The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-23

Continued from Page One.)
sure! At Arras, where he was wound
ed. he won his way to a. eaptaincy
"one thing makes me happy" he
added, u am of Aisaoe, Soon I shall
be able to return to her
Eugene Ramelet is proud to be
private of the legion. Before the war
he WAS art director of the Opera
Comique. He was also an officer of
reserves and might have held an Of
ticer's rank in some other branch OF
service. But he wanted ia faght ina
mediately. An exploding mine at the
Semme wounded him in the leg. Later
he was wounded in the arm. He
wears the croix de guerre with two
palms.
And there is Gentl Grab technical
" a. German. since his home Ia Alsace.
Nineteen years he has served in the
legion. Now his parents have been
removed from their Alsatian home
to some place deeper in Germany.
But he looks forward to a reunion
soon in an lsace that is once again
the soil of France
One could not tell half the stories
of the foreign legion. The detach-
ment that is here is but a small part
OF it, yet only the smallest part or
their adventures ever will be written.
Soldiers like these do not talk readi-
ly~-they fight.
Wounded in many battles. some
lin ping. all bearing the scars of cam
paigns--these are the soldiers who
never retreat. They have dedicated
their lives to France. and France has
lent them to America for a few weeks,
that Americans at home may he in
spired to fight as Americans abroad
are fighting.
The foreign legion brings to New
York the original hattie flag of the
first regiment stationed at diBei-
Ahbes in the Province of Oran.
Algeria. This flag has been repeatediY
decorated, during the present war,
with the palms of the war cross.
II was first to obtain the military
medal. Then it received the cross at
the Legion d'Henneur which allow
ed soldiers of the legion the privilege
of wearing the red cord known as
fourrager.
The fourrager originally was in the
coiors OF the military medal. green
and yellow; later changed to the red
OF the Legion d'Honneur. and still
later. because Of the glory of the
legion. transformed to the tricoler.
AS rapidly rs France can find new
honors AMI decorations for that flag
and for the men who fight under Il
the foreign legion wins them.
The foreign legion has been the
refuge of thousands from. Lorraine,
barred from further service in the
French army by the treaty of Frank
fort, 1t has welcomed Germans who
could no longer endure autocratic OPP
preston The Poles without country
or flag they may call their own. have
gladly taken its oath Of service. What
a man has been is no hindrance to his
service. 1t Is a tradition of the legion
that a king once bore arms in its
ranks Beside him were men OF title
and men whose former acts have led
them into prisons.
Once in Mexico City. so the story
goes. a iegionary stepped from its
ranks and said mass in a cathedral.
He had been a bishop--unfrocked
afterward When divine service had
ended. again he stepped into column
and took up his arms.
Particularly do the Germans hate
the foreign legion Because citizens
of races they have conquered dare to
bear arms against them, they hate it.
They especially hate those eniighten-
ed men Of their own race who have
taken service there. For years they
have tried by every manner OF poll
teal pressure to cause France to dis
band these regiments
In August. 1914. 5000 foreigners,
men who knew France and loved it.
and who knew the French ideal and
respected it, were accepted into SER
vice in the foreign legion. Since then
thousands have given their lives and
other thousands have taken their
places.
The foreign legion, as II was con-
sIitl4tei in Including the thous-
ands who had volunteered to aid
France and veterans OF the organiza-
ton which had for thirty years been
guarding the colonial possessions of
France in. Africa, began to win new
honors with the assaults OF Artois
Nav 8, 1915
The legion was sent against the
German FIRST line, defense believed
to be impregnable Against a blazing
haFrage and the hail of machine gun