Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-21
MISS BURKE'S STORIES
OF WAR STIR HEARERS
Lectures to National Geographic So
eiety on Her Experiences
on All Fronts.

Wearing upon her white serge uni
form several military medals of honor
and war crosses, Miss Kathleen
Burke, honorary organizing secretary
of the Scottish women's hospitals,
won the repeated applause of the
members of the National Geographic
Society, before whom she lectured
yesterday afternoon and evening in
the Auditorium of the New Masonic
Temple.
For four and half years Miss
Burke has lived among the wounded.
the refugees and the repatriated suf-
fererS on all fronts. and she has seen
more Of the war in more of it's phases
than any individual soldier or gen
eral. Her address to the Geographic
society was succession of thrilling
incidents, many poignant with sor-
row. others sparkling with humor
while still others stirred the pulses
with their heroic spirit.
Patriotic British Women.
Perhaps no other incident recited
by Miss Burke SO touched her hear
ers as the story of the women of
PORTSMOUTH, England. upon the occa-
sion or the sinking of a certain ship
upon which were more than 1000
portsmouth men. The government
realizing that it would be days be-
lore the members of each mans fam
lily could be notified of his loss or
rescue, sent a telegram to the mayor
saying that the names of the sur
VivorS would be posted at the munich
pal building.
As soon as this fact was known the
women OF the town began to gather.
Ten thousand of them stood before
the bulletin board all the first day.
all that night. all the next morning.
ana hnally. in the afternoon of the
second day the list of survivors was
posted-only eighty names.
mere was Il minute of awful
silence, and then, as if stirred by one
great common impulse. that vast con-
course of 10000 grief-stricken women
litted their voices in a mighty chorus
OF Rule Britannia
German Fiendishness.
Many accounts of German .fiendish
ness were given by Miss Burke in i'm
pressing the need for the creed, Il est
We forget" One of these was the
story of the children and the old
women of Douai. who were removed
by the Germans upon their final re-
treat from the city. These HELPLESS
civilians were taken to a point out
of the city and placed in wooden
barracks. The Germans told them
that they would be perfectly safe.
and could remain there in security
until the British arrived. Two hours
later the Germans began Smelling
that very building with poisonous
gas.
Illustrating the spirit of the French.
Miss Burke told of standing at the
bedside of a dying soldier who seemed
to be in great mental distress. She
asked if she could deliver any mes
sage to his family. He replied that
he was unmarried and had no family
Then why are YOU so troubled; YOU
are not afraid to die" "Oh, made
moiselle." he replied, "by dying now
il looks as if 1 were deserving
France"
beautiful tribute was paid by Miss
Burke to the American soldier and
the American sailor. She told par
ticularly of the officers of the 13Sth
Field Artillery. of which regiment she
is the godmother. Upon their trip
across their transport was attacked
by submarine. Twenty pneumonia
cases had to be brought on deck,
ready for instant removal should the
vessel be hit. At the side of each one
of these sick soldiers knelt officers.
unmindful of contagion. Whispering
words of encouragement in the battle
Tor life against disease.