The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-07-04
am here to help you in any way ]

am mere 10 nclp you II oiy Woy
can"
One Frenchman said not long ago,
to us, "Do you realize that this is
the first time in the history of the
world that one nation has helped an
other out of pure frendliness 2" and he
said it with tears in his eyes. So you
see what the American Red Cross
means to France at this time. And
then we can say to them. eyes, we.
asked for a hundred million dollars
and they gave us one hundred thirty
country we fairly gasp with it.
Our hospitals are the best over here.
"In luck again., I'm in an American
hospital" writes the Englishman to
his folks back home. Our nursing
staff is the best trained, the most in
telligent and the most devoted. A
Frenchman who had fought in the
war of 1870 told us over and over
what wonderful hospitals trains we
had and Pm sure they noticed the
cleanliness and order and system in the
whole place. There again U. S. A.
backs up it's boys. When you know
how far they are it means something
to see they have everything.
One of the boys that was gassed
said to my nurse: E'The first time
was gassed." he was a boy from the
east side slums of New York city
'The first time I was gassed, I just
came to enough to know that some
one was washing my face and pretty
good job she did of it too" And the
fellow near him said: Do you know
who it was that washed your face
That was Mrs. Vanderbilt" A most
droll look came over him as he said:
Imagine Mrs. Vanderbilt washing
me-" But that is the spirit of our
women rich or poor. Many society
girls of the U. S. have washed dishes,
scrubbed floors, washed faces and any
thing they. could for these boys who
have fought for their country. They
are backing our boys so nobly.
Last week / worked part of my
time at the stations where the refugee
were coming in and the Red Cross fed
them, all food of the best quality and
all free. And before they went they
came up to the table and gifts from
the Red Cross were handed to them.
Clothing made or donated by the U.
S. wish you could have seen the
radiant faces of some of those child
rem over an apron or pair of
trousers for boy who had never had
such a beautiful thing before. The
babies were all washed and dressed
and fed and nice clean new clothes
put on them, made by the women CT
America. 1t is perfectly wonderful
to see it with your own eyes. They
can never froget "Croix Rouge Am
ericaine" as we say it when we talk
to them. ...
They tell me nothing can be sent
across now. All shipping is used for
one purpose, but warehouses are well
supplied yet / believe. They send
food supplies by the ton when needed
for their work.
I hear Rev. Boone has volunteered
for Y. M. C. A. work. I heard from
some that had been near the front
in canteen that life was quite
eventful with it's shells exploding
some near and some farther away.
Four of they. M. C. A. boys had been
gassed and some of the others that
came over on our boat had died Of
disease.
Paris is beautiful now and after ten
at night scene on the river is as
quiet as though war were hundred
years away. There never was city
before as large as this that had so
many trees everywhere main streets
and all. There is no wire grating
around the roots Of the trees so they
can be watered and continue to grow.
Greet all friends and acquaintance
most cordially for me. I wish I
could talk to them for one solid hour
of what I have seen and felt and
learned "over here"
Cordially yours
Ida M. Alexander.