Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-20
WAR WORK OF
THE QUAKERS
The Philadelphia Commission
for Rehabilitating France Is
Now on the Ground
BY LOWELL THOMAS
Special Correspondent Of the Evening Ledger
in Europe.

In Europe
BORDEAoX France, Sept. delayed 49,
After spending eleven exciting days on the
Atlantic, full details OF which under present
conditions cannot he described for pubica-
tion, we arrived here at . o'clock I'm the
morning, conveyed by naval feet of de-
stroyers and also an aerial fleet.
The fearfuness and nervousness Of the
COS passengers aboard reached it's max
imum tension Immediately upon our entry
into the danger zone throe days out from
the French coast.
on Friday night at s O'Clock word was
received that two big Spanish freighters
had been sunk just a few miles ahead Of
VS. by three submarines, and few hours
later, shortly before We left the open sea
and entered the mouth of the Glronde
River. we were chased by the same feet of
U-boats. They were sighted by the double
watch in the crows nest, and signals were
flashed TO the captain on the bridge, who
in turn notified the gun crews fore and
aft
our boat Immediately steercd from the
regular course, zigzagging under full
steam in the general direction toward the
Spanish coast. Fortunately, within half
an hour after sighting the wolves Of the
sea two French torpedoboat destroyers
appeared over the horizon, approximately
twelve miles off our port side, coming 20
our rescue
Conveyed by Airships
Almost simultaneously two more de-
stroyers appeared off the starboard. Ten
minutes later two French airplanes and
dirigible seemingly dropped out OF a
clear sky. crcled the ship and proceeded
to scour the sea to the south. and the sub
marines disappeared and We never saw
them thereafter
The alarm had been sounded by the
captain by three blasts of the whistle, and
as result Of the daily drills we had been
compelled to go through all on board as
sembled at their respective stations with
lfe-preservers adjusted.
The lfeboats we're swung out and the
passengers waited feverishly, but in good
order, for the final signal to abandon the
ship. During the previous hours the pas
scngers had seen fragments of the sunken
freighters and many life-preservers float
ing on the surface near our course.
Several of the crew manning the gun aft
reported having seen what looked like two
''l llStE bDullu VI llAllS lllb III ueill grasp
to roUe attached to floating piece Of
wreckagC. one hour later the steamship
was piloted through the submarine nets at
the mouth OF the river, and word was sent
down by the captain that all danger was
past
Several important Government missions
crossed with US, as well as many distin-
guished persons ON individual missions. on
their way to fight with the Allies near
Monastir. Serbia We're 100 Armenian SOL
diers The American Red Cross Commits
sion to Serbia. special anti-airCraft COM
mission, the first American Woman's Can
teen Corps sixty motor ambulance volun-
teers assigned to the command at the
French front a Y. NJ. G. a commission
and a Quaker volunteer reconstruction
corps were among the more important large
units on board
Among the prominent persons aboard
were Winston Churchill, the novelist COL
onel Webb 9. Hayes, son Of former Pres-
dent rutherford B. Hayes, and Captain
Burton Smith, brother OF Senator Hoke
Smith, Of Georgia.
The commission consisting of Major
Stoddard Captain Wilder and Lieutenant
Ward Of the Veteran Corps of Artillery |
known as the New York Anti-AircTaft Ar
tillery, which made the voyage with u.s. is
going to France and England to study
and report to the United States Govern
ment methods and equipment used over
American Cities Must Be Guarded
The science Of anti-aircraft artillery"
Major Stoddard informs me- lis in its in
fancy, and not only Is such artillery de-
fense needed for all Of the cities in the
United States within reach of seaplane
attack, but 1t is needed back of the trenches
in every spot where men or material are
gathered and where damage may be done
by bombs dropped from the air.
Aircraft now accompany charges Of
troops and sweep the enemy trenches with
machine guns Airplanes are being made
larger and, like the British tanks, will
soon be impervious to machine gunfire
"Anti-aircraft guns in large numbers
will be needed in the United States in
every place where material military dam
age can be done by the planes of the
enemy"
The first American woman's Canteen
Unit, en- route to the French front was
on board, and consisted OF seven wealthy
society women who have volunteered to
aid in meeting the needs of the French
army for canteen service behind the firing
line.
Within the next two weeks there will be
fifty more women volunteers from Amer
lea sent over to re-enforce this ploneenunit
Three different kinds Of canteen service
are planned-railroad canteen huts where
refreshments will be furnished to the SOL
the firing line; permanent station canteen
units, TO render a like service at the firing
line, and Canteens at permanent training
camps, to distribute refreshments and
furnish amusements, such as motion pic
ture shows, games and musical entertain
ment, during the twenty-four hours of spe-
cia furlough given to the soldiers at the
front.
unique commission, in charge of Jo-
seph Haines, Of Philadelphia. was the
Quaker Unit This unit has been recog-
nized by the American Red Cross and is
the civilian branch of the Society of
Friends in America which has its head
quarters in Philadelphia. The volunteer
members Of the commission have taken the
position that while they oppose warfare
such, they are willing to do their mer-
cful bit" now that the United States has
Joined the Allies. In addition to doing
actual reconstruction work in the devas-
tated Ictions of France and putting up
portable houses for the homeless French
they purpose to teach farming and do So
clal work among the destitute population
uf the invaded regions
winston Churchill, the novelist in reply
to questions which 1 asked him concerning
- II aHa trfV,