El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-11
SAVESITALIAN
ARMY 5RETREAT
American Red Cross Re
stores Morale, Says Maj.
Simmons to Rotarians.

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How the Italians were tricked by
German intrigue into falling back be-
I fore the Austrians and how the Amer
J lean Red Cross restored the morale Of
I the Italian army and stopped the re-
treat was told by Maj. George W.
Simmons. southwestern manager Of
{ the Red Cross, at the regular meeting
/ Of FL Paso Rotary Thursday.
Il had no reception Of what Red
/ Cross meant until I went to France"
said Mai Simmons. There saw
literally hundreds Of business men at
their own expense and giving the ser
I vices OF our big OrganiZat ton TO the
government. II is not our plan to re-
place any government work, but to
supplement its work
Our War From start.
Gen. Pershing said we could nos
D have accomplished what we have done
without the Red Cross. and other
leaders say the same. We have no
limitations. We do anything at all 20
help win the war.
The fact thar We entered the war
when there were no new issues in
volved was taken as an admission
that it was our war from the start,
and so the Red Cross extended the
glad handclasp OF 100,000.O00 people
across the sea TO let France know
that we appreciated what she had
done for us.
Cares for French Families.
The morale formerly was bad in
the French army Men were freezing
and wouldn't 90 into the trenches be-
cause they did not know il their FAM
lies at home were freezing or not.
We have helped to remedy this and
now the French soldier bounds into
the trenches. knowing that even IF he
dies, the Red Cross is there TO care
or his family
we are ready to do any kind Of
work We have such big men as Jim
Douglas and w. II. Brophy. Of the
9helps-Dodge interests, in charge OF
our warehouse in France.
Berlin COncocts scheme.
Before the last Austrian offensive,
the Austrians ana Italians were
fraternizing in no mans land They
were having nightly committee meet
ings and agreed that some fine day
they would all come out and leave
their guns behind and the war would
be over Il was q grand scheme, con-
cocted in Berlin
When it was agreed, the Germans
secretly removed the Austrians and
replaced them by Prussians, and when
the guileless Italians came out. as
per agreement. the Prussians routed
them, taking 10000 prisoners in
day.
Saves a Rout.
The retreat was precipitous, but
word was sent 70 the Red Cross at
Paris In one day 30 cars Of relief
articles were ready. big men actually
pushing freight cars In three days
these trains were at Rome. When the
retreating Italians came down the hills
and saw the American Red Cross. they
cried, America is here. We are saved
The retreat was stopped
Helping 20 restore the morale. the
Red Cross gathered large quantities
Of American flags at Paris-and by
the way / saw more American flags
at Paris than at any American city
ever saW-and sent them into Italy.
plastering all towns with them. The
Italian people saw them and realized
America came TO help them. and the
morale was restored.
All Money for War Work.
"All our money goes for war work I
Our overhead expenses paid from
mem bership dues. is / S. percent Of .
the monies spent for war work Be
sides we have the greatest manufac- 1
turing industry in the world-1O, 00O.- /
600 women hands working for us. In T
six months they produced 80 or 90 D
percent more articles than all facto- l
ries in the country combined. None {
realized what was opened up when we ]
asked the American women TO work 4
Our warehouses in Paris are now
filled 10 the tops with articles for I
AS to our work in a general way. ]
I might say that while I was in Paris I
and the big guns were bombarding I
the city. the American Red Cross I
q mhulances were on the scenes OF {
nombaTdment so quickly that the .
French ImnnEH Hhnrrnrn# FHr|
'cahoots' with the Germans"
Reports On Convention.
olloWlng ar simmons talk. RO-
tarians listened 10 a general report on
the Kansas City convention. by past
president Robert krakauer. who en-
phasized those phases OF talks at the
convention that dealt with the war.
While Rotary a living force" was
the keynote Of the convention and
was well explained by president r.
leslie Pldgeon, there were numerous
references TO the war. the convention
being attended by delegates from
Canada, Cuba and England
me war began when Bismarck
" elded the German people into a
sword IAN eye for an eye. a tooth
woman Tor woman nor baby for
a baby were typical sentences
quoted by Mr.. Krakauer
SomberOs Make Hit.
me II EaSO delegation. through the
efforts OF G. A. Martin and VIII \
Winch. secured more publicity than
the men from any other city. Mr..
krakauer reported. while the SOM
oreros from Fl PasO were the hit
ot the convention.
The convention endorsed universal
training, that Rotary should always
cooperate with chambers OF commerce
and all boys work with special ref-l
5rence to Bop Scouts. he also reported.
Growing To BE international
The international Scope Of Rot
lry' was the subject Of the report Of
E. Rowlands, now Rotary interna-
.lonal sergeant at arms Rotary is
; growing institution" he said. "and
s certain to be in France and Italy
after the war Pm curious as to the
tate OF Rotary in the central powers
however. Before the war. British RO-
-arians tried to interest German visit
DTS in Rotary. but the Germans did
not seem to take hold. I think that
when the German people realize that
heir militant days are over and that
B brotherhood Of men must come. they
VIII understand Rotary When Rotary
IS universally understood. il will be
an influence for good, so good that
We viii have eternal peace"
Reporting the fact that Toronto .
them, Mr.. ROwlands suggested thatI
J. local Boy Scout buglers' band be or
,anized.
nent valuable assistance in the stag
ng Of his subject. He had at his dis
'osal torpedo boat, of which we
ave many intimate views. One Of