Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-01-31

in wartime. there has grown up new
department of the Young Mems Chris
tian association, the bureau for trac
ing missing soldier and sailor boys
To the folks back home, one of the
big tragedies OF war is the fact that
there Is no way of following the sol
diersons into the enemy's country
no way, even, of making sure that
connections remain unbroken. One
week the family reads and re-reads,
laughs over, and pretends not TO wipe
its eyes over, the usual letter from the
boy in France, letter full of bravado
and gaiety. lIght.hearted recounting OF
the details OF camp life, cockiness
about its hardships. conviction about
the outcome OF the war. The next
week the letter doesn't come. They
tell each other that 1t has been de
layed. try not to listen for the post
mans ring. and refuse TO meet each
others eyes when the postman has
come and gone. So the week drags
by, and the next week comes, and the
next, and the weeks after that.
He may be in the hospital, he may
have been transferred, he may even
be a prisoner OF war. He may be
dead, although they have received no
notice of his death. They would al
most welcome that notice sometimes,
in their anxiety, for there is no grief
worse than such terrible uncertainty
There Is nothing that they can do
but wait. Connections have been
broken as completely as If the absent
boy were in another planet.
Then they remember that his letters
home have been written on Young
Mems Christian Association station
cry, with the familiar Red Triangle in
the corner. Perhaps the Young Mems
Christian Association knows some,
thing about their son. They deter
mine to write and implore its help in
getting into touch with him once
more. Sometimes 1t Is the father who
writes, asking that the bad news, Il
there is any. be kept from the boy:
mother. Sometimes both father anC
mother write. unknown to each other
each trying to save the other pain.
II was these heartsick letters from
the home.folks, mostly mothers, tina
led to the creation of the new bureau
OF the Young Mems Christian AssOcia
ton. It follows missing soldier ant
sailor boys almost around the worl,
sometimes. to bring back word OF thci
safety to their people at home. |
goes even into the prison camps, t.
ascertain their whereabouts. Durnl
the last month. the bureau received
thirty-five letters. and was able t,
trace twenty-one of the boys.
No detective agency ever worked o,
such meagre clues as the bureau O
missing soldier and sailor boys mus
do. Sometimes only the boys name i
given. Often, the sole hints are sue
bits as these: My boy graduated frur
Yale in 1916" Charley sailed fror
America, on the 'Espagne' June IS
"The lad was in Ambulance Scctio
20, but dropped out to try to cntC
aviation"
II takes infinite patience TO follu'
such clues to the end, just to brin
comfort TO the hearts of anxious mott
ers back home. Perhaps only a W.
man could be expected to undcrstan
how other women worry about thei
soldier.boys. At any rate. at tho hca
or the heart-ot the bureau to traC
missing soldier and sailor boys, Their
is a woman, Miss a. Evelyn Newman
who for seven years directed Tn
Studio Club for Girls, in New Yorl
my boys" she calls the missing so
dIers and sailors, and every letter thr
comes from their families ut home sh
considers personal. and answers a
soon as she can knowing how that al
swcr Is waited for At home.
The method OF following clues d
ponds largely upon the informatio
given In the parents letter. Som
times the University Club in Paris.
Rue Richelleu, can give aid; som
times tho steamship records are ,
help. sometimes the aviation hcat
quarters supply the missing inrorm
ton. Tho Army Register handles
hugo location department in hclpin
the homefolk to keep the ties ur
broken, and tho Red Cross has cabInC
cases full Of fling cards on the prof.
Isrs. Both cooperate warmly wit
the Young Mems Christian Associ,
ton in the effort TO trance missin
sons, and day never goes By wilho,
many inquiries being exchanged.
BY far tho greatest number OF lie
teTs deaf with boys whose correct a
dress 10 supposedly known as, for I
stance: Els there any military reast
why my son in - Regiment, 49,