Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-01-15
AMERICAN AMBULANCE CORPS
Henry James, Novelist, Tolls What n.
Saw at tho Front.

Saw at the Front.
The American volunteer motor am
bulance corps, which was organized in
London by Richard Norton, and which
has been doing splendid work at the
front, is appealing for aid through
Eliot Norton, and in order to interest
Americans, Henry James, the cele-
brated novelist, was asked to visit
the front and give his views Of the
service. AS a result, Mr.. Norton has
given out Mr.. James impressions,
which have the merit Of being very
Henry Jamesy, and at times Of bring
ing one almost to that very verge Of
understanding" which Agnes Repplier
once said was characteristic Of James
literary style. Mr.. James went to the
front in France, and as a preliminary
to his descriptions Of the actual
service Of the ambulances in the field
told Of the organization Of the corps.
Some of his most lucid field impress
sions were as follows:
Every form Of assistance and in
quiry takes place, Of course, in con-
ditions Of some danger, thanks to the
risk Of stray bullets and shells not
infrequently met when cars operate.
as they neither avoid doing nor waste
fully seek to do, In proximity In the
lines. The Germans. moreover, are
noted as taking the view that the in
sigma Of the Red Cross, with the i'm
plication Of the precious freight II
covers. are in all circumstances q
good mark for their shots, a view
characteristic Of their belligerent sys-
tenn at large, but not more deterrent
for the ministers Of the adversary In
this connection than in any other,
when the admirable end Is in ques-
ton.
mot the least Of the good offices
open to our helpers are the odds and
ends of aid determined by wayside
encounters in ravaged country
where distracted women and children
flee from threatened or invaded vii
lagos, to be taken up, to be given the
invaluable life. If possible, in all in
conference Of their alarm and misery;
sometimes with the elder men mixed
in the tragic procession. tragi-comic
even, very nearly, when the domestic
or household objects they have match
ed up in their headlong exodus and
are solemnly encountered with bear
the oldest incorporation to the gravi-
| ty Of the case.
"They are hurried in, II the car is
happily free, and carried on to COM
parative safety, but with the admir-
able cleverness and courage Of the
French woman Of whatever class es-
sentially in evidence in whatever con-
tact, never more so, for instance, than
when a rude field hospital has had OF
sudden to be knocked together in
the poor schoolhouse Of a village, and
the mangled and lacerated, brought
into it on stretchers or on any rough
handcraft or trundled barrow that
has been impressed into the service
have found the villageoises, bereft OF
their men, full Of the bravest in
stinctive alertness, not wincing al
sights Of horror fit to try even trained
sensibilities, handling shattered rem
nants Of humanity with an art as ex-
temporized as the refuge itself, and
having each precarious charge ready
for the expert transfer by the time
the car has hurried up.
Emphasized enough by the cease
less thunder Of the front, the artillery
Of the French and the British re-
sistance and the pitch Of their spirits
but one feels that Is meant none the
less when one hears the variety OF
heroism and the brightness Of de-
votion in the women over all the
region of the battle described from
observation as unsurpassable. Do we
take too much for granted in imagin-
ing that this offered intimacy Of ap-
| probation of such finest aspects Of the
admirable, immortal France, and Of q
relaxation with them almost as IL
Eliminating to ourselves as benefcent
| to them. may itself rank something OF
an appeal where the needs Of response
to her magnificent struggle in the eyes
of our free longings and liberal i'm
pulses already exist?
II have doubtless said enough
however, in illustration Of the interest
attaching to all this service, a service
in which not one of the forces OF
social energy and devotion, not one
Of the true social qualities, sympa-
thy, ingenuity, tact and taste, fail to
come into play. Such an exercise OF
them as all the incidental possibili-
ties are taken advantage Of, repre-
sents for us all, who are happily not
engaged in the huge destructive work
the play not simply Of preparatory
or consolatory, but positive product
i've and creative virtue in which there
is a peculiar honor.
I'VE Americans are as little neutral
as possible where any aptitude for any
action Of whatever kind, that aff1rms
life and freshly and inventively ex-
emplifies 1t, instead of overwhelming
and undermining it, is concerned
Great Is the chance in fact for ex-
hibiting this as our entirely elastic
our supremely characteristic, social
aptitude. We cannot do so cheaply
indeed, any more than the opposite
course Is found, under whatever IA
tuity Of presumption. inexpensive and
ready-made. What I therefore invite
all those whom this notice may
reach to understand. as for that mat
ter they easily will. Is that the ex'
penses Of our enlightened enterprise
have to be continuously met, and thai
II it had confidence in such support II
may go on in all the alert pride ane
pity that need be desired"
Man His Own Mind Maker.-What {
man may make of himself Is outlined
by Keith ]. Thomas in his book Per
sonal Power"
The author says among othel