South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-26
BY DIR. LANES L. GARDINER.

TN BOarQ Sted mer olympic, tues
( day, March 4. 191s.-Saturday
morning. March /. came. Soon the
/ pastor of St PauTs church OF South
! Rend found himself clothed in the
/ y. NJ. G. A. overseas uniform and
ready TO sail he looked at himself
I thus adorned from military cap
down 10 officers leggins and shoes
and felt that he would have 10 have
someone introduce himself to him
/ self. before he could feel sure that
| it was really he.
The Y. NJ. c. A. was certainly
most generous in equipping US for
! this trip. Before leaving New York
we were fitted out with the follow
I ing: Two overseas uniforms, one
overcOat, one raincoat. two pairs OF
| shoes. one pair of boots, one pair of
/ leggins. two khaki shirts. three
7 blankets, two caps and one officers
| trunk.
Arrives at Dock.
At D. III. we arrived at the White
Star dock, where, before going on
! board we were REQUIRED TO show our
/ embarkation permit, our L. :. pass
port, and 10 leave behind all gold. as
| the L. :. government is not allowing
any of this precious metal TO leave
our country.
As we went on board the giant
steamer. which is $50 ID feet long.
I thought of the remark made last
summer by "A great, gaunt western
soldier. when boarding this same
ship, enroute for the battlefields o.
France He was half way up the
gang plank. when he paused, looked
All IA feet toward the bow. then
al IA feet toward the stern and.
turning TO his companions, said:
! Boys, some cancel"
Leaves America.
At a few minutes after 4 p. n. the
gong sounded. The whistle blew.
The ocean greyhound slipped from
her moorings and we were on our
way across the great Atlantic ocean
20 southampton. England. Soon we
saw the Statue of Liberty fading in
the distance. Suddenly a strange
indeScribable feeling came over me
wondered when l should again see
the familiar New York harbor. with
her mighty statue holding aloft her
torch of liberty enlightening the
world" ] wondered when I should
again see the faces Of loved ones
left behind. Then l was handed q
telegram. 1t was from Col. AM
Mrs. c. A. Carlisle wishing me
Godspeed and a pleasant voyage. Il
did my heart good thus to DE re
! 1f nf
many. many friends l had left II
South Bend, all OF whom had mani
tested such d keen interest in my
mission to our American troops
overseas.
Through the courtesy of the agent
of the White star line. whom We
had met in New York, DR.. Thoma:
AMI | have TO ourselves a lerg;
: stateroom. with accommodations fOl
four persons. This, during tnes'
days when ocean travel is not wha
it was before the war as far as con
veniences are concerned, was surely
: more than we could have expected
/ am reminded of the expericnc.
Bishop +. J. Mcconnell had las
summer while being entertained OF
the western front by a British gen
eral. Everywhere the good bishol
went he was addressed as Ny lore
My Lord" as among the English
: q bishop has the rank of lord. a
length the bishop remarked to ;
: Tommy, This being called M!
lord IS almost too much for al
humble Methodist minister. 1 d.
: mn n
friends will think of it when l ge
! back to America"
We'll" said the Tommy. "you'C
better make the best of it while j
lasts"
So these two humble preacher
feel that we better make the best o
our commCdious stateroOm while i
lasts for when We get TO France W,
may be glad TO sleep in tent or ,
shell-hole.
Dining Room Hospital.
The Olympic. which before th'
war was a great passenger vessel, i
now a transport snip. with accom-
: modations for only about $50 frs
class passengers. on her last trip L
New York she carried nearly 500
troops. The once large dining room
has been converted into a hOspita
containing 22O beds for sick anC
; wounded soldiers. The second an'
: third class decks have been change,
TO accommodate our soldier men re
turning from overseas.
This steamer, controlled by tn
British admiralty. has a record o
which the captain and crew ar
: proud. she has carried during am
since the war more soldiers acros
the Atlantic than any other vesse
: afloat On the morning OF May Is
: II91S. she rammed then shot send
z ing to the bottom of the ocean
z large German submarine. She
still manned with guns and is read
Z to give battle TO any foe that ma
: Turk upon the seas.
"l' secretary ON Snip.
ON board there are signs OF Y. NJ
e. a. activities. This steamer car
ries continuously with II "
. transport secretary, whose duty II
10 minister 10 the returning troops
visited his large stock room, fu
from top 10 bottom. and was told b