The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-23
GIVE DIARIES TO R0TARIAhS
Club Meeting in Honor of Members
Going in Wnr Work.
Percy Atkins Tells of the Real Sacri-
fees Made in France.

Three diaries were presented to
three members of the Topeka Rotary
club at special meeting of the club
at the Chamber of Commerce this
noon. The three men are to leave
early in September to enter the service
of the Red Cross and the army Y. NJ.
c. A. Two of them, Fred A. Derby
and Fred Voiland, go overseas for the
"Y' and w. A. johnson goes to Wash
ington in the Red Cross.
At the presentation of the books
this noon the three men were admon-
ished to enter on the fair white pages
nothing but the truth. and were duly
notified that when the recipients OF
the books return to Topeka that it is
expected that the notes in the books
will be open for the reading and in
struction of the-members of the club.
Robert Stone presided at the meet
ing this noon and made the presenta-
ton speeches. johnson, Voiland and
Derby accepted the books in turn.
each one in accepting outlining the
ideals which will govern his service
for the boys in olive drab.
Percy r. Atkins. state secretary of
the Y. M. G. A and himself recently
4 Y. M. c. A secretary at the front,
made the principal speech of the day.
In his speech Atkins told of the organ
ization of the work of the "Y' in the
trenches and behind the lines in
France and told of the service both
the Y and the Red Cross render to
the men in the fighting line and in the
rest biilets.
Atkins related a story which just
reached him this morning in a letter
from the front-a story of the French
reverence for the American dead.
This secretary wrote me of a visit
he had just paid to the grave of the
first American soldier TO die for
France and the worlds peace He said
that this American was buried just out
side the wall of a little French church
cemetery. All the French are Catho-
lies and as the soldier was Protest
ant the priest in charge of the ceme-
terry was forced to refuse permission
for the burial inside the precincts OF
the consecrated ground. So the first
American to fall was buried just out
side the wall
But" Atkins said the secretary
wrote. "the morning after the burial
the wall had been torn down and re-
moved from the place by the French
Those people wish no walls to divide
the men who die for France regard.
less of creeds. And today the Amer.
lean soldiers grave has no obstacle
or mark of any kind to separate i,
| from the graves of the French soldiers
| inside the old enclosure"
Atkins closed his speech with a
poem. setting forth the relative sac
rifices of the men in the trenches
and the men at home. The poem fol-
| lows:
Over I'm France where the death shell.
scream,
The boys are fighting as in dream
A glorious dream of blood and hell
While stay horne and prosper we'll
| Over in France they are dying now,
Like red earth turned by a giant plo,y.
They are going across, with a smile for me
While 1 stay home In security.
| Over in France the gas clouds roll.
And the shower of steel is taking its toll
| The Flag drives on, but the boys lie still
While l live on and eat my fill.
Dear God in heaven. in whom we trust.
Turn the food in my throat to dust
! II miss one chance which may come TO m,
To bring them home with the victory