Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-16
BY JuNIUs r. wooD.

CableEram to The Sunday star and
Chicago Daily News. CopyFight, 1917.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, December ia big factor
in maintaining the American expedi-
ton in France upon which little en-
phasis as been laid, but which is con-
stantly assuming greater proportions,
is the securing of unskil1ed laborers.
Their Importance is realized when one
is told the size of this, non-dghting
force in a modern army approximate
man for man the number OF soldiers in
the front fighting line. Between the
two extremes are many more thou.
sands, varying from fighting reserves
and the supply ordnance corps to man
and woman clerical STATS.
Great Britain, as / learned on re-
cent visit to the British front, has
many thousands Of laborers on line
of communication work alone for the
fighting force on the western front.
The United States, like the British en-
pire, cannot spare them from the labor
market at home. The question then is.
where are we going to get this bel
ligerent1y modest but numerically i'm
portant element of our army? Britain
has brought to its war area shiploads
of laborers grom China, the Bill Is
lands. Egypt. India. the barbados,
frigid northern Asia and sunny west
ern tropics. In addition many German
prisoners who Were not taken across
the channel are used as laborers.
These. except for the Germans and a
few French civilians. have all been
brought long distances. For the
Chinese II means a seven weeks OF ship
:, Pacific.
train through Canada and another
ocean voyage across the Atlantic.
Build Roads, Dig Ditches-
Building roads, digging drainage
bitches. the handling Of supplies and
hundreds of other tasks are absolutely
necessary to the maintenance of an ef-
fcient fighting force. II civilians are
not secured to do this work soldiers
must be withdrawn from the ranks
and detailed into working parties. In
addition to the line of communication
laborers more thousands are serving
the British expedition. They include
traffic policemen, motor drivers. clerks,
the latter including many English
women and girls actuated solely by
patriotism, and French women and
girls who receive higher pay than they
ever dreamed of before. Each one re-
leases "a lighting man for the more Sc
rious business Of the war.
The American expedition is now fac
ing the organization of the same kind
of force. Over the British force of
munication is a brigadier general. He
says his force is recruited from twelve
nationalities.
Entertain Chinese Workers.
A moving picture show was just
starting In the Y. NJ. G. A. hut in a
! big Chinese distributing camp when !
visited it, An English girl was ex-
=, planning the picture and Y. NJ. C. A.
| secretary was speaking huentiy in the
dialect of north china, while several
| hundred were waiting patiently out
\ ing. On the athletic field soccer
| game Of foot ball was in progress.
Most Of these are country people
who have never seen moving pictures
| before" explained the secretary, "and
so everybody wants to crowd In"
Across the road was hospital where
every arrival is inspected and where
1 the sick and injured are cared for Al
| the gate stood a Chinese policeman
| with cane. He saluted with soldier
! like precision and obviously ordered
Back to his crowding fellow coun-
! trymen like any other policeman
| Il am an American and my home is
| in Mississippi" said the officer physi-
clan. who led us through the surgical
! ward. IT had been fifteen years In
China when the British started bring.
ing these men over. I offered my sery-
ices. believing my knowledge OF the
language would be OF help"
| Proud Of Wounds.
Such cheerful hospital ward is rare
Each patient was proud to exhibit his
wounds. Two on the nearest cots stop.
ped game of Chinese chess and ons
amid much laughter pulled of the
1 covers and waved aloft foot incased
in gray wooden sock. The venerable
twhite-haired owner of the limb smiled
hopefully until the surgeon overjoyed
him by interpreting his explanation Of
how the hurt was received.
All the men are Identified by carefully