The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-11
RED CROSS IN BELGIUM By LIEUT.. COT. JOHNV sCHAICK, IT,
 Commissioner Belgium

The work of the Commission for Belgium at the beginning of the sec ond year of its existence was running at full speed, and all of the varied activities, already outlined, were con tinued until the end of December Some will be carried on even long CT.
 While the regular work of the Commission was continued, the out standing American Red Cross feature in Belgium from September, 1918, until the signing of the armistice and the succeeding several weeks, was the work in the forward areas" It was all carried out under the per- sonal direction of It. Colonel John Van Schaick, Jr., Commissioner for Belgium, who for the greater part of the year had made his headquar- ters at La Panne, Belgium. Col Van Schaick has written this account of the work during the famous drives when the Germans were pushed back from the Flanders coast.
 The last chapter of the work of the Belgian Commission of the American Red Cross began with the great Bel gian advance in September.
 From Dixmude, south to Ypres, the Belgians and British attacked and the Belgians alone made 1000 pris- oners. In a night the boundaries of free Belgium changed. Dixmude fell. In one death-defying dash the Bel gians crossed the desolation of slime filled shell holes between them and the dead forest of Houthoulst, cap- tufed it's poison-soaked thickets and swamps and got on the firm ground beyond. But so sudden was the jump, so great the progress, so high the price, that commissary, canteen, and hospitals had thrown on them the heaviest burden of the war In this crisis the Croix Rouge de Belgi- que, and the canteens of Gifts for Belgian Soldiers" and the Service du Sante showed their metal.
 Nothing stopped the Croix Rouge, charging ahead; Vandervelde, the Minister, who directed the canteens, gave his big tents for advance hos pitaI posts, and Depage, and the Queen nursing under shot and shell, and his skillful surgeons did the rest.
 With American Red Cross help" said Depage, as he stood in the mud of Houthoulst forest, without you it would have been impossible"
 The canteens kept up with the ar mics. Lorries went over roads con- sidered impossible. Soldiers swarm ed over the camiors before they stop ped, and stolid Flemings actually hugged the modest Stoefs as he halt ed at the front line and began to sup ply the chocolate, tobacco, cigarettes and biscuits which the warn-worn, exhausted soldiers craved.
 II.
 It was the same story over again in the second attack of October 14, when Belgians and French took Rou1ers, and Belgians and British took Courtrai. The losses were heavy. the toll in officers was terrifc-the bravest fell. British and French, both fighting under the brave King of the Belgians, had nothing but praise for the army of the little na- ton which, with relentless fury, swept on to claim it's own.
 In the Roulers drive the building of the big hospital at Vinckem or Wulveringhem, for which the Amer ican Red Cross put up 500, ,000 francs, was more than vindicated. Laughed at formerly as extravagant, the wide corridors now served as wards. The Expensive railway switch up to the rear entrance permitted the hospital trains to come to the very doors. The never resting personnel, by double hours, made up for half-manned shifts. It was stupendous achieve p1ent to handle the wounded of the great advance.
 Meanwhile the executive office of he American Red Cross at La Panne vas in constant touch with all hos oital and canteen work.