The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-08-01
An American Business-Soldier IN
the War Zone.
Part v.

Iwant to take you up to the most ad-
xanced station of our flying forces in
France. where the Lafayette Escadrille
are stationed. We had wonderful day
with them. You read of the death Of
Captain Hall few days ago. 1t was my
privilege to be shown all over their field,
eyery plane they had by Captain Hall.
had long conversation with him and he
sat next to me at luncheon. We had
GREAT time with those boys. Eighteen
American flyers at the front represented
at that date all of Americas forces at
the battle front in the air. THINK OF IL!
We are apt to grow bombastic about our
contribution to this war, but so Tar 1t is
woefully lacking. We owe all that we
have to Britain and FraLce. Our part is
coming in the war.
Here is a piece of German propaganda
that is being sent around. You hear 1t
WHISPERED now and then. "Well, I'M
derstand that France is unloading onto
the Americans and they are not dong
their share l understand that Great
Britain is not doing her share. We are
going to take over their lines and they
are laying down on the Americans now.
Don't you believe it. France has water
ed her country with her own blood and
she is not going to give up one lnch OF
that line to US until we have demon
strated our ability and our worthiness to
hold it. France is going to stand, II nee
essarv. until the last man falls. She will
give up her line to us, but only when
Americans are there in force sufficient to
hold it. And don't fear about the morale
of Great Britain.
We don't have to fear for the fighting
I'll ri Inn
forces of France or the lighting forces OF
America, but what we do have TO rear
more than anything else is the civilian
nonulation of all three of these countries.
1t is our duty at home to keep this civilian
population going right. At home each
one of us has got chance to do his part
in winning the war. We have got our
chance to come in the Red Cross, in the
YIN. C. A. work, to raise the funds to
carry on the acts of mercy across the
sea.
Oh, if | could only take you back with
me to that old Y M. c. A. hut. l pulled
aside the flap and went inside. Ihere
was stream of wounded being carried
by on the outside then and being tender
ly placed in ambulanCes. l went inside
and was extremely surprised to lind the
room full of boys. | said to the man IN
charge, sThis is great work you are do
ing here" He said: eyes. Do you want
anything?, said: 81 just want to talk
to you little while" He said: II am
very busy. This is a busy day for the
boys" | said: 81 want to ask you little
about your work Are you a Minister
He said: Yes, am minister, have been
for some time, but keep it dark. 1t don
do any good with the boys. They like me
better thinking me one of them. When
first came here | used to do lot OF
preaching, but ! have gotten out OF the
preaching habit | got another way OF
preaching the gospel of the Lord here.
Well, said that didn't know very much
about preaching the gospel of the Lord
and wanted to know how he did 1t. lie
said: 81 used to get them in meeting
and preach and preach and found that
the fellows were just falling asleep IN
their seats, after having been out in the
mud and the dirt and in the trenches,
Now the boys come in and we start up
little music. We give them something
lively and CHEEKY and their faces break
into smile at once as soon as they near
the phonograph, starting up over IN the
other corner" If any of you have got
any old phonograph records get them
over to the Y. M. c. A camp. They
will bring comfort and JOY into hearts
that have got very little Of comfort and
Joy in them after the mud and dirt OF the
trenches
There were a lot of boys over on one
side of the room, sitting down at tables
writing and | asked him to whom they
were writing, and he said: ''Who do you
suppose they are writing to? They are
writing to their sweethearts, yes, they
write to their fathers and brothers, yes,
but most of those letters 60 straight pack
to mother" He said "The boy comes
in here after hard day. He sits down
on stool, he takes up pen or pencil
and he begins letter to mother. lie
hasn't any more than written Dear
Mother than all of the present, all OF
the trench life and the horrors of modern
warfare have faded out of his sight and
he is back 5000 miles away, and then
again his hand is in his mothers hand,
and his heart is nesting up close against
hers That is my chance. Then | side
right down beside him and ask him to
whom he is writing 4 am writing to
my mother at home Where does your
mother live?' She lives so and so.' Did
she want you to come to the war? That
is all have to say After that it is the
boys conversation, and then he COM
mences to tell me about mother; she is
the finest woman in the world, always
She is the noblest woman that God ever
made, always, and she is the most un-
selfish woman and the most wonderful
woman that God ever made, always
And then he pulls out a letter that he has
carried until it is all worn out and full of
creases. That letter is from mother.
Now, that boy, in telling me about what
mother told him, in thinking about what
mother told him, about what mother
wanted him to do breaches much better
sermon than could ever preach to him"
have remembered that all these days
since, that story of mother, that boy
talking about his mother. You mothers,
sisters, fathers and brothers, write to
your boys over there. You don't know
how lonely they are, you can't imagine it.
The English Tommy can 60 over to Eng
land, to Old Blighty, as he calls it, if he
wants to for a week and the Frenchman
can 60 back to his dear Paris But our
boys are there to stay until the job is
over and they need to get some words
from home. They love your letters.
They think more of you fathers than they
ever thought of you in their lives at home.
They have got chance to think of you
over there So keep their morale and
their spirit up. Let them know what you