The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-17
GEN. SCOTT PRAISES
WOMEN FOR WAR AID
--
Refining Influence Over U. s.
-a Soldiers Helped to Bring
s., Victory.
TRIBUTES FOR TROOPS
Gallant Fighters Who Don't
Know Fear and Are Always
In Good Humor.

a. IN tell you the women nave Cei-
tstniy played big part in this war.
The American woman not only made our
mon better men but better soldiers"
Brig. Gen. ". 8. Scott, who has just re-
turned from France. said yesterday.
-You can't say enough for the women.
nose Of the Red Cross, the Y NJ. c. A.
and all Of them. and the ones at home.
And the women of France have had
refining influence on our soldiers. Our
bows were billeted in many little French
homes: they played with the children.
MIXED cows, helped harvest the crops
ana many other honey things-an OF
which won the hearts OF tho French
aside from their gratitude.
but these women reciprocated. They
cared for the soldiers, encouraged them.
mended their clothing and exerted hns
influence over them.
Our soldiers as men naturally love
and revere women. II is part OF them'
mart Of being an American Our soldiers
are not brutaiixed by war; the refining
influence, IL nothing else. would prevent
this.
'when a soldier gets blue the first
roiace he seeks is a sympathetic woman
and she always cheers him up. This
contributes to his morale. and 1t is mar
vellous. His optimism. good humor and
enthusiasm amounts to almost fanati-
ctsm; It is infectious and other soldiers
coming In contact with the American
soldiers spirit cannot help put De en-
lrsioped by It.
sour soldiers are gallant fighters;
1hsy night fair. But II the enemy has
been doing him dirt God help him.
And they fight like hell. You can't keep
them back. Show Yankee a Boche
and let him go. and it's a dead Boone
or q captured one. You can't restrain
the American soldier. Discipline irks'
and they are impatient IN training Inn
patient to get at the enemy.
Americans show Mettle.
HERES q point that Is noticeable to
a marked DEGREE In contrast with the
American soldier and the German-and
the German is a good soldier, and make
no mistake about that. The American
soldier N n man Of individuality. Amer
sea breeds that. Consequently he 10
uuick thinker and has an Initiative OF
his own. And he'll act upon 1t. too. II
there's any chance for him to act, and
he usually acts wisely. But the German
soldier n a machine. He can tight, but
not like the American. Deprive him OF
a command and he acts and thinks
slowly. The American gets the edge on
him every time.
There's nothing brutal about an
, American soldier. His rearing. HE asso-
citation and his reverence for justice, his
sense Of Justice and, not a small factor.
his sense of humor. keep him from doing
anything that he could possibly be
ashamed Of afterward.
"And he Is clean. too. clean living.
clean thinking and wholesome In actions
In many months / had to hold but six
court-martials for misconduct among
1,400 officers.
The American sense of humor 10
conducive to clean living. 1t generates
a spirit that can't be downed or eullied.
Il you could only see these boys ~ !
have seen them" he said earnestly.
turning on the settee IN a local hotel
Lobby to look intentiy at a reporter for
THE SUN, you would understand. One
must see to understand.
Z 'They are wounded and make light OF
it Not for long can an American SOL
d!er suppress his good humor, Coming
over on the TRANSPORT I went among the
wounded and talked with them. II did
my heart good. Here would be some
poor fellow with both legs chopped OF.
grinning at me and joking with his
comrades, willing to accept the future
with this big handicap. as It came: not
worrying about 1t at all. Now. don't
you think he doesn't think of the future;
he does. But he Is going to get the most
out Of life and he Is not going to whine
or pirate Of his misfortune to Others.
HIS depression is for the silent hours.
: What he thinks then he will keep to him.
seik"
Negro Soldier Praised.
Gen. Scott believes there Is nothing
better than the American soidier-except
NE American woman. He is from Texas
As great as Is his admiration for the
f5l6ker his opinions were not got from
him volubly. but elected by questioning.
lie. as most army men. is rather reti-
tent. and he would not talk of himself.
one could but get<the fact that he had
charge of Base Section No. 2, in the Bor-
deaux district. and replacement divi-
sion.
He commented. however upon the
negro soldier. Gen. Scott had thousands
OF them under his charge He said the
spirit OF the negro in doing his war work
Is admirable; he Ii not only willing but
anxious to do his share, and his never
failing good humor lightens his task and
those of others who come in contact with
him. Al
Probably the best soldiers, Gen. Scott
Thinks, come from the smaller towns,
titles and the country; the South and
The West and In parts where there is
not the first generation OF the foreign
element. The second generation. born on
the soil, make almost equally good SOL
diers, because they have absorbed the
American spirit. are beginning to live
Up TO American traditions and pride.
THE navy made the winning OF this
war possible" Gen. Scott said, apropos
~ the reporters remark that it was too
bad the navy didn't get big chance.
but the chance they did get they made
good with II. We never would have got
troops over II II hadn't bsen for the ex-
Cellent work OF the navy. U-boats were
sunk and the sea lanes kept marvellously
safe for our transports. If II wasn't for
the navy the army wouldn't have been
there"
He spoke Of the love ana esteem
President Wilson is held In In France.
THE people almost worship him: II may
rot como home to us for a long time the
elose relations that France and America
have There's a great mutual love that
has grown out OF their relations In this
war. caused. at least, by the American
COLDER creating such favorable impress
lions as soldier and a man"
Gen. Scott has been in the army since
his graduation at ''ths Point" in 1880.
sir safes In One building Robbed.
Carefully ignoring safe on the
Fourth floor OF the seven story loft
building at IS West FoCty-fifta street.
because il was protectedNby an electric
"'arnl, burglars early Yesterday drilled