Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-11-13
lRy Francis Ii. Sayre.l


ence in the Balkans. was looking upon
America for the first time. The only
morning sun was lighting up with 4 radIan:
glow the great buildings and towering SKY
~scraperS Of lower New York: almost a city
of dreams. il seemed, too vast for sub
stance.
1What do YOU think of it9' | asked my
Serbian friend. lie ha1 never seen SKY
~scrapers before. lie was struggling with
.ihs emotion.
..Whv." he gasped. 'it's almost like an
other world And, Undecided, % IT seemed
to enthusiastically different from the
world of tragedy | had Just left.
Again and again a. We walked through
the streets later in the day that starting
contrast was borne in upon me. Here were
Young men in civilian clothes everywhere
on the street: my own military uniform
seemed strangely conspicuous; no women
conductors or motormen ON the ears ana
bu.-es. no women chauifeurs: the ladies
an the streets were not clad ia black: the
roads were thronged with luxurious PR
vate automobiles. Very clearly America
had not yet begun TO suffer.
Until the wounded begin pouring IN. IN
iii the incoming hospital ships deliver ihelr
pitiful loads of smashed and wrecked hu-
mainly. once the flower Of our land. until
the long lists Of dead strike mercileSslN IN
~ the homes Of rich and poor alike, Amer
ira will not understand the meaning 81
war. nor viii she b. ready to make without
~.rumbling hesitation, the sell deniais anu
sacrifice, which this war Will surely de
mand n therefore seems we'll nigh i'm
pos~ible. IN this land Of SMILING plenty -
describe the need. the Understandable need
Ut \ saving. healing work amid the run
and blood and sweat of the battlefront IN
France.
When the first large bodies of American
troops began 10 arrive IN France they
were shipped to IN inland district some
where IL France and there distributed ~
limited groups among the little french
town. ~ the district. Bllcted IN hen co"n-.
MO .tie-. barns and outhou~c-, sleeping
often IN lofts above the p.gs aud cattle
and underneath the roostlng chickens eat
mo their mess in the middle OF the dirty
which were mostly adorned Win
manure piles. washing their clothes ~
nelrhbnring streams. with no tobacco TT
chocolate or soft drinks ~ be hald. he
American troops. accustomed 10 comfort
able and often wealthy homes began to
have their first taste OF war.
s
Far away from their friends and iami-
lies and restraining home influences, ~ 7
strange hand whose people spoke I IAN
enage they could not understand, with moi
n solitary thing 10 do in their times 81
idIenesS. with nothing to occupy their
minds. with none but evil ways oi spending
money burning in their pockets, what won
der that before the y. VI. &. a. had =
chance To appear. the men began 70 drti
IN dangerous directions. Frantic Appeals
came ~ our headquarters IN Paris: For
God. sake come down and save my men
before it, too late" was the burden OF cail
after call from Officers in command
Time. like that bring home 10 one the
TRACED, of opportunities lost through
shortage of secretaries. More 7ccre'arIt~
ne could get later. perhaps; but those par
ticular opportunities, once lost. could never
return again.
n would be difficult To describe the al
most endless activities of the Y. VI. {. \.
IN the field. To fill M the Idle evenings
nf the troops and M the same time NJ
stimulate the mental activity ~ minds
which would otherwise almost run to seed,
some program or other i arranged for ~
most every evening.
Ten DAYS after one of the secretaries ar
rived at u new camp where too many ol
the men found that apparently me ohiN
way ID fill their evenings was e. ~ nothing
or IN 40 evil ne sent in the following pro
cram IL the week evening activities;
Monday Evening Scotch siorc- anu
lecture.
Tuesday Evenine -liegimental band ron
cert.
Wednesday Afternoon - lnter-comp'ny
athletics.
Wednesday Evening Minstrel show ar-
ranged by a sergeant.
Thursday Evening Musical evening.
Local talent. violin, harmonica, BANJO ana
discovered IN the regiment.
Friday Evening Men busy with military
night maneuver~.
Saturday Night-Moving pictures. Wild
West and Charlie Chaplin received w!th =
whoop of delight. They were the i'rSt
movies the men had seen in France.
Sunday Morning TIT Chaplains Bible
class.
Sunday Evening Evening service, GOOD
and 4 strong practical message.
IL ndlillnn ~ al this he hMd nr.nnIZed