New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-16
At the Front, IN PM.

Dear Eliot: We have received he ,,,I :,
the twenty new men on the way gu, q ~.
American Red Cross, and as we hsv, "A.
balances all ready for them the ~ -
under the command OF our "eh.ss
brother. will be prepared to take on, 49,
work with another French Army Diri...,
soon as the men arrive eau front.
/ believe "the chief" is arranging IA ,...
the three sections, Haries' Section, Ss,,,,.
Section and the new section, do oil u. -.
vice for a single army corps. This villA,
great advantage as it will keep us elo.. ;.
gether and enable US to back each o,hs, !,
in tight places. You see these see,i..,
Harjes' and Nortons, have been in eeu,i,..,
service almost since the war started, sad u.
authorities now have absolute eonhdene, IA,
we can handle our Job and are here Ia ,tj,,.
but we need more men and can promise r,r
man who comes out that he will Be- elos,
enough to the fighting all the time to Ken
him from imagining he IS in America
To-day we have been having rather lirs,
time at all Of our hospital posts. OF eosrs
YOU know almost every hospital 81 the irc,,
is within range Of enemy artillery, hs, ysu
would expect a hospital marked plainly al
over with red crosses would be left aors-.
hut In this war it seems that red eros
Fritzie's pet target.
He has been shelllng the hospital buIld!,n
all afternoon and We have been helpire
move out the wounded TO safe places PEI,
fellows, Il seems as II they ought 10 sst
little rest from being shot a. This is1ts
new trick Of little Heinie's at all, and thea
Of his mildest pleasantries.
Some Of our new men got their frs. wru
ton Of working under fire. The Almigiyh
not altogether on the Boche's side, for ksh
certainly taking care of ambulance driven
here.
The weather is and has been vile cold. s.i
mean. piercing quality-rain and mud all osr
everything. Even the hard metslled road,
are inches deep in molasses-like mud, busu
are so we'll of in comparison to the vonts'.
ful French soldiers that we shouldn't net
tion any little discomforts. wish could
describe their cheerfulness under !. all Is
the trenches.
To give you a picture Of II. Imagine yos''
self out of doors in cold Boston vintsrs
NIGHT. in a mean rain and no waterproof;
them get a gun and stand in ice water nd
mud up to your middle with the ever presen:
prospect Of shell landing on you, and mst
and then only, will you begin to get the ldea
Pile few nights and days OF the same nrs
on TOP of one another and the picture VII
grow clearer, but It doesn't seem 70 damfes
the French ardor, for every Poilu In ne
army knows they have the Hun beaten .aa
it is only a question OF time before rs
soueals will grow louder. For even nov tho
Boche prisoners coming through wen eg
ara all telling the same tale-"We nsvs use
enough"
We are taking on what we are commencing
% carry out with enthusiasm snd pleasure
viz. distributing the gifts from Ameres
the French soldiers as they 80 into the ifof'
trenches.
One day last winter strayed into one o.
tho central Offices Of the Lafayette Society q
New York, and there saw some OF the e's
who had been dancing the night before s'F
ing and packing the kits. Ny pride and con-
fidence in our American women was revsm
ed. and now It Is our opportunity u WISE
was the girls also) to see and hear the sfsp'
tude and thanks with which the soldiers "
ceive their personal gifts from Amsna
They are amazed and elated that the An''
leans think enough Of them to send nsH
gifts.
The chain Is complete from the ballrcou
the trenches.
The American clearing house. at . Is"
Francois Premier, in Paris, was stared =
the beginning of the war. IL is run ehurv
by Americans and receives all the AmeneA
gifts of all kinds and starts the distrioun's
and we take the packages from 'ns
heads to the soldiers and distribute |" W.
battalion In turn.
Some days ago was our first distnou",.
Companv by company the men fled up 70 w
loaded camions The French captain ssa'.
ally made a little speech explaining 'nn
these were personal gifts from Ameriesas
them. sent from America and handled ITO.
start TO finish by Americans. Couid ".
have only seen them gathered aoou' VI
semi-circle, stocky, hardy. well SET Up al
fed young fellows, serious raced pus
bright, smiling eyes, listening IN s.s.a.,
admiration TO their captain linen INV" ~,
preston Of thanks 70 America a. inc, ~
their gifts-candles, sweaters, fa'nes I".'
towels, soap, needles, thread, SOCKS, ~" -.
clothing, mufflers, gloves. ete.-wou'a a.
amply repaid any American who ever "'S'
gift to France. It was wonderful Va.
1t certainly is a great pleasure io' w.
tons Section TO be q link IN suen a.,
and hope it will be a never-endlng cav q,
the French are surely doing the hgn'hs :"
the world. IL
We are also distributing band.se. =.
hospital supplies Of all kinds Directly 90, ~
hospitals, and any gifts sent 70 .;,ss
Norton, s. S. V. No. 7, care OF Am s..s.l,
Clearing House. Paris" will come on Wv"
to where they will be a real benehI
We are in this service-every one ', a.,
to be as much help as We can sns ~
money you can collect for new cars ~"
pair expenses will help US carry II on
Every wounded man for our ca" rs
little pillow put under his head /" -,
on his stretcher while We slide him M s,s
ambulances, and that pillow stays v'n
till he gets to his bed in the hosps'.,
helps to mako him q little less uneo% "a.
able, and we have use for all the wv. -
lows any one sends us-and the wo usu'ss
preciate them. PHILLIP