The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-26
EDDY AT C. OF C.
Former Kansan Graphically
Describes War Conditions.
He Speaks in Interest OF the
Y. Nj. C.. A. Work.
IN FRANCE WITH PERSHING
He Tells Some of Horrors OF
Life in Trenches.
Y. Nj. G.. A. Must Raise S520, 900
in the State.
IN FRANCE WITH PERSHING

Speaking in short. cryptic. powerful
phrases, drawn from the vivid pic
lures of his memory, George Sher-
wood Eddy, former kansan and re-
Gently an active Y. NJ. C. A worker
with General PershiLgs force in
France, welled tears, laughter, en-
thusiasm to the eyes of more than 3oo
Topekans and prominent visitors from
over the state at the Chamber OF
Commerce today. Eddy spoke follow
ing a luncheon on behalf of the COM
ing campaign of the Y. NJ. {. A. TO
raise S525, 900 for war work in Kan
sas. The state campaign VIII be IN
connection with a national one ana
his address was the feature of pro-
gram of several meetings in various
parts of the city to perfect organla-
ton of forces for the drive for dollars
of mercy
In beginning. Eddy took his audi
ence back to the years before the be-
ginning of the war and recalled i'm
pressions he received when he spent
time in Russia, Turkey, England,
France and other European countries.
Gradually shifting a mental picture he
brought his hearers down to the pres
ent time and flashed before them the
war with all its horrors; pictured sol
diers sleeping in the trenches with
coats tied about their heads to keep
the trench TdLS IlUDIliS luGlI
faces painted the charges of the al
lied troops thru the deadly gas attacks
and described the white crosses of
France. Under each of these en-
blems, which formed spectre fields
where peoples and lilies once grew,
lay the body of a Tommy Atkins or a
son of France.
New Gas Attacks.
Most descriptive and vivid was his
picture of the new gas attacks de-
vised by the Germans. A new kind
of a gas, mustard fumes, he SAID are
being used instead of the chloride.
The mustard gas comes upon the
men without warning, burns out their
lungs and scorches their skin. 1t
pentrates trenches, dugouts and four
breaths of it ten miles behind the
lines are fatal. 1t is odorless and can
not be seen. Eddy visited the first
2,000 troops gassed with it as Trey lay
in hospitals
Only half the danger the men face
however is that from gunfire. The
other half is from moral danger and
shudder after shudder ran thru the
audience as he described the ravage5
of immortality among French and
English troops The American Y NJ
c. A, he said, is seeking to keep the
Sammies out of this danger and it is
| for that purpose that the Y. NJ. c. A.
wants the $525, 900 from Kansas
Big Y. NJ. C. a. Work
The Y NJ. c. A." he said, has
worked out a mighty program for
keeping the men in camp contented
and away from moral danger 1 can
not take the time to explain it in
detail here, but it begins when the
men go into mobilization camps in
/ this country and goes with them up to
the very hades of death. the
trenches"
Eddy travelled in France over the
ground of the battle of the Marine
and evoked roar after roar of ap-
plause when he told how Joffre.
Frances immortal father" retreated
before the Germans until thirty miles
OF Paris. gave the signal to stand"
and then struck, sweeping back the
Huns for thirty miles or more. He
worked in the Pershing camp &, f 2OO,-
600 men and the Y. NJ c. A. plans
were approved by the American com
mander. He read telegram from
the leader commencing the work of
the association and wound up with an
appeal for the success of the cam
paign November IL to 10.
| The speaker was introduced by
Governor Capper who declared that
Kansas should back the Y. NJ. c. A
to the limit because the organization
is trying to bring men back from the
battle lines as strong physically and
as clean morally they leave
America.
Cosmopolitan Audience.
The audience which listened to
Eddy was comprised of college stu
dents, among which were men from
| Haskell, the Indian school; mer-
| chants, ex-governors, and prominent
men from all parts of the state. This
afternoon meetings were being held
to perfect the Kansas campaign in the
/ different districts More than $50
women met at Pelletier's tea rooms
to listen to Mrs. Eddy while the
! Chamber of Commerce dinner was in
session, A joint session of men and
women was held this afternoon at
/ the Y. NJ. c. A. and another joint
meeting will be held tonight at Pei
| letters.
After Eddy had finished speaking
/ at the Chamber of Commerce, Chief
| of Religious Services Pratt from the
/ Y. NJ. c. A. in Camp Funston talked
A. J. Elliott of Chicago presented
ways and means of putting on the
campaign. He is a member of the
national war work council
: Suspend Coal Priority.
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