Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-05-26
(By RHETA CHILDE DORR)
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ooKIEG back over my three
r months IN France, most or
the time spent In visiting
- American military camps,
some experiences stand out above
all others, one, a precious persona
experience, gave me my fDst lhslght
into the splendid idealism and indi-
vidunl worth OF the enlisted men or
our army. / had gone to France
newspaper correspondent without
single plan, without even nope OF
seeing my soldier son ! mad no
intention OF using my privileged
position TO seek him out dld not
know where he was, nor ala ASK
The American soldier abroad IL
theoretically stili In America lie
gets his letters through an Amerl-
can branch post office In Paris ana
they are sent to him in care or hlH
regiment and his company, win no
more definite address than "AWerl-
can expeditionary force" MY spn
knew my Paris address, but he could
not even had he wished TO 90 80,
tell me his
with n few thousand more I'M
patient youngsters, my boy had en-
iistedL,beforc the draft, fearing lhat
he might draw late number. lie
signed up on the day when ! sall'u
for Russia. and he was In france
nearly two months before ] returheu
10 the United states Thus our
eeparntion had beon longer on"
than was usual In TINS war ."
when he wrote me In March thnt ne
had been given weeks leave ana
hoped 10 he sent to AiX-leS- bhlnS' !
hoped so too most fervcnty, because
had been ordered to AK les hhlnh
to write the story of the first Faca-
ton of our soldiers,
No Need OF Worry.
arrived two days after the first
contingent OF mon. the dried mud OF
the trenches caking their uniforms
and their worn boots, had marched
10 music and cheers through the
au-drnpcd streets OF AK | drove
directly from the station 10 INC
heedauarters OF the provost marshal
and asked II certain private SOL
dler was In town. and II SO where
He was there, and synpathellc
younK man In the uniform OF the
military police searched the lists TOT
the records OF his hotel II IN part
NJ tho intelligent care taken OF our
ao,diers overseas that even on thcr
nermisslons. or leaves from duty'
thc highest authorities know exact
,v whore they live and how. NO
mother need worry lest her son get
los, In France lie can't get losl.
In two minutes had my sons nu
Dress and was on my way 10 inc
hotei He was not there, but the
black eyed little patronne, also sym
pathetic, found ME n room on MS
floor. II was near tho luhcheoh
hour and sat down at the wlndoW
nearest the street cagerlS scrutiniz-
inc every, soldier WHO passed, espe.
cially those who turned In at thc
ho,ni gate Finally soldier came
swinrlnp down the street and u
seemed 10 me that he looked
familiar. Yet ! wPs not sure, Could
nine months with the absurd little
scrubbine brush mustache and the
can on the side of his head, was
taller. broader, straighter than my
son. He was more intensely alive.
Yet he walked like my Julian
waited for him to come up
stairs but he did not come. J 40
cided that no had gone directly to
the dining room, so ] went down
= stairs and into the big room, every
table OF which was filled with unie
formed men eating. laughing and
talking.
Adopting an Army.
II was the hoy, / was so over
whelmed at the sight OF him that
could NOT take more than step
into the room. | could not speak
Something of my intense emotion
must have reached him. for he
looked up, saw me, and In one
bound was beside me with his arms
wide, lust ms when ! used 10 visit
him unexpected Mt school Mother,
mother" no cried, Instantly nt the
word the noisy talk and laughter
stopped dead, and every man in tn,
room sprang TO his feet. II was
not tribute 10 me, but to their
own mothers al home. Right there
I adopted the American army.
am proud TO say that small
section OF the American army. all Of
II In that hotel adopted me. Some