The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-21

IOWerS ne Associated IreSS COr
respondent at assy received an in
vitation from the Queen OF Ruma
MIA to accompany her on a journe,
to the Rumanian front.
Rumors of impending peace hat
been current in .Jassy for some time
but the Queen rcsoutely refused tc
believe that any arrangement" with
Germany was possible and contin-
ued her work Of encouraging and
inspiring her beloved soldiers, One
Of her principal objects on this
journey was to make sure that the
officers and men at the front were
still firm in their resolve to fight to
the last in defense OF the cause
which she cherished so dearly.
1t was only four days before the
opening of peace negotiations when
she lett JasSy on the royal train for
a village just behind the front. Dur
ing the next three days she travel
ed by automobile about three hun
dred miles, back and forth over the
10O-mle front which the Rumanian
army was then occupying. She
passed through scores OF little vii
lagos, all devastated by artillery fire
or aerial bombardment, many OF
them bearing the indelble mark OF
the German invader, who had occu
pied them but had been driven out
by the Rumanian troops.
Spotless White Churches.
The picturesque little churches,
built generally Of spotlcss white
limestone, seemed to have been par
ticular marks for the vandalism OF
the Germans who had not even
spared the village cemeteries where
scores of new made graves spoke
mutely OF the ravages of typhus and
typhoid and also Of the heroic de |
fense made by the Rumanian army.
Many OF the villages were abso !
lutely unnhabited others were de-
serted by all except handful OF
persistent peasants.
Occasionally a family could be
seen packing up its meagrc house
hold goods for departure north
ward. Everything which they could
not carry with them they were bury
ing in their gardens confident that ;
one day they would come back to
their homes.
Famine stalked everywhere; chill {
dren went barefoot through the ,
covered streets; everyone was
gaunt and emaciated. In the army, c
however, the food supply was still
fairly good and most OF the sol
diers were well clad and well housed. t
Meat was served to the troops two 9
or three times week and even i'll g
the front line the soldiers had eN Y
cellent dug-outs with straw mat c
tresses and wooden blankets. The +
dug-outs were warm and comfOr
table even on the coolest days.
The soldiers everywhere greeted
the queen with tn utmost enthusi-
asm and affection. There could be no g.
doubt that she was idolized BY the -
rank and file of the whole army, i
and her intense interest in their
welfare was shown on every mile :.
OF the three days journey. Every =
Rumanian officer carried 4 photo
graph of the queen and many OF 8
these bore her personal signature. T.,
Thousands OF the private soldiers III
also carried her picture in the same -
pocket with their sacred ikons and 4,
:ruSifiN. Y
Gifts to the Queen. |
The queen carried with her on her
Journey 4 large quantity OF sup
,lics OF various kinds, given to her
" the American Red Cross for dis
ribution These included garments
or the women and children in the
.illages, condensed milk and food
or the sick, and cigarettes or small
omforts ior the soldiers. The queen or
insisted on personally presenting a
very article. and she had a word OF an
heer and encouragement TO go with of
ach gift re,
In the villages the queen showed all
isregard ior the dangers OF iufcc- wa
ion. House, where typhus victims IN,
y i'll. She entered without heSita- ba
on, despite the protests and eN- DIR
of the local project and da,
( her own physician. who accom- nj;
anied her. often She insisted on inc
tting down by the bedside OF a lei
ricken peasant woman or child r,t
nd ministering personally 10 the
itient ~
Ii was wonderful 10 see how she -
udcd and overcamc the careful ar for
ngements of the local projects Tor gu;
her through their dis eve
lets. il was natural that each pre- by
Ct should be anxious to persuade Me
e queen that conditions in his
risdiction were better than the av-
age. and with this end in view. -
had usually arranged for calls at
( or seven OF the bcs, homes in
{ village But the queen would
iivc this program aside and. point
z TO some miserable hoyel. would
' 1t looks 10 ire as il the people
that house needed help. Let rs 90
ere"
Owing to the armistice. no fight
|, activities of any kind were in
idence. But the troops were keen
d willing. and as they were re-
wed by the queen they renewed
'ir oath oi allegiance with zeal
] enthusiasm that lett no doubt