The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-10
George Hoyes of Topeka Tells
of Y. M. C. A. in France.
He Meets Several Soldiers From
Topeka and Kansas.
LICKING COMING TO HUN
Spirit of American Boys Is Set
on Victory Soon.
Hoyes's Canteen Is on Banks
of the River Marine.

George Hoyes. Y. M. Z. A war
worker, who is near the battle front
in France, has written home of meet
ing some of the Kansas boys who are
in the fighting or getting ready to go
in and of a visit to one of the larg-
est American hospitals IN France. He
says:
To-day while waiting for our car to
be repaired, we went to the hospital
We walked up and down ward after
WARD greeting our boys. Here was a
poor fellow with one leg gone, there
one who had been gassed. They were
in every possible shape of physical
s.ffering, but no one complained.
They were as cheerful bunch of men
as I ever saw anywhere. When
nurse came in and told some of the
convalescents that they would have
to wash their own dishes Sunday to
give the cooks a holiday. they raised
a shout in true American style. 1t
was a benediction for me to. stand by
the cots of these men, and 1t made
me ashamed that ever complained or
thought 1 had any hardships. Three
of the fellows were from Kansas.
Harry Dye of Ottawa, one of them.
used to work in the Santa Fe hospital
in Topeka and was well acquainted
with Doctor Raster and Doctor Free
man. One of the boys was from Hol-
ton and he used to go to business col
lege in Topeka. The nurse told us of
a man who came in with one side of
his body partly shot away. He never
uttered a sound when they took off
the bandage, tho it was like taking the
poor boys life.
Funeral of United States Nurse.
Gas we were going to the garage we
heard a band playing a funeral march
and saw a procession coming down
the street. In the line was an ambu-
lance bearing a casket covered by the
flag. and in it was the body of an
American girl who had come over as
a nurse and had given her life for the
cause.
cat one of the great military cen
tiers 1 celebrated the national holiday
of France. General Pershing was
there, but the crowd was SO dense I
couldn't see him when his car went
by. The glory of Old Glory is greater
than ever before, and SOON it will be
recognized as the emblem of liberty
for the whole world. Fritz has the
worst beating coming to him that
ever happened, for the bunch of our
boys here is superb.
To-day I met Mr.. Tobey on the
street. He lived for some time at the
Y. NJ. c. A. in Topeka. We got our
gas masks and helmets today. Last
night we slept on our blankets by the
roadside and the night before in an
ambulance. And tonight we will be in
Y. M. c. A. hut on the banks of the
Marine river"
His Canteen Barn.
A later letter, written after Mr.
Hoyes reached his station, tells Of the
quarters in which his canteen is To-
Gated. He says: They are putting
up a tent for me so by rs feet.
saw three Topeka boys on my way
down: Victor BIakely, Marshall
Mayes and Joe DeBrill. All are mem
bers of the Topeka Y. NJ. C. A. Yes
terday / went out to my field and
opened a canteen in a barn. / sold
out tobacco as long as it lasted, and 1
sent 1921 back to the States for the
boys. This afternoon 1 will look after
about 1900 new soldiers. Mr.. Allen
gave me fine point to work in. /
will have the only Y. NJ. C.. A. hut in
the district when my tent is put up.
Until my tent is ready, my quarters
are in a barn, the upper part of which
is a hay loft and the lower part the
residence Of q French family. The
temporary 7. M. C. A. is the family
wash room. 1t is about twelve feet
square, with a cobblestone floor, and
in one corner is wide wood trough
where the washing is done. Some Y.
NJ. c. A. believe me. but we are doing
the business