The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-09-21
ax ELoIsE ROBINSON.

By ELoIsE ROBINSON.
Since early In the war there have
heen numbers Of Chinese with the
French and British armies In France
not In the fighting line but In that
enormous army of laborers which
makes 1t possible to carry on the war.
Nearly a hundred thousand of these
are working with the British In north
ern France, and more than forty thou
sand more are scattered all over the
country with the French. Now they
are coming into the American lines In
large numbers.
Most of these men come from north
ern and central China, and for the
same reasons that many of our Ameri-
can boys came to France before the
United States entered the a Some
Of them were attracted by the high
pay and the chance to better their
own condition, some of them out Of
pure love of adventure, still others be-
cause Of their appreciation of what
this struggle means In their own fu-
ture history.
And there are, too, not a few Chi
nese scholars and men of some dis
tinctiOn In their own country who
have been forced to leave for political
reasons, as well as young students
from England or America. They are
| engaged In making ammunition, In the
construction of buildings, in paving
| roads, in loading and unloading ships
and trains-in all the thousand and
one "war industries" that have direct
ly and indirectly to do with the main
Lack Of Understanding.
Merely for the sake Of efficiency 1t is
of Importance that a feeling Of mutual
understanding and sympathy should
exist between the Yank and the Chi
naman who has come to be his neigh
Dor. officials recognize It's military
value and have met with appreciation
the efforts of the Y. NJ. C. A, which is
carrying on the work In most Of the
camps where Chinese are located.
Most of the difficulties were due Il
lack of understanding. For instance
a quiet, Woodworking Chinaman ha'
some trouble with his eyes and wa
ordered to the only place where b
could have protection from the light
} which happened to be the g~uardhouse
} No doubt the Yank tried to explain Il
him on the way just why he was be
ing sent there, but his efforts were not
noticeably successful. All that Ching
Chinaman could comprehend. and all
that his friends could comprehend was
that he was being shut up In the "Hel
WI Use" when he had committed nc
ofense. Or, when the energetic dough
boy wanted to hasten along the delb-
crate coolie he would wave his arms
wildly in the air and, with the idiotit
instinct we all have to believe thai
the man who does not speak u Ian
guage is hard OF hearing. yell at the
top Of his lungs.
Come on, you fellows, let's CO."
Unfortunately, however. Ego" In Chi
nese means dog. the laborers supposed
they were being "bawled OUT for som
inexplicable reason. and there might
have been trouble had not a "Y'' sec
rotary who had once been a missionary
to China Strengthened things out. A,
1t was, coolie and doughboy went of
together with grins on their faces
Cinnamon a appreciate a joke, al
well as Yanks, and a new word wal
added 10 their vocabularies.
Anxious TO Learn.
Some Of the men have already
picked up a considerable knowledge
of French. and they are eager to learr
English. Both American officers ant
enlisted men have volunteered to con
duct classes In English.
Beyond the immediate benefit to the
men themselves and their increased
efficiency to the army, there is a larger
benefit Of this work with Ching China
man. After the war he Is going hom,
to the interior Of China to be looked
up to by his friends and relatives ant
by the whole community as a man o.
information and Importance. He will
be a leader In his village, and hi,
word will carry weight. The engineer,
directing Chinese work will be anon,
those to go to China to have a shar,
In the great Industrial development
which is sure to come at the close O.
tho war