Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-07-03
BY WILLIAM q. HINES.

and 1t is going home happy. l saw D.
900 Of them sail for home today, and
I've been praising myself on my moral
courage ever since. How ! ever re-
sisted the temptation to sneak on board
with them Is more than l can figure
out. Their hilarious happiness was
infectious enough to make stone dog
wag his tail.
They shouted, they sang, they
danced. The oldest and most moss.
covered joke got hearty laugh. Past
hardships, dangers and troubles were
forgotten only thoughts of the Home
land and all that it can mean to
homesick boy occupied their minds.
At the docks where the big trans
ports are tied up, huge sheds hun
dred feet wide and thousand or more
In length have been constructed with
roofs and sides of corrugated iron.
Special rooms, with warm fires, have
been set aside for the wounded, the
street cher cases occupying one and the
walking wounded another. Here Red
Cross nurses are bnstling, accom-
panied with orderlies with trays Of
steaming coffee and sandwiches. Some
nurses lift the mems heads tenderly,
tuck pillow beneath so they can as
SLme sitting posture without effort
while eating The others give them
new paiamas, handkerchief full of ciga-
rettes and sweets and other comforts.
Joy of Going Home.
AT the Red Cross canteen, In the
center of the room, the counters are
snow-whte and piled high with sand
witches. Behind the counters Ameri-
can women in blue gowns and white.
starched head-dresses welcome the
dGughhoys with smile as they "dig
in"
"Say. can l take any word back to-
the OF Statue of Liberty for you?
asks one lad with n grin of joy that
stretches from ear to ear, as the wom-
en- pour hot coffee and hand out the
sandwiches.
In winding line they weave past
the canteen and then are directed
across the way to another counter.
Here they pass by two more Red Cross
workers. who han:i them a khaki hand
kerchief package Of chewing gum and
two packages Of cigarettes.
"Good-by. good luck" says the
American girl, as she hands out
handkerchief
One doughboy is seen to use the
handkerchief Immediately. A lump
has suddenly contracted in his throat,
and there is a blur before his eyes.
He is only boy, and his joy has
reached a climax when the American
woman smiled at him and wished him
good luck.
As a big, strapping chap numbers up
to the counter and holds out his hand
rather sheepishly: pheasant voyage
and fine reunion with the old folks"
says the girl with a smile. The sheep
iSh look disappears in flash, the big
chap looks grave, Sad with courte-
Gus nod, he answers: "Thank you;
II. tell the folks how fine you've been
to US" It's the girls turn to choke
bit.
Caring for the Wounded.
Outside, meanwhile, the stretcher
cases and the walking wounded have
been slowed comfortably aboard the
big liner. Fall in!' There is a
scramble for company formation and
all thoughts turn to the boat. AS the
officers march down the line, giving
last inspection, eyes become bit wor-
ricd and fearsome. Suppose they are
looking for some one to keep back?
Maybe the boat can't take all of the
men assigned to 1t!
The strain is awful. Then the order
is given to move forward to the exit
of tie shed and onto the gang plank.
As each man passes out his name is
checked, and at the top Of the gang.
plank his squad Is tOlled off and es-
cort"d to quarters.
Whistles toot. the stevedores. unloose
the hawscrs. The band plays on the
top deck. Men climb into the masts
and rigging. The rails are lined with
them They shout, they scream, they
laugh. they cry
A lOther regiment has gone home.
r. the layman it sounds easy,
doesn't it? Two hundred thousand
men II month, or approximately $4,000
front each of the three main embarka.
NGzaire and Brest! There shouldn't
he any difficulty about that.
Well. just listen a moment to the
difficulties of the actual work:
First. there is the priority of wound.
ed men on the embarkatiOn lists. EN
cry man able to stand the journey Is
being sent as soon as possible to Amer.
lea.
But wounded or sick man cannot
be taken Immediately from the hos
pital train at the port to the boat. And
unfortunately, the trains and boats
don't arrive together. SO he must be
taken to a hospital at or near the port.
His transportation from train to hos
pital, his care there and his transpOr-
tation from the hospital to the boat re.
qure labor and time
The handling and care Of the wound
ed also have been worked out to
fine point The orderies that receive
them ut the dock are trained In the
hrndIng of stretchers. An ambulance
carrying four men Is unloaded and
ready for inspection at the dock with
IN four minutes from the time 1t ar
rives. Each stretcher is met at the
gang-plank by ship orderly and con-
Quoted to place aboard, previously
selected, according to the nature of
his case. So much for the wounded
and sick