The Irish standard., 1919-02-22

M. T.. a.. Tho dOughbOy heard only
the last part of the sentence. He
turned back to the ambulance.
"Say, Buddy, what's the use of kid
din us?"
The next affair will throw addition
al light on the first. 1t took place up
near Cumieres, during the morning of
September 26, 1918, when the great
offensive opened up along the Meuse
above Verdun. The Division had been
in the line for more than two weeks.
1t had rained every single day, every
single night. The soldiers lived in
mud to their ankles. The trenches
were like irrigation bitches. Every
one was wet, and cold, and unspeak.
ably miserable. The mems attitude
along the roadside trenches had gone
from disgust and discomfort to weari-
ness and savage temper. And ever
the cold, endless, gray rain of Sep
tember drizzled down upon them out
of ashen skies. One of their officers
said on the morning of the 26th, after
the attack had been launched and
while he was on the way to Glorieux
Hospital at Verdun: God help the
Huns.s The boys have not been dry
or comfortable in fortnight"
The ambulance came to the Dressing
Station. Nearby another vehicle had
drawn up. The walking wounded
were filtered back to the little ruined
hut, where the Red Cross flag hung
limp under the rain. The other vehicle
contained a Y. M. G. A. man, and he
had load of cigarettes, chocolate,
candy, etc. He set up shop and got
ready for business. Some doughboys
paused on their way to the rear and
their faces lighted up. Something
to eat, and to smoke! One asked for
some cigarettes. The "Y" man hand
ed them out. They'll cost you -"
He named the price. The soldier
looked at the "Y" man minute. "Hell,
we were in the trenches on pay day."
he said. The "Y' man took the Gig
arettes back. A machine driven by an
American Red Cross man came up.
The man descended Don't you
know" said he to the "Y" man, don't
you know you're forbidden to sell stuff
up in the lines. You can give it
away. You can't sell it here" Where
upon the "Y" man began to pack up.
How much is your stuff worth?" asked
the r. G. man. The other told him.
Cali right" said the R. G. man, "Ill
buy it for distribution" And he did,
afterward turning to the doughboys
and giving the stuff away.
That's true story The Ambulance
man is right here in the section and
he witnessed the whole affair. But
the "Y" has to sell its goods, replies
the sustainer of that organization. It's
the official army canteen, named by
General Pershing. Does it have to
try to sell things at the front, where
wet, weary and wounded doughboys,
who are trudging back to the Dressing
Station, always broke, are to insure
it's business basis?" Or was I mis- |
taken when l thought that the "Y''
raised popular subscriptions over
there at home?
And now comes another episode
somewhat different, for it portrays
the spirit" of service of which we
heard so much in connection with the
Y. M. G. A.
We had been at Verdun nearly two
working day and night much;
Of the time. Often all of the machines
were out at once. We ran out of writ
ing paper and envelopes. All over the
sector, wherever our machines were
called to duty, word was passed to be
on the alert for writing paper and en-
velopes. Nothing, absolutely nothing,
outside Of the physical well-being of
the soldier, is so essential as letters
If his morale is to be kept up. Our ef-
forts were futile. 1t seemed that we
couldn't discover an envelope or a
sheet Of paper in the whole country
side. So, one day, the Lieutenant
and climbed into his car and we went
to Barbecue to see if we could get
some paper. 1t was a ride Of nearly
fifty kilos each way-but we were out
of paper.
Upon arriving in the city, l went
into the Y. M. C. A. A "Y" man was
selling cigarettes and cigars, and
handing out writing paper. Behind
him on the shelf there was a whole
stack Of the latter. 1 got in line and,
my turn arriving, l bought some Gig
arettes and asked for paper and envel-
opes. He gave me three sheets: 1
explained all about the fellows work
ing up there at Verdun, how they were
all out of paper and envelopes, how
there were only thirty-two of them,
how they wanted to write home, how