The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-25
A FIGHTING RABBI
Captain EIkan Voorsanger Went to France as 81
Private and Found Religions
Drew No Lines.
spiritual touch and was invigor-

spiritual touch and was mvigor-
ated."
Chaplain voorsanger went to
France with base hospital No. FL.
He arrived on French soil before
General Pershing came, and
when his chaplain's commission
had been attained. ne was as
signed to the nth division, Of
which he became senior chap
lain, with the rank or captain.
At the same time, he was burial
officer and Jewish welfare board
adviser in the 18th division. He
went lover the top" with the
lads Of the Melting Pot division
with the lads who had never
seen a green tree in their lives,
yet went through the Argonne
forest as though they had been
born there" He added his
tribute and gave it heartily to
the heroes of the 18th. 1.-THE
jewish men Of the 77th division
were good soldiers, brave, fear
less, and resourcefui. They
fought-knew how to fight-and
were glad to do it."
When Captain Voorsanger
speaks of the Jewish welfare
board, he talks primarily as
soldier-recipient of the benefits
of the organization. AS chap
lain he first came into contact
with this organization.
They supplied me with an
automobile, which made it pos
sible for me to reacn all Of the
Jewish men along the battle area.
Money and supplies provided by
the organization, and its gener-
GUS cooperation, enhanced my
opportunities for service" When
hostilities ceased, Captain Voor-
sanger became an active partici-
pant in the work. OF the Jewish
welfare board, and was appoint
ed overseas director.
1.-THE Jewish welfare board
came in directly after the arms
tice was signed. Its nuts sprang
up like mushrooms in every
centre and at all base posts.
They were cheerful nuts that
offered an atmosphere vastly diff
ferent from the gloomy barracks.
There were crisp muslin cur
tains on the windows, pictures
and decorations that brought the
American soldier breath from
home. We took over Red Cross
canteens near the tracks at all
railroad stations ana the coffee
pot was always on the fire
twenty-four hours q day. Can
you imagine how good that coffee
tasted to cold and hungry sol
der? This work and all other
Jewish welfare board work with
the army of occupation was done
at the invitation of Major Gen
eral Dickman of the third army,
who requested the Jewish well
fare board to take over all can
teens in the occupied portion of
Germany.
ITO my mind the greatest
achievement Of the Jewish well
fare board in France was the
passover services held through
out the American expeditionary
forces. There was a seder for
every jewish man in France.
Matzoths were distributed to
every one. We received magni-
ficent cooperation in this from
the quartermaster's corps. There
isn't one man out of the one
thousand who attended the
memorable Jewish welfare board
seder in Paris who will ever for
get that event. Money for pass
over supplies was also sent by
the Jewish welfare board to
members Of the jewish legion in
Palestine.
Another big thing that the
Jewish welfare board is now
working on is the matter of
graves registration and the mark
ing of the graves of all jewish
men who fell in France. We have
records of every jewish man who
was killed in the war, with the
location of his grave, and can
assure every jewish mother and
father that their loveG heroes
will sleep beneath the jewish
emblem-the star OF David-and
their graves will be tenderly
cared for"
OF his experience under fire,
Captain Voorsanger tells little,
except those stories which DEM
onstrate the heroism of the man
In the ranks-the soldier who,
dreading the shells. scared to
death" under fire, performed
those feats Of genuine heroism
and courage which brought vic
tory to the allied arms. And
then II is Private EIkan Voor-
sanger rather than as chaplain or
overseas director, that ne speaks,
for the beloved fighting rabbi
OF the American expeditionary
forces went to war "as one of the
boys" and learned the lesson OF
tho uar with them