The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1918-09-14
GRACE AND GREASE
HELP WIN THE WAR
IRWIN S. COBB TELLS OF THE
GREAT WORK. OF SALIVA
TON ARMY
BY Irwin S. Cobb


into the field. Nobody asked me to
speak in its favor because so far as
l can find out it has no publicity de-
partment. / am referring to the Sal
yation Army-may it live forever for
the service which, without price and
without any boasting on the part Of
its personnel, it is rendering to our
boys in France.
A good many of US who hadn't
enough religion, and a good many ct
us who mayhap had too much relig-
ion, look rather contemptuously upon
the methods of the Salvationists.
Some have gone so far as to init
mate that the Salvation Army was
vulgar in its methods and lacking in
dignity and even in reverence Some
have intimated that converting sim
ner to the tap of a bass drum or
the tinkle of tambourine was an
improper process altogether. Never
again, though, shall hear the blare
of the cornet as it cuts into the cho-
rus of hallelujah whoops where a
ring of blue-bonneted women and
blue-capped men stand exhorting on
city street corner under the gas
lights, without recalling what some
| of their enrolled brethren-and sis
ters have done and are doing in Eu-
| rope.
The American Salvation Army in
| France is small, but, believe me, 1t
| is powerfully buoy. Its war delega-
ton came over without any fanfare
| Of the trumpets Of publicity. 1t has
no paid agents here and no imDres-
sive headquarters. There are no
Well-knoWn- names, other than the
names of its executive heads, on its
rosters or on its advisory boards.
None of its members are housed at
an expensive hotel and none OF them
have handsome automobiles in which
to travel about from place to place.
No campaigns to raise nationwide
millions of dollars for the cost of its
ministrations overseas were ever
held at home. 81 imagine 1t is the
pennies of the poor that mainly fill
i its war chest. imagine, too, that
sometimes its finances are an uncer-
tain quantity. Incidentally am as
4 sslred that not one of its male work
ers here is Of draft age unless he
holds exemption papers to prove his
physical unfitness for military SER
4 vice. The Salvationists are taking
care to purge themselves OF any sus-
4 picion that potential slackers have
Joined their ranks in order to avoid
/ the possibility 81 having to perform
q duties in khaki
Among oifieerg as wen Is among
enlisted men ond occasionally hears
\ criticism v hieht may OF may not be
Il based on a fair Judgment for certain
branches Of certain activities of Ger.
tain organizations But have vet
to meet any soldier, whether a brig.
adler or private. who, if they spoke
at all of the Salvation Army, did NOT
speak in terms Of fervent gratitude
for the aid that the Salvationists are
rendering SO uhostentationrsly and
yet SO very effectively. Let a size
able body of troops more from one
station to another and hard on its
heels there came a squad of men and
women of the Salvation Army. Ar
army truck may bring them, or /,
may be they have battered jitney
to move them and their scanty out
fits. Usually they do not ask for hell
from anyone in reaching their desti
nations. They find lodgmen, in ;
wrecked shell of a house or in the
corner of barn. BY main force ant
aWkwardness they set up their equip
ment, and very soon the word ha:
spread among the troopers that a
sueh-and-such a place the Salvation
Army is serving free hot drinks an.
free doughnuts and free pies. /
specializes in doughnuts, the Saliva
tion Army in the field does-the rea
: old-fashioned homemade ones sha
j taste of home to homesick soldIe
: boy.
+ / did not see this, but one Of M,
associates did. He saw it last WIN
ter in a dismal place on the Tou
sector A file Of our troops wer,
finishing long hike through rail-
and snow over roads knee-deep il
half-thaWed icy slush Cold and we
and miserable they came +trampinl
into a cherries, half-empty row1
within range of the German guns
/, They found reception committee
awaiting them therein the perso1
of two Salvation Army lasses and
Salvation Army captain. The womel
had q fire going in the dilaD:date,
oven of vanished villagers kitchen
One of them was rolling out the bal
ter on plank with an old wine hot
tic for a rolling pin and using sh
top OF a tin can tn cnt the doug
into circular strips The other somaj
was cookinkg the doughnuts. and a
fast as they we're cooked the ma
served then, out, splitting hot. to hus
CRY wet boys elamoring about til
door, and nobody was asked to nav
cent
At the risk of giving mortal affron
to nltradoctr.tial practitioners OF AZ
piled theology! AM firmly committe
to the belief that b. the grace an
: the grease OF those doughnuts thos
, three humble bs:nafactors that da
? strengthened their right to piac
, in the Heavenly Kingdom.
= The sum of SIS. 0o0 is offered as