The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-07-09
Efforts Made
By America as
Seen in Paris
Naval and Military Activities on the Other
Side Of Stupendous Proportions
BY JAMES HAzEN HYDE.

Side Of Stupendous Proportions
BY JAMES HAZEN HYDE.
formerly president of great in
surance company, now residing in
Paris.)
PARIS, France had the honor
Of a reception by Admiral Wilson, in
one of the great French ports, not
far from the spot where the Ameri-
can flag was for the first time saluted
by France. This flag fioated from
the first ship of the Union that came
to France and was commanded by
Paul Jones, the father of the Ameri-
can navy.
What a change in this city, which
had not seen for a year--had only
the talent of an American Mahan or
of French Lott to describe for you
the intensity of work and effort that
reigns here!-at the time there was
only one American boat in the port,
a petroleum tanker of the merchant
marine with only few gunners on
, board for its defense.
Buzzing With Activities
Today the city is filled to over
flowing with our soldiers and our
marines. In the streets order is kept
by the American military and naval
police, which has come to re-enforce
the French police. Everywhere one
sees only American autos and side
cars; the little white caps of our sea-
men and the khaki hats of our SOL
diers Tin the trenches they wear the
English helmet, which makes them
resemble their cousins from over
seas) mingle with the red pompons
of the French marines, against the
blue horizon of soldiers on leave,
with large felt hats and sombre blue
uniforms lined with bright red, Of
our hospital attendants, with the
khaki of some Englishmen passing
thru and the dark silhouettes of our
negroes, large numbers of whom are
busy in our ports, unloading the
most varied merchandise, from cases
Of conserved apricots to automobiles.
The Red Cross and Y. NJ. G. A.
These provisions, these munitions
furnished by our factories are the re-
suit of the lessons which our allies
have taught us these last few years
by developing the manufacture of
war products in our country.
All of them, marines and soldiers
are young, gay, care-free and ardent
An American policeman with whom
had occasion to speak and who be-
longed to the American regular
army, said to me: II have not come
over here to crack the whip; want
to go fighting against the Germans"
The appearance of the city is very
much changed; if I may say SO, it
has become Americanized the shops,
with their signs in English, are filled
with the greatest variety of goods,
and the most exotic kinds, to tempt
the American buyer.
The two great auxiliary organiza-
tons of our army, the Red Cross,
which has erected dispensaries, and
the Y M. c. A., are very active here.
The latter has organized homes for
our fighters on land and sea, as we'll
as for the French soldiers and ma
rines.
Speed Sacrificed to Perfection
At the railway station, cars carry
ing thirty tons of merchandise, with
enormous locomotives, are lying
alongside, the whole brought over
from America. The trains are painted
gray, and in large letters bear the
inscription, III. s. A."
During the first Smonths after the
war, without troubling why this
should be so, we had to establish
communications for the transporta-
ton and supply of our troops in
France. General Pershing in this
undertaking sacrificed speed to per-
lection, and If for the moment we
do not seem to have brought all the
aid which could be expected from us
after year of war, we have given
proof of our determination to fight
with all our means. Was 1t not
Napoleon who said that the secret of
war lies in the communications?
Ships From the Pacific
The port is filled with boats of all
tonnages and of every description,
some of them camouflaged in the
style Of futurist pictures. One of
them, with displacement of 5000
tons, arrived here from the Pacific
coast, where it had been built in
ninty-eight days. 1t had come thru
the Panama canal, which decreases
by one-half the distance between our
Pacific coast and that of the Atlantic.
A number Of German transatlantic
steamers transformed into transports
are also seen-for we have been able
to seize 100000 tons of German
boats in American waters-which
were unloading onto an English tug
boat some Of our troops which have
come to fight for liberty and civiliza-
ton.
The establishment of the German
and Austrian prisoners who were
watching this Decentralization was an
interesting thing to see and ! should
have loved to hear ythe reflections
which this spectacle was suggesting
to them.
Among our troops one could see
types of all races, and one might say
of all colors, from negroes to even
our Indians; their diversity makes
it necessary for the censors attached
to the division of military CORE
A. a. Il 4 -