Phoenix tribune., 1918-11-16
BY Ralph w. Tyler
Accredited Representative of The
Committee on Public Information
ARTICLE I.


Paris, France have Just reached
this city, after a ten days voyage,
which was, for the most part, unevent-
full. We experienced delightful wealth
er from the time we steamed out of
New York harbor until we cast an.
Choir in a port over here Had it not
been for the democratic spirit pre-
vailing aboard the big liner, and which
gave me most satisfactory taste of
this world democracy" for which the
Allies are fighting. might have con-
sidered the voyage monotonous.
Aboard the ship was quite a galaxy
of notable writer's for the big dailies
and magazines; feature and fiction
writer's who were taking a respite
from that occupation to write
straight stuff" for dailies they are to
represent. Among them were celebri-
ties like Will Irwin, Robt w. Richie,
Damon Runyon. II. j. Foreman, erst-
while managing editor of Golfers and
Applegarth, usually known as "Appy"
by the pencil pushers and readers Of
the Pittsburgh Post Each and every
one of these notable writers-former
newspaper reporters, seemed to have
made an especial effort to make me
forget-which / did-t-hat my skin
was several shades darker than
theirs, and by so doing to convince
me that this world democracy" for
which the Allies are fighting is neith-
er barren ideality nor a rainbow vi
sion, but an actual probability whose
advance courier is discernable with
the naked eye. The treatment ac-
corded me by the newspaper men
aboard was but typical of the treat
ment accorded me by all the other
passengers. Among the nearly two
thousand souls making up the ships
passenger list were many Red Cross,
Y. M. c. A, Y. w. c. A., Knights of
Columbus and Salvation Army work
ers. These all displayed most no.
table evidence of a healthy spirit Of
democracy by their fraternizing as if
they were all members of one and the
same organization. Among the Y. NJ
G. A. workers aboard were five COL
ored secretaries; Fritz P. Cansler Of
Knoxville, Tenn; Thomas NJ Clayton
of Piqua, Ohio, f. L. Clark of Leaven-
worth, Kans., D. D. Mattocks of Phila-
delphia and G. w. Jackson of Louis
vile, Ky. The Y. NJ. C. A. certainly
made no mistake in selecting these
five men for overseas duty, for they
represent the highest type in the race,
and by their bearing won the re-
spect, and even admiration of all on
board the ship.
Diversions by Service Battalion On
Board Ship
Aboard the ship, also was a Color
ado service battalion belonging to an
Engineer regiment They were stout,
husky fellows whose good humor was
effervescent, even contagious, all
their rollicking songs and plantation
melodies cheered all, making them,
those whose thoughts had invodlun-
tarily turned to submarines-Ger-
many's acme of kultur, forget them,
and Danish all fear from their minds
One of the songs which they frequent
ly sang. and with a gusto which gave
further evidence of their 100 per
cent Americanism, and which never
failed to elicit rapturous applause
from the white passengers, was Three
Months from New We Will Be In
Germany"
/ had heard it said that the big
waters frightened colored soldiers,
but these Colored soldiers aboard the
ship sailed on appeared as contented
selfcentered, and care-bereft on the
ship at night, when lights were out,
as they were down in Alabama, vir-
ginia, Mississippi, and other south