Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-07
THE WAR As seen BY
FORMER bURL|NC1ON|AN
The Rev. e. G. Guthrie Brings
Word Picture and Illustrate
Of Great Conflict, Secured
While In American Field Sery.
ice on French Battle Front.

ice on French Battle Front.
The Rev. e. q. Guthrie, a former pas.
tor Of the First Church In this city
and recently returned from France,
gave . lecture last evening under the
auspices Of Unity before a large aud
fence in the Unitarian Church on From
the Marine to verdun." He accompanied
his lecture by pictures taken in France
Of ruined towns, shattered homes.
churches and schools and stretches Of
barren ground on which forests had
stood. Mr.. Guthrie resigned from his
passionate in Boston to Join the Cana
dian army but his church insisted
that he take leave of absence in
stead and Join the American field
service. When he arrived In France he
found that there was an army order
over there that no volunteer could go
to the front except with a unit Of his
own nationality and as he had only his
first papers Of naturalization as an
American citizen this interfered with
his plans. He was then appointed chef
de personnel Of the American field
service and later he was sent to the
front by the French war office under
such exceptional circumstances that
he has seen more of the French battle
front than any man in his own service
and more of It than scores and hun
dreds of the French officers them
selves. He says that he Is In America
for a three-fold effort-"to bring the
struggle itself near to every heart. to
do what he can for war relief and to
- ~ hxy nh lob
not now, by the might OF arms. but in
the peace that lies before US. we may
help to secure the great ends. for
giving its life"
Mr.. Guthrie paid tribute to the Amer
lean boys who went to France early In
the war, saying that they were the ad-
vance guard of the American army and
carried the flag into the battlefields Of
Europe, even IL only In their hearts. They
were volunteers long before the republic
had declared war. He told Of the sacri-
fces of French women and how often,
through their bravery. they held the fami-
lies together. He said: 'Jf you are
in the habit of thinking Of the French
woman as a delicate little thing, all
rouge and powder and frivolity, you have
yet to know France. The best thing In
the whole nation is its womanhood."
He gave q description Of the country left
behind when the Germans were driven
back from the Hindenburg line. He said
the most remarkable thing about 1t was
the absence Of all normal life, there
were no women or children. no animals
or birds In the trees. and no trees.
Every fruit tree had either been cut
OF at the ground or slashed 30 1t would
~ NH t,,r
stiffness. as II even the earth felt the
suspension Of natural life, which Is war.
And in the villages not a piece Of brick
was left standing. The ruins did not
remind ono Of old buildings with ruins
softened by time. but seemed to speak Of
murder.
Mr.. G.thrie said as they came into New
York barber every eye was strained and
all voices were hushed as each one tried
to catch q glimpse Of the statute Of Lib
erty. And then some one said. Eyes,
and It was the gift Of France" After
the war 1t should be the same in France.
The children Of France should be able
to 20 over reconstructed villages and say.
THAT was the gift Of America" He
paid q tribute to the Cardinal Of Rheims.
telling how he stood by the cathedral
and the people to the end and saying
doing SO much for their country.
Mr.. Guthrie showed many pictures Of
camoufaged guns, trenches and bases
showing how cleverly the French deceive
the aviators. He spoke of what our true
feeling toward the Germans should be,
giving as an example Of the feeling Of the
soldiers in the trenches a statement Of a
common soldier when an officer had been
lecturing telling the men how they should
feel. He said: You needn't waste your
time telling US not to hate the Germans
We do not hate the Germans" Behind
our betrayal by Germany is our betrayal
by the world and civilization. "One day."
said Mr.. Guthrie, these men will come
back to measure US to the core. What will
be the result Of this measure? Just as
the searchlights over Liverpool pierce
every cloud of the sky they will search
out everything In our lives. and we must
be ready to meet that test. They will
come from the trenches and the trench
is the training place OF the spirit"
In speaking OF Alsace. Mr.. Guthrie said:
"Alsace and France are like q great forest.
You can build q fence between the great
trees but under the fence the roots will
unite and over the fence the branch will
interlace In the heavens. After forty-hve
years Of separation the Alsatians are ready
to die for France"
In closing. Mr.. Guthrie showed four
symbolic pictures-Joffre and Pershing
together symbolizing the union Of France
the America: an American and French
soldier: a Canadian soldier being decorated
for giving his blood to save the life Of a
wounded French soldier. and q picture Of
the statue of Alsace and Lorraine. The
hags of the three nations. France. Eng
land and America, were then shown. as
the flags under which the great war
comes.
After tho lecture. former parishioners
and other friends crowded around the
speaker with words OF greeting and to