New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-01
Thousands Gather Twice a
Day at Clearing House
for Wounded Soldiers.
FLOWERS SHOWER
ON HELPLESS HEROES
LOndOnerS Welcome Home Men
They Had Cheered When
Starting for Front.

London. July % Between the bat
tlodelds Of Picardy. where the greatest
fight Of all time is now taking place,
ana tive rest Of the British Empire,
there is a human clearing house, nor
mally railway station, known as Char
ing Cross. As train terminus 1t Is
nuisance and an anachronism; as the
extremity Of a bridge across the
Thames. il is an cyesore. Yet at the
moment it is the most sacred place IN
Britain.
Twice daily trainloads Of wounded
mon arrive here from France. On Tor
eicn soil they have offered their lives,
not in defence Of their country against
an invader. but because Of an idea, ar
inherited conception Of duty and of
liberty. Until two years ago, probably
not ono in fifty had handled a rife,
and soldering. TO them. was the pro-
foSsion Of the incapable or the ne err
do-wcu. Bat within the last month
they have marched. cheerfully, and
singing. into a maelStrom of fire ana
death. -,
London saw them going away. They
went quietly. unOstentatiOuSly, with no
bands and few farewells England, in
the background. thought deeply and 81
leutly about their departure. In num-
berlcss homes nothing else seemed to
matter.
The Homecoming.
And now some have returned, on
stretchers and in ambulances, to be
swallowed up in hospitals and nursed
by unfamiliar hands. For some life is
measured by very few days; for others
existence as cripples is the best that
can be hoped; for the rest wounds are
but prelude 20 further fighting. And
yet all seem gay; not one feels the
shadow OF regret.
All this is why Charing Cross, the
dirty, ugly railway station. is London
shrine. Londoner's place Of pilgrimage.
Twice daily LondOners meet there TO
greet the men of whom they are proud.
In their own fashion they go to pay
their tribute of imagination and ad-
miratlon.
To some extent they 60 with feelings
Of dread. Londoners have little git
of expression. They try to cut their
feelings as short as their language.
Homage, even 10 wounded heroes, Is
10 them easier at a distance. Outward
signs are the embodiment OF many IN
ward struggles.
But. fortunately for them, external
means Of expression are in this IN
stance ready 20 hand. Every American
who knows his London is mindful Of
the group Of flower sellers who stand
bv Charing Cross. A race apart, they
are one Of London's landmarks. In
this instance they supply Londons
need -.
Twice daily before the trains Of
wounded arrive. their stocks Of flowers
are raided. knowing the demand, they
come laden heavily, but still the sup
plies never reach the want. Toward
the end they make valiant fight 10
keen a few flowers for their own use
after getting any price they like TO
ask for the others. But even this is
failure. Those flowers are needed by
the waiting crowd.
Eventually the train arrives. Very
soon after n procession OF vehicles,
ambulancos. taxicabs and private auto
mobiles begins 70 stream out Of the
station yard. Each one is tilled with
wounded.
For moment there is silence. The
crowd stands with barred heads. There
seems a doubt whether it Is right to
cheer or not But then some one
always first q woman-throws rose
into the foremost car. That Is the
signal Then the carnival of the
wounded begins Men find their voices.
Flowers are hurled like confetti. Amid
cheers and blossoms the wounded re-
coive their welcome.
There is no mistaking about the re-
Spouse. Men prone on stretchers try
TO wave their hands; officers propped
up on cushions cone rigidly to the
salute; others, helpless, smile their
gratitude.
Il is hard for Londoners to welcome
their wounded They know little Of
emotional display But, crowded in
thousands on the roadway, clambering
on long lines of stopped omnibuses,
they manage TO express 10 their suEer-
ers a heartfelt appreciation.