Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-28
Little Talks by
Beatrice Fairfax

The other day I saw a young friend
of mine in a uniform that was new TO
me. 1t had a long serviceable cape OF
blue, a soft, comfortable hat with a
maroon cockade at one side and there
was a blue tailored coat and skirt. 1t
was comfortable, durable, and not too
swaggeringly picturesque.
My young friend. who has had
very thorough training in art, then
went on to explain to me the mission
of this particular unit to which she
was attached. 1t had been recruited
entirely from women artists and those
who had gained. proficiency in the
study of arts and crafts.
And in addition to the thorough
training in art that had been neces-
sary qualification of joining, they had
been submitted to an intensive hos
pital training for a number of months.
And the glorious work they were
about to engage in, over in France,
was the salvaging of soldiers whose
intirmities necessitated their learning
new manner of bread winning.
The blind are TO be taught weaving
and basketry. Men who had lost legs
and would have to depend on seden-
tary occupation were TO be taught
modelling, stenciling, china decora-
tion, jewelry making, wood carving,
and when they showed the necessary
ability they would be taught paint
ing.
Those who had lost arms would
tend looms, manipulated by foot
power and so it went. This wonder
full salvaging unit had taken account
of all the human wreckage of battle,
and it would take disabled man and
teach him a new way to make his ltv-
ing and enable him to keep his self
respect.
After long weeks. and sometimes
months, in hospital, when a soldier
realizes he has got to begin life all
over again, and learn new occupa-
ton besides, he is apt to feel discour-
aged. He must face the future from
an angle entirely different from the
one he looked at life from before the
war-then comes the time he needs
help!
No useless, enervating pity-but a
lift from a strong, helpful hand, is
the tonic that soldier requires. And
here it is that the soldiers mothers,
ssweethearts and wives can do the
biggest war work woman is capable
of doing when the boys come home
to them.
Do not depress them with your pity,
but hearten them with your courage
If they should return MANNED.
Never in the history of the world
has there been so just a cause as the
one for which they are now fighting
Their sacrifices have given the world
a mighty shove in the right direc-
liberties, against medieval despotism
and the men who have done that are
entitled to love, admiration of respect
not to pity.
After the war is over and we be-
gin TO travel in Europe again. it is
likely that we shall look on some of
the wrecked monuments of the world
with greater reverence than we gave
them when they were whole and beau
tiful.
Those battle-ecarrad Ra1ci,r, +o,,,.
viii make us realize more thoroughly
than could any telling, how the brave
little country, crouching in the path
OF the invader, and suffering all
chance to awaken and rush to defend
itself
Something of the same feeling, only
inhnitely deeper, we must keep in our
hearts for these young heroes when
they return. They may come back
wraiths of their former splendid man
hood, but we must never forget that
they have given to the world some
thing infinitely greater than the
glory of youth and the strength of
young bodies.
And it is up to every woman to
make some soldier beginning life
over again on account of his infirmi-
ties-feel the tremendous admiration
we have for this second great battle
that must be fought out alone and
with none of the Inspiring drama of
war.
Different From "Man's Job"
At first this new business of toll
ing patiently at loom or lathe may
seem insignificant as compared to
the mans job" that claimed the
soldier before the war. But we shall
not feel that way after our eyes
have been opened to the significance
of this new calling.
Many of these reclaimed soldiers
will doubtless be toiling at something
that will make the world more beau
tiful-some old handicraft that we
rush and hurry. And he will put into
the long hours of patient carving or
modelling some of the thoughts that
came to him under the stars out on
the tlefields-waiting.
The War Department, with COM
mendable foresight. is sending out
this band of picked workers to train
the first to suffer wreckage. 1t does
not wait till the war is over. 1t be-
gins it's work of reconstruction as
soon as the soldier is out of. hospital
It is the ambition of this coutry that
all soldiers who survive mav be sal
vaged: that not one who has borne
arms in this glorious cause may be-
come public charge.
The other day a well-known banker
of Minnesota came back from France
battered, but unbowed" as Henley
puts II. He had part of one hand, and
| believe stump OF leg. he coolly
remarked that a man from his neck
down was worth a dollar and a half
a day. but from his neck up he might
be worth a hundred thousand year. ]
And this mans brain did happen to
be worth that sum. 1t is impossible to
beat that brand of courage. 1t is the
thing that the poor Hun, whose soul
has been crushed from birth by the
weight of militarism, cannot under
stand. He cannot grasp the leaping
of the man whose soul has
not been trained" out of him.
It is this magnificent initiative of
the American soldier that will bring
him through his second battle. And |
let the woman he comes back to not !
forget to cheer him on. to make him |
realize that she is prouder of him |
winning this second and greatest VIC |
tory in patience and silence than she |
was when they pinned the Cross of /
War on his braaat