El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-08
u. s. SOLDIERS FIGHT BETTER
BECAUSE Of HOME SACRIFICES
Fighting Men Realize That Home People Are Giving
Up Many Things to Make Soldiers More Comfort
able; American Army Is Introducing the Tub in
France; French People Take to Innovation.
By ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.

Z and ambulances were n waiting 10
carry those who we're assigned TO this
I special hospital, while the majority
I were going elsewhere. That, too,
vas a long train, and every man on
Z it wounded, but every man was an
/ optimist: at least every one with
whom we talked They made light Of
their wounds and were firm in their
convictions Of approaching victory.
Wars Educational Features.
The educational features Of this
I-lghrtul war Few people in America
realize. It is hardly possible that
any preceding war was accompanied
by such opportunities and efforts 10
give the soldiers mental food
One captain here, who IS a man Of
education and wide reading, arranged
a course Of talks on American his
tory for the men under his charge. 50
successful were they that he followed
them with a course OF talks on
French history The men flocked to
the entertainment all eager 10 listen.
on a larger scale and found his hall
not large enough TO accommodate
the increasing crowd There are
classes in French everywhere there
are camps Of soldiers. And each day
q certain portion Of the soldiers time
is given 10 this study under compe-
tent teachers. What IS being doae
here Is typical OF all France
Y. N. C. A. Doing Great Work.
The great good being done intel
Iectually and socially by the Y. NJ c.
A. people cannot be estimated But
there has come from the army secre-
taries a strong request that the sec
retaries and officers Of this orgauiza-
tion should be men OF As and over,
and that the young men should all
enter the war as soldiers
The same suggestion is being made
by the army 10 the Red Cross work
ers. They want the men between 45
and so 70 take these comparatively
safe positions, which do not require
strength or vitality the real war
number Of young men for recruiting
the army.
Women. too, Of maturer age, e Is
suggested by the officers, would bet
ter suit the needs Of both Organiza-
tons than young girls and for many
reasons prove OF more lasting userui-
mesa usefulness entaiEnE fewer
problems to be solved I tell the
story as Il has been told 10 me by
many. United States officers OF the
American army.
The first time in France I saw
woman in a street dress and wrap,
wearing a long black veil and riding
q bicycle, I stopped and looked at her
in establishment. IL was such an I'M
usual sight 20 American eyes. But
that was when 7 first came over. Now
it is no more unusual than seeing a
woman step off a tram car.
The bicycle is as necessary in ev-
cry home as a bed II Is almost the
only means OF locomotion for civil Z
iaus. Women ride them TO weddings. I
arrayed in their best clothes; and IL
is an every week occurrence to see
professions Of cyclists on Sundays. [
and every third woman is wearing
the long black veil, which streams !
behind her in the breeze.
The French nurses, in their artis- I
tic and becoming uniforms, with their /
blue capes and wells. are pictures Of I
beauty when they spin along on their ]
wheels to and from their arduous /
labOrs.
Victims Of Gas.
In the American hospital in the ]
part OF France where I write there is I
one ward devoted TO gassed men, re- |
Gently from the front, and all recoV- /
sring. I talked with these men and /
was happily surprised 10 learn that
the majority Of Eassed soldiers does
recover.
One youth was pouring a cooling
lotion over the large white blisters
caused by the devilish invention OF
the Germans, mustard gas" Those