New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-12-07
COMBINED EFFORTS
WAS WHAT Won WAR
D. A. R. Chapter Hears First
Hand Story Of the Great Conflict

Esther Stanley chapter. D. A R,
met yesterday at the homo of Mrs.
William C. IIungerford. The princi-
pal speaker was Sets G. Haley, one
of the pioneer secretaries of the Y. M.
C. A., and who WAS with the famous
Rainbow division in France. Mr..
Haley went across in September, 1911
and returned only q short while ago.
He opened his talk with his expe-
rience OF crossing the Atlantic when
coming home saying that there were
four ships which started the voyage
The ships were SO we'll camouhaged
that it was impossible to tell which
was the stern and which was the bow
of the vessel, They were escorted by
destroyers on each side, and also in
the front and in the back OF them
Besides there was a feet Of a1rplanes
above them and a dirigible away in
front of the convoy.
Mr.. Haley went to France when
there were only 5000 american SOL
diers over there, and when he came
back the number had reached one and
three-uuarters millions. He led the
same life as the rest Of the boys
eating, sleeping and living in their
way. From his experience he says
our army la second to none in the
world He was with the French Blue
Devils for five days and was treated
by them as a brother He praised the
work of the women of Franco who
took UP the positions their husbands
left Throughout his talk Mr.. Haley
gave several vivid descriptions. One
incident that appealed to him very
much was that of an American SOL
der surrounded by several French
children and he was holding one by
the hand. He explained that the idea
of the z. M G. A. was to do anything
tfla' would cheer up the soldiers. For
example, 1t was their duty to give the
boys entertainment after they had
come out of battle. When he first
went to Chateau-Thierry the first
sound that greeted him was that of
a piano. Looking around he discov-
cred a group of soldiers gathered
around a piano and singing for all
they were worth.
The z. M. C. A. dis the best it could
to give the boys a real Thanksgiving.
A turkey had been promised to them
and 1t had not arrived up to o'clock
on Thanksgiving eve. At o'clock
they were greeted with a large turkey
that had been sent from the states.
After the dinner there was a. foot
ball game, followed by an entertain
ment In a "Y" hut.
Mr. Haley was in the trenches five
days before any Americans arrived
and slept in q dugout 40 feet under
ground. Shortly after the arrival Of
our soldiers the Germans turned their
heavy artillery on them. This was the
first blood shed by the Americans In
general Mr.. Haley spoke OF the differ
ent battles along the different sectors
which he had witnessed In one bat
tie % soldiers were buried alive and
two 'Y" secretaries died from the eff
fects of q mustard gas attack. He
praised the 'Alabams" who never
could be stopped after they had gone
over the top.
In concluding, he said that the war
was not won entirely by the United
States and that he should hate to hear
som cone in later times get up and say
SO. A British officer once told him
we had the best army. It was the
combined efforts Of all the Allies, he
said, that won the war, but the COM
ing Of the United States at the most
opportune moment was the deciding
factor.