. so she hurried to " ash
by Il SENATOR the Wa Department
rushed commission to fredericksburg
to remedy the situation.
aredeI1chSnurS' ni,; says M Mr.. EDler.
OF Clara Parton. Yet afterwatd in
clear vision she saw through it a michtv
fac:-that it was This defeat that
wrenched from President Lincoln and
the American people the Emancipation
Proclamation! BY it, not only was the
false self-confidencc OF the North dis
pelled forever. but there came ont of it
also the moral courage that was TO turn
defeat into victory"
After the war. Miss Barton devoted
four years to the search for missne
men. and the Government in the no
ginning failing to assist her, she opened
an office and hired a force of twelve
men TO assist her, payinG the expenses
The result of these laborS was a
nervous breakdown, neCcSSta ting q
trip abroad. and while Miss Barton was
in Switzerland, the Franco-Prussian
war broke out. lltE lame nhu gone
before her, and she was invited to join
the International Red Cross in its work
and also received an Invitation from the
Grand Duchess Of Baden.
Her Service in Europe.
She desired. however to work indie
pendently of dhe new organization. and
despite her illness, little while found
her in the Prussian ranks. having &C.
cepted the invitation of the daughter
of the Prussian King. She had beeu
amazed to learn that the American
Government had declined to be sigma
tory to the treaty of Geneva, and sh7
declared that 'if I live to return tC
my country will try to make my
people understand the Red Cross and
that treaty"
1t is interesting to note her opinion
Of the French people. while in this ser
vice: Il am almost tired of France