New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-05
A Chief Of the "Sammies .
D. pCNC BENJAMIN
By RENE BENJAMIN
Translated BY William L. Mcpherson

thousand are stacked alongside bags
and heavy bales. Crates Of condensed
milk, barrels of -four, bales filled with
everything you can imagine. from
stretchers and beds to memorandum
pads and pencils. And this exposure
of the cargo is not for window dress
ing purposes. The Sammies do not ex-
plot their strength. They rather mini
mize it.
Tact Is Displayed
When the piers are full the captain
takes his auto again and goes to re-
visit the superintendent. All the space
is crowded. Where is the rest OF the
cargo to 60? And instead Of saying
that they have brought all these things
because France is counting her re-
sources and sparing them and there
fore they did not wish TO take drop
of her milk or a pound Of her -four he
explains with a delicacy which his
quietness of manner masks:
"We are a little crazy, aren't we!
But we have our habits and We love TO
have things always just as they are at
home"
The superintendent makes great ef-
fort. He orders a new space allotment
French authority raises its arm, SHOWS
its fist and threatens. The superin-
tendent makes good. And, behind him.
the captain holds his peace. He waits.
He is already thinking Of other things.
Tie ships continue to empty their
holds. One day. Two days. The
troops are scattered through the city;
the camp is pitched and occupied. The
trucks traverse the streets. The boys
hang on behind and then are hoisted by
the soldiers up among the bags ana
boxes. The captain is installed. he
has his Office, his employers and his IN
terpreters. He keeps his grip on every
thing without having q single nervous
moment. The idea of war neither dis
turbs or upsets his plans. And, Just as
he acts at home, he manages this new
and considerable business in France
as il he were simply administering his
railroad company.
Nothing Left to Chance
He leaves nothing to chance. He has
& clear judgment. He doesn't squander
money. He has brought along his own
stevedores When he weighs
green vegetables for his men he asks
the SUPERINTENDENT what they are worth,
so he can say to the dealers: 81 am an
American, but am not an easy marx.
And never, never, even under the
most exasperating circumstances, has
he a brusque word or a brusque gesture
either for France or for the French.
The second day, for instance, he fore
saw that. all his men still eating and
living on board, his ships would begin
70 accumulate a mass of refuse, which
he could not cast oevrboard without de-
filing the port. He then asks for some
old barge on which to send the refuse
out to sea. ;,
81 will pay whatever ought to pay
But the boat doesn't come. A third
day. A fourth. He doesn't lose patience.
Oh, no! Every hour he makes new
request. Finally he decides 20 issue an
ultimatum:
I'm forty-hve minutes shall be
obliged to defle the port"
The Boat Arrives
He feels hurt. Hs takes out his
watch. Finally the boat arrives.
And, since he has been q little in
sistent with the superintendent, he ex-
cuses himself thus:
az beg your pardon. forgot to
bring along a refuse barge"
That is the only thing which he for
got. For the rest he accommodates
himself to circumstances; he arranges,
he corrects. He is not indignant
against a country, perhaps too old a
country, which hasn't at It's disposal all
the desirable novelties. To get annoyed,
is that the business Of man OF AZ
fairs? To remedy things Is better. SO
he remedies them.
On the outskirts Of the city, three
days ago, he stopped his auto abruptly.
He had an idea. He goes into the
nearest house, saluting, says:
Telephone"
The owner answers:
"a telephone? There is one not Tar
from here-about ten minutes"
He comes away from there much con
cerned-more concerned than he has
ever been bofere. And, as usual, he
goes to the superintendent, who now
receives all his requests, his thanks and
his condolences. :,
aren't there telephones here In all
the houses" he asks.
"Alas, mol" replies tbs superintend-
ent, who feels abashed and a little
humbled.
But the captain is calm and gentle
and doe. rot try to put on superior
airs. With a gesture which signines
Don't worry about that!" he rejoinis:
Good! Well put in telephones" =,