Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-11-14
Vivid Word Picture of Port of De.
barkation for American
Troops.
HUMAN SIDE IS DESCRIBED
Miracles Worked Here In a Year by
American Energy-Mystery Sur.
rounds Flight and Return of
Allied Sea Craft.
BY LYNCH.

nently stationed in various military
! and naval duties. 1t is a center of
awaiting and seaplane stations, for
welfare and hospital activities. Dock
! work Is done by labor battalions, num-
bering many men. Here the shore
days of men of the patrol and convoy
fleets are spent. How is this port to
j care for such an influx? American en-
. ergy can answer the question. Ameri-
can energy does. Cinemas and vaude-
villes are plentiful, a theater leased by
the Y. M. c. A. providing the best en-
t%ertafnment the town a boast.
J The principal street is lined with
shops where Partisan products are CEN
sored to suit provincial tastes. To
these have been added a multiplicity
of goods to tempt the keepsake and
souvenir wants of the strangers.
Along the streets that lead from the
gates to the suburbs are ''%baraques,"
or covered %pushcarts, extending for a
mile or more, where gimcracks are sold
to sailors, free with their money and
not too we~ll-endowed with the powers
of selection.
Along the streets, the ever-varying,
never changing war procession! OFF,
GERS of the army and navy, marines,
English Tommies, men and women of
the Y. M. G. A., and the Red Cross,
convalescents, %casuals, Moroccans, AL
gerians, Senegalese, sitting in rows
with nodding fezzes and flashing teeth,
peasants from many provinces, each
with a distinctive dress, fighters and
monks.
Over the sea wall is always a curl
GUS crowd Of onlookers. In less than
a year they have seen first a few ship
loads, then more and still more, until
now the weekly debarkation of thou
sands causes little comment.
Let Heinie Look Out.
Hear the conversation of two, an
American soldier and a French Poilu
who lean over the wall and look down
to the landing places where a smart
naphtha launch is bringing to shore an
admiral and his staff. The American
speaks:
Suppose the Heinies do get Paris,
what Of that? If they get London,
what of that? Hope they don't, for I'd
like to see the old burgs before I go
back to the farm, but that won't make
any difference; so long as we have a
foothold in the harbor, that's all we
ask. Let Heinie look out. Paris and
London-they aren't the war. Not on
your tintype."
The French Poilu who understands
all the English but the tintype allu-
sion, looks amazed, then relieved. He
had the provincial idea that Paris and
London were the war.
Over the seawall the observer looks
down on the harbor town. The way
leads by winding stairways of stone
and slanting roofs. From it rises the
tang Of brine mingled with the odors
Of warehouses, Oil and narhtha-those
thousand and one smells shat are as
much a part of the port as are storage
warehouses, docks and quays, basins
and breakwaters. Beyond, the eye
travels far to ''tlle beauty and mystery
Of the ships and the magic Of the sea-"
Descend by n of these many
routes. You find yourself overwhelmed
with dirt and cUlfusions. Here thou
sands of negro %steusdores work like
q colony Of big, black ants. There are
squads of A~mmanIites and Portuguese.
Sailors oaths strike the ear. 1t is a
babel Of foreign sounds. Every inch Of
this water front is covered with en-
ergy, docking, construction, loading
and unloading, transportation, repairs.
America has worked miracles here in
a year.
Inside and outside the breakwaters
are fleets Of ocean traffic, transports,
conveys, torpedo destroyers, patrol and
nsh1ng boats, sail-steam auxiliaries-
craft of every possible relation to the
sea. One day you may count scores Of
ships, and the next hundreds. Mys-
terry covers the flight and return Of
these interallied shuttles of steam and
steel.
Follow the splendid roads to Brit
tany, by fragrant pasture lands. You
will find air stations where American
AJSAo dAC A1uucu, SudIuluS luc GU.
trance of the English channel, helping
with convoy and patrol to make the
U-boat menace a nullity.
Welfare Work.
On the way back, stop at one of the
clearing houses of the troops. Let us
choose 1.-THE Barracks" Familiarity
called. There are $4,000 men here. 1t
has housed troops since Napoleon's
day and before.
AS you stand at the door of the Y.
NJ. G. A. canteen, your view takes in
a vast field, all in monotones, brown
earth, brown tents, brown men against
a background of green, under a bowl
Of silvery blue.
The American flags are flying free
over the French casernes. Men, glad
to stretch their sea legs, are drilling,
playing ball, running, walking. The
bands play gay melodies. So great Ia
Tho ~rcIr 4na tI,o onStAnn ,,.It~r kI-A