New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-01
Our Americans in France
Ambulanciers Who Have Given
Richly to France, but More to Us
tho Editor NJ The Tribune

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: IL is an inspiring and deeply sgnih-
cant spectacle, this slow transmission Of the
efforts and forces Of this giant country-here-
tofore but all too uncorrelsted- the
mighty machinery Of war But in these pom
derous preparations, whose ultimate ends we
may not yet determine, it more than ever be-
hooves the American people to keep very
wildly before their eyes the two organized
groups Of men who, among all our millions
Of citizens, are at this supreme moment on the
French battlefelds-all we can point TO there
in pride ard honor The fine pledges OF our
national willard doubt not there will be
many Of them-to see this conflict through
to magnificent end which we shall eventu-
ally give to the Allies remain to be seen. But
a nations pledge which shall be written with
the rich blood Of sacrifice in the laying down,
for an ideal, of lives forever ennobled, IS the
last pledge, the only pledge, which history IN
its summing takes into account.
The organizations to which ! refer are The
American Ambulance Field Service and the
American aviators with the French army. II
is of these men that history will clearly speak
when history shall be written. These are the
men who have in these three distrsught years
borne on their hearts, as il we're, precious
scapular, the honor OF America. IL is 20
/ them alone We may turn to-day-our Au1eri-
cans in France.
High Hearted Purpose
/ While the American aviators spiritedly en-
/ rolled themselves as soldiers under the
French flag, the American ambulance drivers
remained just what they were-a little chiv-
alrous, devoted band of Americans, willing
to lay down their lives in a foreign land in
the service of gallant nation TO which they
felt bound by every close tie of heart and
soul. To them fell the meek transportation
| of Frances wounded, yet in that very trans,
/ portation their calling took on a significance
not at all meek. They became imbued with
the fire and fervor of their French comrades;
they were sharers; the honor Of France was
! their honor, as the honor of America was
their honor. They looked on the Marine, on
Champagne, on Verdun, and the spirit OF
those splendors laid hold on them. They
learned what mans country can mean to
him. Those of them who have returned have
returned forever changed. Those who re-
main work on tirelessy as men consecrated
to "A high hearted purpose. Those Of them
who lie to-day in soldiers graves on the
scared fields of France have, il is true, in
the quiet laying down of their young lives,
given richly to France, but yet more richly
to America.
From it's modest beginning in the early
days of the war, when a few Americans in
Paris put themselves and their motors at the
service of the government for the carrying
of the wounded n those first terrible days,
r -
grown into great, potent organization for
: the saving Of human life on the French bat
tlefelds-a voluntary service, supported en-
tirely by contributions from generous, warm
hearted friends of France. Daily the service
grows, daily young men from every state in
the Union are applying for admission into
this corps. The little Ford ambulances, that
cost but thousand dollars each to furnish.
have already carried during the war more
than 100000 broken, bruised, lacerated,
gassed, burned human bodies. Could there
be a more eloquent commentary on the
worth Of such a gift to France?
The French soldiers have grown TO know
and to love the American drivers. Wounded.
they often beg to be put into the hands, the
gentle, plying hands, of les Americans.
They are always saying: "C'est chic ce que
tn fails pour nous. lAmericainl" They do
not realize that these drivers are paying but
small part of the great debt the American
people owe to France.
No Finer Service
There could be no finer service though
there may be greater ones-which we a
nation might offer to France than to enlarge
this American Ambulance Field Service to
the magnificent point of taking charge Of
the entire transportation of all the wounded
on the French 'front.' This would mean no
less than ten thousand drivers, and certainly
no less than S5,000,OO0. l wish this might
come as a great, beautiful, unspoiled gift
from the men and women of America to the
men and women of France voluntary gift
While we wait impatently for possible
expeditionary force to be formed and trained,
here is means of relieving a small part of
the huge burden France bears-a means that
could take shape and substance in few brief
weeks Let us give this splendidly-with
eyes alght and hearts enkindied
General Joffre once said of the American
Ambulance Field Service: america has not
forgotten that the first pages of her history
we're written with a little of the blood of
France" No, have not forgotten And
traced a clear, sweet page of the rich his
tory of France in this war. God grant that
we may yet write there still clearer, still
sweeter pages! We have need of them.
EMORY POTTLE.
American Ambulance Field Service, 1872 Fourth
Avenue New York April 25. 1917