The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-13


the last thirty-gix hours of the trip
were on duty constantly. --
Among the passengers was Cap
tain Heurtaux, perhaps the most
noted of any Of the French aero
nauts now living. He wore large
number Of medals which he receiV-
ed for services rendered to his coun-
try but was very diffident about
speaking of any exploits in which ne
has been engaged or had performed.
We also had a French lieutenant on
board, Piani, who at one time had
been captured by the Germans ana
his history of his escape was inter
esting and yet told in a modest
way.
Upon coming to land and into the
river our steamer stayed down the
river for the night owing to the low
tide but everyone felt secure because
we were now inside Of the mine
screen, and the next morning we
came up the river to the city at
which we were to land. The country
was green and beautiful. AS we
came nearer and nearer TO the city
where we were to debark, we began
to see many ships from America
and the men on board shouted to US
as we steamed past calling the names
Of their states and the greeting
which we received from them and
also from the French was very cor
dial and the memory Of those hours
coming UP the river and the bcau-
ttful scenes upon the shore will live
with us all our lives. Down the
river we were met by representa-
tiVes Of the Red Cross. Custom Of
ficers also came on board and we
had no difficulty in passing customs
They were very courteous and as a
rule passed all packages without any
examination whatever because, / be-
lieve, they wished to show their APP
probation for that which America is
doing for France. The spirit Of our
American boys coming over is fine
and each and every one of them is
only waiting for the opportunity to
do that which will reflect honor upon
the country, which he Is from.
The city where we landed. is one Of
the old cities Of France, most inter-
estlng. We spent a delightful day
there and then at night took the
train for the heart Of France. Upon
our arrival in the morning we were
met by representatives. Of the Amer
lean Red Cross and also by repre-
sentatives Of the Y. M. c. A. who
took charge Of their respective con-
ttngents. We found good hotel ac-
commodations and many courtesies
extended to us. It seems hard for
me as l am writing these lines to
imagine that I am so close t. the
seat Of ACTUAL warfare. Really this
Lefty seems more peaceful than it did
in New York, bAr)re I left there, and
when the Third Liberty Loan drive
was in progress and the American
people were being aroused to the
necessity Of doing their duty in sub
scribing funds for our government.
Since we have been here, there
have been five air raids, not bad at
ALL and it is wonderful how little
attention is paid to them by the
people. The Americans are said to
be rather foolhardy because they
wish to get out to see the excite
ment if there shall be any and to
hear the noise Of the guns from the
barrage or the explosion Of the
bombs from the aeroplanes if they
shall be able to cross the barrage
and come inside. The barrage is
wonderful and in the five raids that
have been made, since my coming
here only a few Of the aeroplanes
were able to cross it and get into the
three bombs! I went over 10 see the
damage that had been done and
whereas it was bad it was less than
1 had expected to find it.
In the last two. days the great
German gun which shoots for SO
many miles has been sending some
Of it's bombs into Athe city. The
people here call the gun Bertha"
l suppose after Bertha krupp. I'M
derstand that the French name for
gun or cannon is coup" and pro-
nounced ''koo" so when the French
hear the report Of shells from Bertha
they say that Bertha is9 "cooing."
The shells that have fallen recently
have done little damage.
Some two or three days since, l
went to the church Of st. Gervais
where so many lives were lost two
months ago. These lives were lost
not by the shell or by the explosion,
but because the shell tore down lot
of the stone work Of the church and
the tons of masonry in falling killed
a. number of people. 1t seemed too
bad to damage this splendid old
church and then to think of the in
nocent noncombatants who lost
their lives while attending the ser
vices in the church. I can under
stand men fighting against each
other but l cannot understand the
right Of any nation to shoot prOmis-
cuously into the heart Of a great
city, not to murder the men who are
lighting against them but to kill old
men, women and children. There
are many questions when this war
shall be over that must be settled, as
to the rights Of nations in times Of
warfare and the kind Of warfare
that can be rightly waged.
The morale Of the French people
is fine. They have been fighting for
four years. They go on today about
their business as usual" The cOun-
and beautiful. Every inch If it SEEM
ed to be cultivated. The crops look
ed fine and it Is hard to believe
that only a few miles away there
are men arrayed against each, other
in deadly combat. The feeling of the
French people toward the American
Is splendid and the feeling between
the French, English and Americans
Is fine America has a great part
to play in this war and the people Of
our country will soon know that our
troops are in the midst of it because
1t will be impossible for the Ameri-
can troops to be engaged, as they
will be, without long lists Of casual
ties following.
One Of the most humanitarian du-
ties of the Red Cross, as have been
able to see it, is the work Of the
searchers who go out to the various
French hospitals to find Americans
who may be in one Of their hospitals
unable to speak the language and to
carry to these men the help and
comforts that they so much need.
The organization Of the Red Cross
has been built into a great bust
ness and done very quickly. There
is an earnest effort being made on