Evening journal., 1918-07-17
BY MAJOR II. w. DAVIS

EDITORS NOTE: Major Davis. Of
Englewood, n. j., American Red
Cross commander, central section
OF the advance zone on the front,
here relates for the flrst time, with
the permission Of tht American Red
Cross, the things he actually wit
messed during the height Of the Ger
man drive.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, juno is.-(By Mail)-The in
tensity Of the German offensive broke
on a front OF as kilometers. Bisecting
.his front and just south Of It, lies
Complegne.
Complegne was the gate through
which the torrents OF men poured for
ward and back. Compiegne was the
point at which many groups OF Ameri-
can and English, who had admirably
occupied in the devastated provinces,
gathered for temporary shelter. Com
plegne was the logical spot for the
general relief headquarters Of the
American Red Gross.
When the Red Cross, under the direc-
ton Of the head OF the military affairs
department, and the inspector general,
opened its work. Compiegne was a dead
town. A hundred thousand soldier a
day passed through its streets, but
none rested there. The town life had
closed. There were no hotels or stores,
no banks. postofilce, police, or hOspi-
tails. The inhabitants had been OIL
clally evacuated. There was no place
TO sleep. no place 10 buy or beg food,
no place for medical aid. The city was
shelled often and bombed each night.
The Red Cross took over the leading
hotel. hung out the American nag and
the Red Cross nag, opened the doors
and left them open day and night for
two weeks. The never-shut door was
symbol. The number Of "lost men"
who drifted past was astOnLshing-me
who had become separated from their
units In a charge, or who had lost their
way in a cross-country retreat, whose
horses had been shot under them and
who could not keep up with their
mounted cOmrades-whO were wander
ing around, hungry cold, wet, cheer
fully following rumOrs as TO where
friends might be; men who had lost
their packs, who had not slept under
shelter for ten days nor tasted warm
food for eight. The Red Cross hotel
was the one living human spot In the
city-the floors Of the dining and re-
ceptiOn rooms, the halls and bed rooms.
were covered with blankets. British,
American and French slept side by side.
The Red Cross set up an ideal for IT.
self-that every hungry man should get
hot food. Marmltes OF stew were kept
on the stove, There was plenty Of
army bread and coffee au lait. The au-
thOrltles opened the stores and requi-
sitioned the perlshable supplies for the
cuisine. For one lunch 60 full-sized
frying pans Of Omelette were served.
No money changed hands. only the
polite formula. This Is with the COM
pllments Of the American Red Cross
and the almost inevitable retOrt, I've
been I'm the war three years and /
never saw anything like this" There
Is no way Of knowing how many men
were fed, as no one took time 70 count,
and each waited on himself and wash
ed his own plate, but II IS believed that
as many as 800 were in and out Of
the hotel some days.
Under Two Flags.
The two flags hanging over the door
that was never shut, stood for the SEN
timents which America wanted 10 eX-
press to her associates during the great
retreat.
The street kitchen. set where the
trains stop, and where the main thor
for the front leave the square
made a record, seldom, II ever equalled.
during the last seven days Of March.
By actual count, for a day that was
not more busy than the rest. 1900
drinks OF coffee and pairs" OF cigar
cites were served. It is a fair estimate
that the Red Cross gave a hot drink
and a smoke, a meal or a lodging TO
10000 men during the last week in
March. in the one town Of Compiegne.
AN English general sat silent in his