The Washington herald., 1917-03-01
New York, Day by Day
BY O. q. MCINTYRE.

Special Core spundent Of The Washington Herald
New York, Feb. 2s.-He has ten medals
for bravery in the trenches. ! met him
at a social affair and out on a little
enclosed balcony between dances he puff
ed at a cigar and told me his story.
He is a Canadian and enlisted at the
beginning of the war In France he was
''gassed." The condition brought on by
the gas produced saliva, running from
the mouth eyes. and nose. and a contrac-
ton in the chest which makes it i'm
possible to lie down.
The medical belief was that only NOR
phine would case him and in a hospital
he was given morphine. When he was
able. a solution of morphine and a syringe
were placed by his bed and he could use
it as often as he wished. They meant
TO be kind TO me- he said. but they
made me hopeless drug fiend.'
When he left the hospital he returned
to the Colors and fought In the Louvaine
and Marine engagements. Again he was
wounded and again he got more NOR
phine. At the Somme front he was
wounded for the third time-and again he
got more morphine.
lie told me it was easy enough to get
morphine in the trenches. The SCARLET
women who follow in the wake OF the
army are well supplied with drugs and
they sell 1t to the men. Despite the fact
that he got a Victoria Cross for daring
when he arrived in America he was a
trembling shaking hulk of a man from
drug addiction.
Friends secured quarters for him in the
c. B. Towns Hospital in Central Park
West. and here he fought the battle and
won out. His experience. however, has
saddened him and he does not believe he
will ever ne happy again. II think" he
said. looking out over the lights of Man
haitian. "consf antly of the wounded men
in the trenches who. If they survive, will
be in the clutches of morphine. And
the majority will not be so lucky as 1
have been"
In a Brooklyn court. Dr. Edward Piper
gave an insight into life on the surface
cars there the other day. The doctor was
arraigned on charge of assault pre-
terred by Harry Bennett. a conductor.
DR.. Piper said he got on the car and
gave Bennett 10 cents. He presently felt
a weight in his hand. heard a great clank-
ing. and looking into his hand found
therein pennies.
According to the conductor the next
thing he remembers is that DR.. Piper took
a snakewood walking stick and hit him
in such a way that it wrapped around his
neck and hssed.
Dr. Piper had very little TO say except
that he cared nothing for pennies-to him
they were not even cute looking or any
thing.
THE Thester Workshop is composed
of a new group of intellectual brilliants
who are out to whoop the grand and
noble cause of uplift. Their aims are
carefully outlined in a circular I have
Just received. Arthur Hopkins is one OF
them. and there are many others on the
list who are more or less prominent.
They ask for work from people who
can write plays. And that in my opinion
is nonsensical. The people who can write
can place their own stuff What is needed
In New York is to help the young and
timid beginner.
There are hundreds OF ambitious young
men and women in New York who are
living in the garrets and byways Of WASH
ington Square literally starving because
no one will help them.
Many of these people are talented
much more than some who have arrived
and what they need Is encouragement
There is one poet downtown who sold a
poem only after borrowing 10 cents for
carfare to an editors Office.