The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-11-27
WAR TRAGEDIES
-
REVEALED BY ADS.
Censor Unable to Cover Up De-
tails In PERSONAL Columns.
SOME PATHETIC INSTANCES

Man BLINDED or OfherWlSe inca
pacitated by War-Women Anxious
to Write Letters to Soldiers.
In the great tragedy being enacted
in Europe. what are the little human
units doing? If you wait for the cen
sor to lift the ban which might per-
init you to know you will never find
out. But the most perfect of machines
occasionally slips a cog, and the e n
sorship machine seems to have done SO.
Buried in the Personal columns of
the London newspapers are little par
agraphs that have eluded the censor.
They are neglected, overlooked. but
in them is revealed the heart of the
British nation. Stories of noble sacri-
fee, hero admiration, the warrior spir-
1t and the eternal love of woman for
the lighting man are revealed. Look
at this one from the London Times:
ADY, F1ANCE KILLED, WILL GLAD
~ ly marry and give up life to the care
and happiness of man blinded or otherwise
incapacitated by the war. BOX Y 495, the
Times.
The cannot fight, but they
are doing their part in encouraging
those who can. Wounded soldiers are
idolized. The measure of a mans
worth is his service TO his country.
Sympathetic women throughout the
empire seek to comfort and cheer the
men, and their hearts are opened in
the little personals. Here are a few,
also from the London Times, that illus
trate the point:
WILL LONELY COLONIAL SOLDIER
w (gentleman). at the front or other
wise. who wishes for correspondence,
write to advertiser Qady)? BOX l. 272,
the Times.
T .ADY, MIDDLE AGED, SOCIAL PO-
- sition, would willingly correspond with
lonely officers. BOX Y 454, the Times.
WOULD A WOUNDED OFFICER, ONE
w who is lame and unable to get about
much. like gay and sympathetic letters
from a lady living in the country? BOX
L 20, the Times.
Gay and sympathetic letters" the
line itself is enough to cheer any wor-
rying wounded officer. The following
will show how readily the responses
come:
POX 71 HAS RECEIVED OVER 100
- letters and regrets being unable to an
swer them all.
In the little birth notice below is a
volume of sentiment. Baby McLaugh-
lin was fatherless nearly four months
before be was born.
NTLAUGHLIN.-ON SEPT. s, THE
Al wife of the late Edmund c. McLaugh-
lin, lieutenant Sixth City of London RI
fies (killed in action, France, May 1). of
a son.
The personal columns are literally
crowded with appeals from mothers.
wives and sweethearts who want to
know how their dear ones died. They
are self explanatory:
A MOTHER IS ANXIOUS FOR NEWS
"A of the last hours of 1898 Lance Cor
poral Thomas Pace, London Rifle brigade.
who died Of wounds. Ypres, "a Field ambu-
lance, Belgium, May 4. s. p, SO Holland
road, London, W.
IF ANY OF THE SURVIVORS OF THE
L transport Royal Edward can give any
information attending the circumstances
of the loss of Major Cuthbert Bromley,
First battalion Lancashire fusiliers, in
the sinking of that ship, his mother, Lady
Bromley of Sutton Corner, Seaford, Sus-
sex, will be caeply grateful.
In the conglomerate mass of person
ais for a single day we find revealed
young soldiers eager to start for the
front. but without equipment and anx-
ious to buy revolvers and other weap-
ons from disabled officers-one who is
invalided and wants a dog for a pet, a
third who is anxious to get to the
front, but has to find some n to care
for his pet dog before he goes, and
many other real human situations:
CHAPLAIN AT THE FRONT DESIRES
use of small car; also a gramophone
and records for the men. BOX L 29S, the
Times.
WILL ANY ONE SELL CHEAPLY TO
w lieutenant going front, revolver, peri
scope, prismatic ompas hasnlight,
macintosh with detachable lining, mack
intosh sheet? BOX M "a, the Times.
WILL ANY KIND PERSON GIVE OR
w lend for the duration of the war a
piano for use of wounded soldiers at the
Brook war hospital, Woolwich? Tobacco,
games and books are also greatly needed.
WILL ANY DISABLED OFFICER
w sell army revolver, compass and BIZ
noculars cheap to young off ser? BOX
1856, Harrod's Advertising Agency, 80 Hans
crescent, S. w.
ITO ANY PATRIOT.-WILL StiU GUAR
l. antee 95 per month for gre support
of a subaltern's wife and little girl whilst
he fights for them and you? BOX M "a,
the Times.
All is not tragedy, however, in the
lines that catch the Personal" read.
er's eyes. We have, for example
glimpses of gay guardsmen who turn
their thoughts from soldering to dane
ing occasionally. Here's a little sub
altern who would fain trip the light
fantastic:
GUBALTERN WANTS INTRODUC-
~ ton to dancing set, Kensrngton OIL
west; interview. BOX L 327, the Times.
And so the heart of England's great
middle class stands revealed. All are
anxious to serve the country; all are
filed with heroism and sacrifice, and
no censor can keep the little homely
n g..