Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-01
EAGLE GROVE WOMAN HOME
FROM SERVICE IN RUSSIAN
HOSPITALS.
SPENT SIX MONTHS
AS RED CROSS NURSE
Describes Scenes and Incidents Of Great
international Tragedy Being Enacted
in Europe-Russian Soldiers De-
seribed as Wendsrfut 6einss-crip-
plies Roam Streets of Cities. .--'-'

Z
having seen understandable horrors that
accompany the great European war,
Sara HILBERT, daughter Of A HILBERT,
owner OF the Grove hotel in this city.
is glad TO be home with her parents
once more. Miss Hilbert is a member
OF the American Red Cross Associa-
ton and for six months has been nurs-
ing wounded Russian soldiers at the
American Red Cross hospital at KEY,
Russia Miss HILBERT win visit with
her parents a few weeks before report
ing for duty at the Chicago Red Cross
bureau. -.
Miss HILBERT arrived home in time
for Thanksgiving Twenty-three days
were consumed in the, journey home
from Russia. The American Red
Cross closed all of their foreign
branches in September because OF lack
OF funds. The return journey was
made thru Siberia, thence to- Japan
and San francisco and across country
to Iowa. and Eagle Grove
AloEg the road thru Siberia Miss
Hilbert declares there are thousands
OF German and Austrian prisoners at
work on the highways and military
roads. Prisoners are also to be seen
at many points thruout Russia, doing
the work that was formerly done by
peasants.
War Preparation in Japan.
In Japan the American nurses were
entertained by the Japanese Red Cross
Society. They We're taken to points of
interest and shown Japanese hospitals.
In Japan many trained soldiers are to
be seen maneuvering. says Miss Hib-
bert. Japan is fitting and equipping
large field army that may be thrown
into the war In Europe and be q de-
Gliding factor Of the struggle.
Our journey to Russia started from
New York March 20. 1916" said Miss
Hilbert. "Our destination was Bergen
Norway. At Kirkwall we were de-
tanned eight days 6ecause of the Eng
lish blockade Business men aboard
ship were dissustsd with the delay and
the British were-yery unpopular with
men on board eur chip .--.
arriving at Bergen. We stopped for
short time before going thru to
ChTistiania: aad. Stockholm. We then
travelled to- Pstrogrsd, where We. saw
many soIdiers departing for thu trent
Along the way to Kiev. where 4 was
stationed, there. were many soldiers to
be seen. travelling IN the direction Of
ths lighting.
During the summer when the Ger
mans started their great drive people
at Ktev were frightened and evacuat-
ed the city We stayed on until Sep
to return home. p.
Russian People Tsrrorfzsd.
Russian soldiers, who had been
wounded and who were sent to our
hospital, declared conditions in the
field to be terrible. At this time no
hope was held out for Russia, only
by the most optimistic, as the Ger
mans had thrown fear into the peo-
pie Of the car.
"Soldiers who came to our hospital
appreciated greatly the work we were
doing. They thanked US continually
and while convalescing did many
| things to make. our work lighter and
more cheerful. ,--- e..
TN Kiev during the summer refugees
swarmed the streets. The majority
were fleeing their homes in Galicia
and Poland. where the Germans had
gained a foothold and were sweeping
everything before them. Whole families
crowded towards Petrograd. I heard it
said that 100000 people had been
dislodged from their homes. Truly. the
people Of Galcia and Poland will be
a burden to the Russian government
as the government must take care OF
| them
at Kiev the refugees were given
shelter in railroad stations. One could
walk into a station late at night and
see entire families huddled together.
trying to get what sleep was possible
( with floor as bed. Later these peo-
pie 1ourneyed closed to Petrograd.
| This fall, just before we left. the
| Russians were once more optimistic.
A new army was being prepared for
the front and the German drive had
| been stopped to a certain extent.
| Conditions in the Russian trenches
were described as being terrible by
soldiers who would come to the hos
pital to be treated. They said the
trenches ran with blood. Blood was
everywhere. Great damage had been
done by German artillery. The Ger
mans secured many hits out Of their
salvos and the Russians were given to
realize that the. German gunners makes
| few misses. .-
Russians would come, to the hospi-
| tai In very uncieane conditions. Their
clothing was stained with blood and
in many cases was dropping of the
soldiers. Ordnance factories can not
keep up with the demand for. wearing
apparel
TN our hospital we had 500 beds.
During times Of stress we made room
1 for 800 men. A large number Of lives
were saved, but insanitary conditions
that existed in the trenches are such
that many die of disease.
Il will venture to say that nine