New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-24
Head of Lighthouses" for
blind Soldiers Here on
the Rochambeau
PRAISES SPLENDID
MORALE OF FRENCH
,uoortance of Offensive
by Allies Can't Be Mag
nifed, She Says

s,j. impossible to magnify the I'M
- ~ the Allied offensive on the
- said Miss Winifred Holt, the
y. - romsn to return from the West
var front, who arrived yesterday
:. me Rochambesu.
-. o,e looks over the wide, rolling
~. the only indications Of battle
-. ,iny white pufs Of smoke along
- horizon indicating the bursting OF
..s,nel the unceasing roar OF artil-
s-v slOnc the whole line, punctuated
:, hurls calls from unseen buglers' and
y. -ssounding crash Of enemy projec-
-. answering the Allied lombard
~. The only signs Of human lie
:, the never ending stream Of smbu-
'.,,,, and stretcber bearers carrying
40 wounded to field dressing stations.
unfortunately, am not permitted
q. stste the exact locality TO which TWO
..,4 officers conducted our party. buy
80 bsttlefelds we visited were those
,L.re the heaviest fighting had taken
,l,ee few days previous. .,
sTbe ground was briken up on aii
,,sss az If a giant harrow had passed
80, II 4 few moments before our
..,;v.l an exploding she'll had killed
Zee soldiers, and as we passed the
S .-,T squad was digging shallow
raves for them"
Miss Hollis Work for Blind
Permission was granted Miss Holt
=, 70 10 the front by the French war
0Eee in recognition Of the splendid
vork she and her little band OF Amerl-
- and French women have been
Soine in aid Of the soldiers blinded
!. hattie. Two Lighthouses" have
zen established where the blind are
.,rrbt 10 see through their fingers,
"a are reeducated in order that they
-,v he able 70 earn their own living,
md be a help rather than hindrance
~ those dependent on them. Inc
scomite Franco-Americain pour Les
lvsuples de Ia Guerre," supported en-
s,sly BIZ voluntary contributions, OF
vbich Miss Holt is president, is under
,hs patronage Of President Ponccare
,rs Ave Cabinet ministers, all OF whom
nave expressed unqualified praise OF
he work Miss Holt IS doing. A large
bsilSing in Paris and one in Bordeaux
i.vs been donated by the French gov
eminent 10 further her work Tor the
Blind soldiers.
INV orlv knowledge Of war had been
from the sights ] had witnessed IN
~ base hospitals" said Miss Holt
and wished TO 60 TO the actual front
n zee how the poor fellows we're cared
icr in the field dressing stations. II
vasE revelation.
Wherever possible the wounded are
plsesd on board canal boats, which
AVE been equipped with the most SAN
iary appliances. Operating room
nrted q spotless white occupy. one
end Of the barges, while the remainder
is devoted 20 long wards, containing
tfty 70 seventy-fve beds. As soon as
one barge is filed il is towed quietly
along the canal or river TO some more
rrotected spot in the rear, where its
Inmates are carried on stretchers TO
The base hospitals situated near by
This method Of transportation elm
mates 10 the greatest degree possible
al shock and jar.
French in Splendid Trim
1T was p wonderful experience 70
witness al first hand the splendid mo-
Fsle OF Frances fighting men. Pre-
yously / had only come in contacl
With the wounded, whose spirit had
ti,entimes been broken through Ions
hours Of pain and suffering, and who
we're pessimistic over the outcome Of
the battle in which they had beer
wounded. But TO 20 TO the front, pass
irg through many scores OF troops
Stationed in reserve behind the lines
and 10 witness their eagerness to &C
to the front, was a sight. indeed!
AS our party passed through gen
srsl headquarters word had just beer
received Of the taking Of NauX, on The
Verdun front. The men cheered q:
loudly Is If il had been their owl
regiment which had won the charge
The French are united as never before
Gone is all factional strife. Petty jeal
ousies and ambitions have been cas-
aside, and their motto seems to b'
One for all and all for one.
Miss Holt is here TO deliver several
lectures on the work the Lighthouse:
have done in instructing more than 300
blind soldiers and assisting over 5000
partially blind in their struggle fol
new life.