Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-28
COL. CUMMINGS
TALKS TO FRIENDS
OF co. N SOLDIERS
Brin gs Re-assuring
Message to Eager Au-
dience-S Shows Speci-
mems of Modern War
fare Implements -
Tells Interesting Incl
dents of Trip '. {

To an eager audience composed ot
mothers, sisters and other friends OF tho
boys Of Co. NJ. now in France, It. Col.
Frank e. Cummings of the loGd L. S. In
fautry brought an interesting story of
tic everyday life of the soldiers overseas.
wEcm he left but recently. The gather
Ing assembled in the parlors Of the Au-
gusta House and about hundred per-
sens. mostly ladies, were present.
81 have counted it one of the great
privileges I have in coming back to meet
some of the wives and mothers of the
BOYS over there. ] realize that there
isi't much Of interest / can tell but
also realize that it does you good to look
at someone who has seen your boy with
in the past four weeks" said Col. Cum
mirgs.
III announcing that lie would be ready.
To answer questions ne told his hearers
that he could Save them breath" by
mentioning one question he could not an
swer. which was: when is the war go
ing to end"
Col. Cummings said that the boys arc
we'll fed--'are not Hooverizing." are
comfortably situated, and are located In
described in some detail the mode Of liv-
ms in the villages where the boys are BILL
oted, and also gave a description OF the
natural environment 1t is not the cold
but the wet which gives the boys any
trouble, Col. Cummings stated, and he adj
vised that for the present no more stock
ings or heavy sweaters be sent Ligh.
sweaters might lie desirable for those
who are now wearing the heavy ones he
said.
Moral conditions are the best that he
has ever known TO exist in the regiment,
Col. Cummings stated, and he assured
his hearers that. they had absolutely
no'hing to worry about ON this point.
Col. Cummings said that every divis-
ion is given regular program of train
ing which includes Is days in the trench
es-tive in the front line. five in the sup
porting trench and five with the reserve.
II the men of the regiment entered the
tre"cnes at the time he supposed, stated
Co. Cummings, they have now been out
a week last Tuesday. There will be about
tW" months of training to fit them for
any duty for which they may be called
upon, he said
IN explaining the fact that he per-
sonaIy has no fear from submarines
IN making the trip across the ocean
ne stated that his wife had sent him
t3 numbered letters and that he had
received them all also that he had
mailed to Mrs: CUMMINGS an almost
equal number which had all made the
trip safely. In the trip to France The,
only rough weather was encountered,
on the third day before the arriyalj
said Col. Cummings. On this day the,
ship was met by eight destroyers. be|
said, which were travelling at speed|
OF 70 miles an hour and, with the waves
piline over them. presented a beauti,
full sight. The transport on which he,
sailed, he said. was Hamburg Amer
lean Line ship which the Germans
had fixed so that they knew it could
never run it again" And now" addict
Col. Cummings. the Americans are
getting two knots out Of it more than
ever The Germans aid"
Col Cummings showed several very
interesting souvenirs from the bat
tlefrCnt. and among them a pressed
steel "shrapnel proof hat such as the
men wear when in action The Brit
ish Tommies said il was shrapuei nrm, RI
till the shrapnel hits it. but the Brit
ish Tommy is sometimes sarcastic"
said the colonel. Shells of several tvpes
were shown--some OF which had be-, n
brought from Verdun by French sol.
diers. beautifully decorated by skil!frl
handiwork. and sold to the America n
soldiers for souvenirs. Col. Communist
showed gas masks Of both the French
and the English pattern. and described
how each is used. He also told OF T.. sI
different effects of the various xascs
The cloud gases are now used but lit
tie by the Germans. he said. The ex-
PLANTATION is that the wind velocity hasi
to be just about right and the direc-
ton exactly right for their successful
Use. Fortunately for our men. he said,
the prevailing winds generally blow 20.
wards the German lines.
The boys are bilietted 80 miles rror,t
the front, Col. Cummings stated. IN al
perfectly safe position between two
French strongholds which ~ Germans