Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-09
BYRON n. CLARK
RETURNS FROM FRANCE
State Y. M. C. A. Secretary
Reaches Burlington After a
Stay of Nine Months in France
-Verifies Reports of French
Optimism and German Cruelty

After an absence in France Of nearly !
line months. several Of which he spent
midst the continuous roar of the big guns
IN the western front, Byron N. Clark,
state secretary of the Y. M. c. A., re-
urned to his home in Burlington Tues
lay and will for the present resume his
luties here with the Y. NJ. c. A. Mr..
Clark was in the front line with the Y. NJ.
:. A. workers during much of his time
md was repeatedly under fire. His ad-
ventures did not cease when he left
for even on his return trip SUBJ
marine attacked the ship on which he was
4 passenger.
Mr.. Clark came Tuesday night and was
met at Essex Junction by Assistant Secre-
tary w. E. McGovern and Chester Way
In an automobile Through a misunder-
w. ]. Van Patten, chairman Of
the State board, number Of friends,
and boy scouts were at the railroad sta
ton to welcome him back.
Mr.. Clark went to France to engage in
Y. M. c. A. work last September and spent
the first part of his time in Lyons. He
was then engaged in work with DR.. Guy
Potter Benton and Roy d. Sawyer. The
latter is now in the army and DR.. Benton
is engaged in another branch of Y. M.
After being in Lyons for time, Mr..
Clark was appointed to take charge of a
part of the work Of installing Y. NJ. c.
AS with the armies wherever they went.
He spent his time about equally between
the American and French troops. This
work brought him right up to the
trenches. At one time he was within a
mile and half Of German soil and could
plainly see it. although he didn't reach It..
The general idea that the Y. M. c. A. s
are situated way back somewhere is err
roneous, for they are everywhere the SOL
diers are and the resorts, however well
concealed, are constantly subject to being
shelled. The Y. NJ. CA. workers are so
far toward the front that at times they
even carry pals of hot coffee and choco-
late through the trenches. Because OF the
waste Of buildings the American Y. NJ. c.
A. makes no attempt to build near the
front. No one can tell when shell will
destroy them and the Germans may have
them in a few minutes.
Mr.. Clark states that there is no fear of
the French quitting and that they feel as
confident of winning as though the VIC
tory were already theirs. He spoke es'
pecially of the French women. They are
now handling nearly all the baggage al
OAAS $780, -
the way of laborers excepting old men
They not only till the soil but work on the
roads, and even In the coolest weather
may be seen breaking stone in the snow
| with hammers, for stone crushers are un
| known in France. The spirit everywhere
| in France is indomitable.
When asked regarding the German afro
cities, Mr.. Clark said that he had not thu
slightest dboubt that they were true. HI
was glad he had not personally witnessed
any Of the effects of them, but he had re
ceived much flrst-hand information which
he could not doubt. Even the German
Red Cross nurses are infected with tn
fiendish blood and he told Of one office
/, who related an occasion Of trainload
French prisoners who arrived at a station
almost famished with hunger and thirst
The nurses, with pitchers OF water an
hot coffee. walked repeatedly back an
forth in front Of the windows Of the tran
and then deliberately poured the content
of the pitchers into the gutter. withou
giving a taste to the prisoners There ar
dozens of such stories regarding the Ger
man Red Cross nurses. AS to the disf1g
urement by German soldiers of not onl
soldiers but women and children there ar
too many stories to try to relate.
Mr.. Clark states that while at first foo
was a pretty scarce article with tr
troops, they are now being fed well an
have been for some time. At one time III
only diet for quite a while was soup an
very thin soup at that. Now there al
white bread, meat, vegetables and suga
and most of the time plenty OF II.
The fact that Germany is using most I
her reserve power is shown by the boy
who are in her service. Mr.. Clark say
that boys as young as II years OF age al
plenty among the prisoners. The alli'
claim that they have killed hundreds
thousands of Huns in the last few montl
and he believes this to be true.
From what he saw. the statement thi
the Germans are no good In man-t
man encounter is borne out. Especial
IL this true of the aerial combats whe
the allies seem to be greatly superior.
has seen many such fights. In fact thu
/ are of almost hourly occurrence.
On Mr.. Clarks return trip the steam
was attacked by a submarine the ev
ming Of the second day. One torpedo we
, within a few feet Of the stern OF 4
: boat. Others were fired which went wild
. of the mark. A destroyer was along al
: this opened up with the gunners OH Z
? boat and the submarine disappeare
Whether 1t simply submerged or W
struck is not known. The boat was COLL
at full speed and sigzagging, as all shi
do when near the coast. to make
difficult for the submarines. The alta
occurred when the passengers were
dinner They first learned that somethil
was up when they heard the guns. The
/. were about 400 in the dining room. and o
of that number not more than so left the
seats. The discipline aboard the ship W
perfect and II the ship had been stru
everyone knew just what to do. In fa'
only that afternoon there had been lif
boat drill.
While in France. Mr.. Clark met almo
no one from Vermont. He was station
In an area commanded by General J.
Dickman, formerly of Fort Ethan ALE
for sometime, but saw hardly anyone el
from here. Once he was within four mil
of the Vermont outfit and intended to S
them but circumstances arose which MAJ
this impossible.