The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-01
.SALYATIONISTS FREE
FROM BATTLES TOLL
Lassies and All Workers Es-
cape Wounds or Death AL
though Near Front.
INFLUENCE ON FIGHTERS
Lieut.-COl Barker, Back From
France, Tells Of Work
Among Our Boys.

Lieut.. Col. William s. Barker, director
general Of the Salvation Army workers
with the American expedItionary forces
in France. has returned to New York
after fifteen months on the front and
behind the lines. II there is any reason
for the view OF the soldiers In the
trenches that the Salvation Army
workers are surrounded by some special
or divine protection Col Barker would
appear to be a demonstration Of It.
The Germans have shelled his truck,
but missed 1t; he has broken through
ice in winter, wallowed in mud at all
seasons and been in the danger zone
weeks at a time without injury He
had an attack of pneumonia on board
ship on the way home but his general
physical appearance is that OF man
who has been a gentleman farmer in
the summer.
There has not been casualty among
the workers OF the Salvation Army on
the front, and the troops having Saliva
ton Amy workers with them have fewer
casualties when they go over the top
said Col Barker. There are hfty
women among the workers and they
often work within three miles of the
at Montdidier, the huts are under fire
day and night. Women of the Salvation
Army have had to sleep in the fields
night after night for two months at
time but harm did not and has not come
to any woman or man of the salvation
Army forces.
This fact has been observed by the
soldiers and is often commented upon
by them. We of the Salvation Army
have little to say about 1t. We are
simply salvation workers"
Give Boys "A Touch OF Home.
Col Barker developed the work of
the Salvation Army at the front. THE
soldiers are Just plain, home boys" he
said, land we bring to them some touch
of home"
Col Barker originated the idea of
baking and supplying apple pies to the
men. This thought came to him one day
while he was at dinner with a General
Of the American forces
THE pie served" the Colonel said.
was fiat failure. With the aid of
the French chef Of the General I worked
out the idea of having the women OF the
Salvation Army make good pies. like
mothers pies back home. When we ran
out OF material we began to make
doug hnuts. One night shortly before
left the women OF the Salvation Army,
after working all day in their own hut.
made 5000 doughnuts which they took
to the hut Of the Red Cross workers.
There all the women of the two organi-
cations remained up until daylight eerv-
ing coffee and doughnuts to men as they
came from the trenches.
There Is not a failure among the
Salvation Army lassies. Several have
been cited for bravery. and they keep
just as close to the front line trenches as
they are permitted. They want to go
further Tire men must be looked
after they say, and that Is what We
arc here for
"Often it is dfI'cult and even danger
Gus to get up supplies. In the last Of
fensve in tho ST. Mihiel sector ten OF
our fifteen huts could not be reached In
the day time because of the shell fire.
had to go back under cover of darkness
to connect with one OF our trucks and
get supplies The boys were hungry.
DodginG "Dead Mans Curve"
"One came to hut with orders from
fifty other boys. l worked back over the
road and came to one point which was
Dead Mans Curve a turn In the road
which was being shelled by the Huns. In
the course of events on the front we
learn how much time there il between
shells, or how long bombardment will
last Waiting at Dead Mans Curve
thought | had found n favorable inter-
val and made the attempt. got across
1t was nearly o'clock IN the morning
before ] had been able TO connect with
our truck and return. had TO cut dead
horses out OF the way and pick up dead
men who had been caught at Dead
Mans Curve 1t is an in a days work"
Col Barker explained that the workers
for the Salvation Army perform innu-
merable tasks for the men. baking good
things TO eat. helping them keep their
clothes in shape, forwarding their money
to banks or friends or relatives, sending
their watches to Paris jewellers to be re-
paired, &c. Articles are sold at about
the same price as those sold by the Y.
NJ c. A. Sometimes the sales at n hut
amount to $4,000 in n day Ensign Fred
Anderson goes about with a baby car.
Rage and collects eggs. which he takes
forward to the men in the trenches. The
men pay him what the eggs actually cost
him, and they cook them themselves
Spiritual Work Among Men.
The Salvation Army holds not less
than two religious services each week.
Sometimes there Is one every night. and
the workers ask the men for definite
conservation. At one meeting 100 Ameri-
can soldiers responded.
Col. Barker returned to the United
states TO confer upon details of the next
drive for funds and to ask for additional
workers to be sent TO the front at once.
With the arrival of many more soldiers
It Ia not possible for the Y. NJ. c. A. or
- n1 mr. Epl
M the needs Col. Barker said that tho
Salvation Army should have 600 men
and womcnNat the front He has re-
quests for 700 workers in each OF ten
divisions. Men are used in tho adva ngc,l
positions because of the extra tl,an.tIt