Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-23
PARIS, June 27.

| soil that the first section OF great F>i"ei
| can army has landed without the loss OF
| a man. and with every man in full health,
| that they are now breathing the air OF
| country they have come to succor ana
| relieve from the oppression and inhumanlty
| OF Germany.
In command OF Major General w l..
| Sibert, as fine a figure of the soldier as
ever graced a uniform. these Yankee boys
are in France in thousands, every man a
| delight to the eye every man swelling the
| heart of whomsoever loves liberty's land
| and lbertys cause, with a great joy and
| pride.
| They landed ready" as far as solderly
| appearance is concerned, ready for the
| fight, 1t is evident that but a few months
| entrainment will At them. completely for
| the grim work before them and IL Is evident,
| too, they will give n genuine American ac-
| count of themselves in destined manner,
| true TO bring credit and humane glory to
| their native land.
| Patriotism and the cause dear to all
! our hearts precludes any detailed mention
| Of their number. and indeed. any recording
Of interesting news that must be kept
| military secret This story, therefore, can
| be but one Of color of impression, of
| recording in gratitude, at being permitted
| to see their youthful maniness as they
! left ship and went into camp--their eager
and evident desire to get at their bit. 1t
| can not consequently mention an officers
| name, save that of the general command
| ing, but 1t dsires to pay homage to every
! man under him and to the staff surrounding
| him. who man for man. look the real
eoods'-solders and gentlemen. from the
| crown of their campaign hats to the soles
| Of their army shoes.
The first three officers talked with were
| from Philadelphia. If 7 could tell their
| names and rank-secrecy upon which my
honor is pledged would be glad TO have
| the EVENING LEDGER advise their families
| how well they look and how proud | was
| to grasp their hands and talk of things
mutually dear TO us. They had each and
every one soldier" written all over them
| AFTER all, that is the main thing, the prn-
| cipal thing that counts in the control of
| the men under them. the thing that points
| as signpost at a lonely cross-road to
the quality and discipline of the being
| born great army from the United States.
France has her poilu and England her
| Tommy. l, who have seen, with throbbing
| heart. these thousands Of young eager
| American boys in khaki land upon the soil
| of France. have christened them 'Sam-
mees;' and I pray the name will stick to
| them In common agreement with one
of my colleagues representing an important
| New York paper, the name has been chosen,
| first because Uncle Sam Is a blood rela-
| tive and since In French the addition of
a second T. is term of endearment per-
| hitting pronunciation easily to the Latin
through identical accentuation upon each
| syllable. May our boys be known as Sam
| mees al through the war, and beyond it's
| ending.
Within an hour after debarkation.
| Y. NJ. c. A. tent had been pitched and
| was in use. Fifty Sammees were busy
| at once writing letters to dear ones at
| home. and nobody seemed to mind a grapha-
| phone playing American airs during the
| writing Indeed, when the record had run
its course. another was put on, the writing
and music continuing.
The inhabitants of the debarking port did
| not know until the first ship docked that
| the troops were there to land All over the
! town American flags flew In an instant,
| the tricoor side by side with it, The sky
| was as blue as a harebell and the air clear
| with the smell of seaside as the Sammees
| in battalions marched from ship to camp,
the people looking on with a silent, aston
| ished pride, many moved to tears of joy
| and gratitude. The march was o-e of youth
| in campaign shirts and hats. with khaki
| trousers and leggings with bands playing
stirring music and the flag of the free
flying. After the first passing, the news
| spread like wildfre and the succeeding
hosts passed before enthusiastic French
men swung by In an hour a special procla :
nation had been issued by the Mayor and
pasted in every available place And every
body that could walk gave the Sammees the
glad "once over"
All about the dock and all over the town
as well. engaged in making ready the camr
grounds for the boys from home, were
Boche and Austrian prisoners, each with his
regulation blouse marked p. G., signifyng
Of sl,1!.
heads. and In two instances ! noted non.
com Boche officers with abstract mood writ
ten all over their Prussan faces, sensing
TO me they felt the beginning of the enc
in captivity, and perhaps, too. the defea'
of their rulers evil plans.
There was not a man on the sick lis
among the thousands landed. Every on,
looked benefited by the sea voyage Every on,
was as brown as berry. Every one looked
with a curious interest upon the Boche pris
oners and the strange foreign surroundings
, And in few hours they were in part inter
minglng with the Inhabitants, buying th
or that, trying in pigeon French or withou
, any French at all to make their desires un
derstood. One youth as passed a jeweler'
, , shop was pointing out a wrist watch an,
trying to make the shopkeeper understan,
he wanted to spend So. | went to hi
rescue and he fell upon me as a savior.
How much is that In our money!" h
| dsheu lcll Buy WANT 10 DuTn ul
| five and that's all there Is to it,"
In few minutes Sammee left me witt
thanks smile and a wrist watch on hi
" arm.
As ship after ship waited to dscharg
: its brown-clad cargo, the soldiers lined tn
e rails and looked at the shore, the quaint
9 strange sight, looked IN something of wor
i der and curiosity, In a spirit of fun, bub
: bling all over with youth and banter an
= enthusiasm, in the mass, not realizing tn
$ work before them. But here and there
$ smooth'shaven face showed serious expires
> sion, gave evidence of understanding an
h forecast of something It all meant an
n which yet was beyond his imagination
picturing.
: At the camp, not yet fully installed whe
y l entered IL, there was a scene of apparer
= confusion that to the trained observer wa
but the carrying out Of forelaid plan. 1
jiffy order came out of seeming chao
brown tent after brown tent sprang u,
company streets were laid out, and, in
nlaNt