Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-30
MERE GIRL WAS HERO.
English Miss First Woman to Be in
Thick Of Fighting.


Correspondence of Associated Press,l
London, Aug. 10.-The first girl who
has been right UP to the front OF the
French army is Kathleen Burke. the
same English girl who on her tour
early this year in behalf Of the Scot
fish women's hospitals in the eastern
states and Canada, collected so much
money that on returning she was
hailed as the thousand ollar-a- day
girl"
A mere slip of girl Of the type
that might be afraid of the report Of a
rifle, Miss Burke stood calmly by the
side of the officers in Verdun, and
while big shells were dropping about
watched the direction of counter a.
tack that repulsed the enemy
AS a special mark of appreciation OF
the splendid devotion of the body OF
workers she represents and Of her own
zeal in raising more than a million
francs in support Of hospitals treating
wounded French soldiers, she was en-
tertained by three great generals. Her
hosts were General Petain. the original
defender Of Verdun, General Nivel!e.
now in command Of the army of YER
dun, and General Dubois, in command
in verdun itself. Miss Burke, was also
received by General Joffre. At din
ner in the vaults of the citadel DIVER
dun toasts to the success of the allies
and to the visitors health were pro-
posed to the accompaniment Of the
boom Of big guns.
Under the care of the commandant
Jean de Pulligny, of the ministry Of
munitions, and recently chief of the
French engineering commission to the
United States, in an automobile placed
at her disposition by the French gov
eminent, Miss Burke visited prac.i-
cally the entire front, paying particu-
lar attention to the work Of the hos
pitfalls. She remained in France about
a month. Ten days after my arrival
assisted at the opening of a new
ward Of 100 beds in the hospital OF
the Scottish Women at Royaumont,"
she said. THE ward is called Canada
because it was paid for by the Cana
dian money. The money was given to
me by five Canadian cities during my
hurried visit-Ottawa, Montreal, Toe
onto. Hamilton. and London, Ontario.
The Canadian Red Cross made me a
splendid gift Of $4,000.
Everywhere was tremendously
impressed by the work Of the hos
pitfalls, their remarkable systems
whereby the wounded are so promptly
given the best attention, and I was
actually glad to witness the wonder
full work Of the American ambulance
sections. l saw several and they were
much closer to the firing line than
anyone would imagine. the young men
being constantly in the greatest peril,
but seeming to forget in their zeal all
about their personal safety"
Altho she knew it in a vague way,
ize the great danger she was in at
yerdun as she stood out near the top
OF the citadel and watched the battle
Men were falling within few hun
dred yards of her. TT was a bit
thrilling" she said. especially to see
the big shells rough words from
Krupps. az the officers referred to
them, falling on various sides. l do
not retain impressions Of any Of them
individually. but one burst some 200
yards away from where we stood Il
was a big one We did indeed feel
much safer when We were in the COM
Portable and protected vaults under
the citadel think it must have been
the perfect ease and lack of the slight
est trace Of anxiety among the officers
that set me so much at my own ease
during the terrific cannonade Of the
big guns"
For her efforts in behalf OF toe
Serbians. Miss Burke has been made
a knight Of ST. Sava in Serbia the
youngest on the roll. Her organiza-