El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-05-04
Getting ''OUer There y Not
Joy Ride, Many Brave Sub
Danger To SerUe In the War

ny NM
COlIEWHERE IN france, May L.
y Getting "over there" is a real ex-
perience these days. The war has
revolutionized ocean travel. Those
who crossed in peace times have little
conception Of the changes and the
thrills.
It is no longer a joy ride. It is an
adventure, likewise a lottery. You
may arrive, and. then again, you may
not
The war has brought democracy
into the salon A spirit Of fellowship
prevails from cabin TO Storage Life
aboard a transatlantic liner is more
earnest and matter OF fact
FrivOlities and artificialities have
vanished. So have social lines and
dress suits Travellers today are too
serious to bother with formalities.
A woman writer, who is to do can
teen work for the /. NJ c. a. back
Of the fighting lines. said:
zone feels most at ease in back
woods toys. The gorgeous gowns and
Jewels of normal times would be alb
surdly out Of place now"
This woman's daily attire was a
storm skirt, sweater, Worsted cap.
white tennis shoes and leggings. and
she dined in this rig. She is an aris-
tocrat, too. with a score of ocean trips
TO ner credit
The professional gambler no longer
haunts the smoking room. There are
no lambs to fleece. Tourists are not
included in a liners list these days.
They have no right to passports. and
they don't get them. Lines are too
rigid. Every person who goes abroad
ROW has mission
That accounted for the cosmopoli-
tan family on the ship that carried US
safely through the danger zone II
was distinctly a family OF war work
ers- There was story in everybody
on board.
Nuns, Opera Singers.
There wer two nuns with great
beads hanging from their belts. who
sought secluded corners in which TO
pray There were several opera sing
ers on their way TO Monte Carlo to
fill an engagement
There were a dozen Quaker lads go
ing over as uoncOm batants. A woman
physician from Philadelphia, who
wore a raccoon coat, was in charge
Il taught school back in Ohio" said
one young man. Il am under MILL
tary age. Just turned 20. We are go
ing to do reconstruction work. Some
may ridicule the idea Our religion
is opposed to fighting. so we will
serve our country in the less spec
tacular way"
A young blind man. Walter z.
Baker. Of Arlington. n J.. dared the
subs in order 10 assist in educating
blind soldiers He said
The war has its blessings. It has
given me a fixed purpose in life. They
say there are thousands Of soldiers
blinded in battle. I am going among
them I am going to show them that
because the light has gone out they
are not done. ] am going to convince
them that they are not to consider
themselves in the scrapheap- There
is work for them still. and oh, the JOY
OF being able to help those to whom
blindness is g new and strange in
Fiction, I have no time to think Of
U-boats"
There was a young officer Of the
Salvation Army in charge Of II Sal
walton Army lassies. the eldest Of
whom could not have been more than
p years Of age. They wore olive
tan shoes and campaign hats. On
deck they wore military skull caps.
Their pilot, who played a guitar. had
his hands full keeping track Of their
passports, baggage and wants, espe-
cially when all were seasick. includ-
ing himself. They all carried musical
instruments. They played and sang
on deck. They are to do canteen
work
There were many Red Cross doctors
and Y. n C A secretaries on board.
and few Red Cross nurses with their
natty blue uniforms and long blue
capes. Among the Y. n c. A. secre-