Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-20

ganization. Ships with war cargoes
took precedence in them. One ship with
a peace cargo lay in the harbor for nve
weeks, and was then discharged only
because she was needed to carry
war freight. Once there were seventy
five ships lying in the roadstead, while
ships were ranged five and six feet
deep at the docks. Today that conges-
ton has practically disappeared.
"Havre's imports are greater than
they have ever been in her history,
said an official. But they may never
| Take a sample of the business that
is being done and the way 1t is being
done. In a single week 5000 American
| motor trucks were swung out of ship
the docks. their tanks filled. and they
were driven to another part of the
docks. where they were loaded with
supplies for the front Their trial trip
been torn to pieces by military traffic.
in charge of drivers who thought they
were triumphant if they stayed on the
roads. and loaded until their steel
frames grunted. The French tell me
the American truck is the best in the
world
The English truck cannot stand up
under the treatment the American
truck fourishes on" they said. And
your light cars run the legs off any
marvellous"
Havre's war activities are not con-
fined to the harbor and the camp. In
peace times the picturesque portion of
the water front is dotted with very
handsome villas. The owners of the
villas have been turned out Today
soldiers in the butchers blue uniform
of the British convalescent peer out of
these windows. One is rarely out Of
the range of iodoform. The Belgian
1iaf of Sfa hot
summer hotel.
The Memory of Nation.
One of the most touching memories
of the war is that of the salute to the
Belgian flag at the close of day.
Perhaps a dozen men and women,
refugees from a ruined land, watched
it with their hearts in their eyes. An
officer with one arm in sling gave
the orders. A soldier with a band
about his head fired Il little trench
MORTAR pitiful little mortar that had
been cast" because it was unfit for
the real work of war. The half dozen
soldiers attached to headquarters came
smartly to salute. AS the last rays
of the sun glimmered on the blue sea
the Belgian flag f1uttered down.. 1t
seemed a courageous exile.
In one narrow, stone-walled lane I
At first the air was elusive. Then we
recognized it through the quaint dis
guise of language and race and little
piping voices.
"Tipperary." said my companion.
France will never be rid of it"
a long double line of little ones
came down the steep road. Belgian
orphans, some one said. They were be-
ing shepherded by two stout. young
English subalterns, who grinned as
they passed US. but sang Justify on.
We tried to hire a cab. For long time
we were unsuccessful. Havre cab
men, 1t appears, are specializing in
trips to and from camps and docks.
There may be businesses here which
are not connected with the business of
war, but they are hard to find. The
department stores have bought almost
no new goods since hostilities opened.
Their windows look like a rummage
sale. Upon the authority of worried
only the toys which outlived the
Christmas demand of 1913. The only
additions they have made to their
stock is of khaki, blue shirts for SOL
diers. waterproof shoes and trench
tinware. We went into bookstore
All Business Is of War.
Maps, gentlemen? asked the pro-
prietor. We said we didn't want any
maps.
Then English novels, or perhaps
post cards" said he.
His guess was right He said he had
not sold book of any sort in weeks, ex-
cept paper-covered novels to the SOL
diers. His business was solely war
business. In peace Havre does GER
tain amount of business in seaweed
and flint pebbles. The seaweed is
being gathered for use in soldiers mat
iS hot ri m thor
pebbles, for the pottery business has
lapsed during the war. One of the
most popular brands of after-dinner
cordia1s is made near here. The manu-
factory has been turned into a hos
pitaL The cure of one of the churches
said that his congregations nowadays
are almost exclusively soldiers.
On the Place Gambetta is rather
popular restaurant: Last night. every
guest was in uniform, with the ex-
ception of some wives of officers and
half dozen civilians, who were OBJ
here on business connected
with the war. Every public or semi
public building in town Is harboring
doubtful If a motor car is being oper-
ated in town except for war purposes,
barring the two or three taxicabs which
still ply between stations and hotels,
and their business is almost altogether
with officers. The men who remain in
Havre are either physically deficient
or engaged on war work. The work
which once was done by men is now
being handled by women. A woman is
sweeping the street in front Of the
hotel. There are woman porters at the
little railway stations in the outskirts
of the city. The local Y. NJ. C. A. keeps
a number of light cars constantly busy.
All are at work for the war.
There is a complete lack of the bus
tie and confusion which one instinc-
lively looks for in base camp" Ev-
cry day a certain number Of ships come
in, and others which have been I'M
loaded go back for more war freight.
Wounded men arrive from the front for
stay in the convalescent camps.
New soldiers come in from Eng
land to be hardened up for a time in
camp before being sent on to the front.
Men who have been fighting come back
for a rest Motor lorries thump con-
tinually through the streets. No one
is drunk, no one is in a hurry, no one
pauses. Khaki-clad men stand about
the streets on town leave" but they
hold themselves erect and do not loaf.
One gets the Impression of a ceaseless
and ordered activity.
War has become d business.
nIScIISSES RACE pREJTInICE 90