Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-05-29
PROF. JOHNSON
ON WAR WORK

~. !dFtNce ttlCAdEO Johnson q
g by gave one of the most interest
.IG lectures on war work. that has
been gwen IN the city during the en-
tire period Of the war. Great int rest
centered in the fact that the slides
shown were taken b. Prof. Johns N.
when he was doing y. NJ G. A. work
among the prison camps ef France.
Perhaps one incident of which Prof.
Johnson told will stand out in lie
memory If those who heard il more
than any other. It was n story Of an
evening at the Depot LAbbee Jaku
bis;ak whore he talked through an in
terpreter to Polish prisoners. lie
was IN company with J. Wylie Brown
secretary If the Chamber If Com
merce Of Constantinople 1t vas n
strange coincidence that these two
men. one from the north and the 9TH
or from the south OF these Unite /
states should be working together in
France for Polish prisoners, who ct
the close of the talk were asked ~
the Interpreter for three cheers for
America and for President Wilson
and gave them with a will. Both the
speakers were Professionals, the inter
prefer Roman Catholic priest born
III Russia. 1t conjured up a picture
in the minds Of his hearers never TO
be forgotten.
A picture Of great interest was OF
an orchestra, taken at "A camp N
western France, which was led by 4
former director at the Conservatory
OF Music at Prague Prof. johnson
SAID: Think of listening to Manol
and Carmen until you thought YOU
were at the Opero Comique at Paris
and Of the courtesy of that Austrian
group playing The Stars and Str;pcs
Forever" with such feeling that one
easily forgot the ocean that separates;
this country from France and felt As
though ne was back again in the
best country that this world knows"
The speaker told If the JOY that
was given to some of the prisoners
on seeing a cinema show after not
having seen q moving picture for two
OF three years. Another moving in
cldent was that of a commandant
who talked to his men telling them
that an effort had been made to make
men slaves and that they must work
against that after their return home.
He lamented the frghtful war. ~
men should live together as brothers
and ended his talk by quoting to
them the Golden Rule, that each one
should do unto others as he would
be done by.
The lecture would not have BEEN
complete without a few views Of some
Of Americas own soldiers. So Profe
Johnson showed some of them play
ing their great national game in
foreign land. the Y. NJ. G. A. head
quarters in Paris and also a slide OF
the first American sailors who land
"a IN France. Prof. Johnson and Oti.-
er Y. NJ. G. \. workers met them and
ordered their food for them at a res
taurant and the picture showed a lg
basket Of stra wberries that they had
given to the boys on their arrival!
In closing Prof. Johnson show d
the picture of two charming French
children taken with himself and sad
that that was why France was figf,-
ing so that children like these in the
future should not know the horrors -
war.
The whole address brought the ex-
periences of Prof Johnson very rear
TO his listeners and was most de-
Eghtful and instructive evening. The
proceeds, which will amount to a
considerable sum, will be used 10 send
delegates TO the Y. NJ. {. A. confer
ence at Mortified.