The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-10
DR., Foster, Recently Back
From Europe, Tells Of
Conditions There.
FRENCH LOOK TO US
AS NATIONS SAVIOR
Declares United States Has
Noble Part to Play and
Must Go Limit.

ta
DR. w. 4. Foster, president of Reed
college and member of the United
States commission sent to Europe to
Investigate Red Cross work, at the
Presbyterian church last night spoke
before a Missoula audience. The big
church was filled. The choir loft and
chairs placed in the aisles wefe put in
to use, and many people had to stand.
DIR. Fosters lecture last night was of
interest and force equal to that of yes
terday afternoon. France, torn and
devastated. Frenchmen, broken in body
but whole and determined in spirit !:
England, giving all to the war; the in
fluence Of America and the part of the
Sammees. were all treated with unusual
force by the speaker.
Mr.. Foster said in part:
8ammees Best Fed.
Il have just come from Washington,
where for the past few weeks l have
been in the midst of the discussion
concerning the war administration.
with which you are all familiar Psr-
haps there Is ground for criticism of
the war administration with regard To
efficiency. But this much I know.
While in Europe | dined with French
nobility and English royalty. I dined
with French and English soldiers, but
nowhere but in the camps of the Sam
mees, did l ever find white bread.
Here, at least, the war administration
is not falling down. The Sammees are
the best fed soldiers in Europe"
Dr. Foster told of tho arrival Of the
American soldiers in France. The peo-
pie over the whole country, he said,
regard this country as the savior of
France and civilization. The French
arc anxious to go more than half way
to meet the Americans there. They
are never failing In their efforts to do
all that they can for the Sammees,
Praises Y. N. c. A.
In speaking of the Y. NJ. c. A. DIR.
Foster said: And right here want to
tell you that those of yon who have
contributed to the Y. NJ. {. A. war fund
have given to an organization that is
efficient and worthy in all ways.
Il recall one night, 1t was Sunday,
came at evening upon camp of the
American boys singing at one of the
Y. NJ. c. A. stations. They sang Abide
With Me- and they sang it well. They
sang Nearer, My Got to Thee, and
they sang it heartily. Then someone
suggested that they sing, Lead Kindly
Light They began and sang it lus-
tily until they came to the line, The
night did seem dark and they far from
Then there came a change. Voices
broke; many stopped singing: many
left. There was no more singing that
night. Somehow, out there in that
place. with no light but a lamp hung
on the side of barn, cold, tired, the
night did see mdark and they far from
home. | tell you people the boys are
homesick, and 1t is worse than you and
l can imagine. 1t is this homesickness
that the Y. NJ. C.. A. is treating. 1t is
this homesickness that is driving many
of the German army to suicide
France Has Dissemination.
The speaker told of hundreds of vii
lagos and cities laid waste by the in,
yading Hun, and of the desolation lef
in his path. But | know that il Is i'm
possible for me to picture to You th'
France of today, The more l try it
the more impossible it seems. One da,
/ was walking not far from the front
with a friend. This he said, is wha
was not long ago a pretty village.
looked around but could see nothini
that l could even imagine had ever beer
a building. A little farther on We cam'
upon an old man sitting on a stone. H.
had Just succeeded in dragging an anvil
from the ruins. He sat there with ths
thing in his lap locking at 1t as If i
conveyed to him all that had gone be
fore. Yet his face told of determine
tion 1t is the same way with France
She is still there fighting. She ha'
dragged herself from ruin and is bacl
again, weakened. but still fighting.
German Atroeity Real.
since my arrival in this countr
from Europe. hundreds Of people has
asked me IL all they hear about Ger
man atrocity is true. They don't under
stand. for if they did they could not as
that question. Don't you see, people
that the atrocities must be true. tina
they are but a part of a system, whee
in a machine designed for GerTnal
world dominion? II you had seen wha
have seen you would realize all thi.
In Switzerland l found a poster whic
il brought home with me. 1t carries
picture Of q German aviator turnin
his machine gun upon a village OF un
protected women and children. Benin