The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-16
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

l were in the basement of the agricultural department in Washington. I shant go into details about how busy we are. think that until l return to you 1 will be swimming against the tide and stupidly holding my breath. But it is all wonder fully fascinating.
 "The landing was the most irritating thing maginable-English stupidity run Ismpant luggage dumped higgledypiS- gledy, and wretched darkness every where. As Madame Gronitch had nine pieces of hand luggage besides things we were carrying to Servia in the way of sweets, and three large trunks, and as all English porters look alike to me, you can imagine my difficulties. I was con- stantly tipping the wrong ones, and as a result, got nothing done. We reached London at 3 30 o'clock in the morning and the whole damnable luggage business had to be done all over again. At dawn we reached our hotel, but the beauty of the drive and the weird charm of London asleep-and at war-made up for all the difficulties through which we had been.
 EVIDENCE OF WAR
 That it is war time is everywhere evident--soldiers drilling, highland lad dies wheeling by, and great crowds of people; everyone hopeful and determined but to my mind, a bit ignorant. It is touching-the assured faith they have in cur friendliness. MT. Wilson's note inn presses by it's strength. I feel like say ing to these people. He can write dozens of them just as strong, but it doesn't follow that he would act upon them. ? "
 At this point Miss Shelly writes or certain friends she has encountered in London. After indulging to some extent in light gossip, she declares that there is so much that one could say, that I will stop for a moment When she resumes she is in Paris, and the date is Aug ust [.
 You see how moments fly" she begins anew. This is the first opportunity l have had of completing my letter begun a week ago in London. I am sick abed with the 'wretchedest' headache a woman ever had-but for that fact this opportun- ity to write would in all probability be lost
 "The crossing from Folkstone to Dieppe was the worst thing I ever endured, and I can't deny the fact that I was i'll, so sick that I went to bed with wretched, binding headache as soon as we arrived which was late night before last-and I am still not rid of it.
 THE RED TAPE
 "The getting out of London was nearly as upsetting as getting out of New York. At the last moment on
 | declaration that I would have to go in person to the French embassy if I in tended to leave the following morning. After spending over three hours in having my photo taken three times and paying out 10 shillings for taXis and 16 for French passport, and endur- ing the impertinent slowness (although had special note to be hurried through) of young French whipper- snappers, l finally was permitted to go. Outside in the rain were hundreds waiting to get in women with tears streaming down their faces-going to some hospital, I suppose, to their wounded; soldiers in olive drab; refu- gees, a whole world of pent up misery to make the heart sick But all Lon don is as nothing to the gloom of Paris-closed shutters everywhere, this hotel like a deserted, haunted place the crowds robbed of all their miTth and child-like gayety. It makes a diff ference when the enemy is on ones soil
 ENGLAND NOT AWAKE | England does not yet realize what
 is before her. There the cafes are still 1 going. Ridiculous turkey trot music is
 played. At the Savoy they dance every | evening, hundreds of officers, coming | and going, and only the darkness o1 l night to cast the shadow of war | darkness and the lack of things tc l drink after tea! But here there is not only darkness but a solemnity that grips the heart-Pars deserted All the | frivolities and the childish, unthin kins chase for pleasure cast aside; the big | hotels on the Champs Elysees turned 1 into hospitals pour les blesses,' wom- l en everywhere in deep mourning, chil-
 dren playing without smiles!
 | "All this I saw yesterday when we went out for drive in the Tuilleries
 gardens and watched the people. The 1 uniforms are so queer. There seems
 to be nothing they do not put together I saw a wounded officer with a drat blouse and brilliant red trousers with
 blue stripes. Some wear corduroy and all the long coat, buttoned up on the l side. I hear they have no material to 1 make others In London one heard | that all that was required was pa l tience and time and munitions-and :! they were being made But are they: l Certainly, but not fast enough. An
 English officer said that one reason for 1 the shortage was that so many muni- l tions had been given to the Russians But that seems improbable to me or 1 else hideously stupid when England 1 herself needs them so badly.
 OPINION IN PARIS
 | "Here I hear that it is to be long
 war. and it appears that even the most
 sanguine accept that fact Women ev- l anywhere are doing mans work-on | the trains, in ticket offices and as mes- l sengers. One wonders what has become | of that huge class of wretched women 1 who once lived on mems vanity and | emotions. There is no evidence Of them I now. Perhaps more good will come
 from all this wretched misery than we