Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-09-19

it just about saved our lives. too" he
added. Anyhow, what | want to sug-
gest is that every welfare organiza
ton was in the field and doing its
best for the men; but that best was
all too little.
We had about six monographs for
distribution among the forty-odd
wards. afterward increased a score
when, after the armistice, they began
routing the wounded men back to
post. They were, of course, over
worked and constantly getting out of
repair. My own little "Vic" and 20
choice records did valiant service in
keeping 400 wounded men content
while waiting three weeks for a
transport-the first contingent to re
turn to the states. Then its little
works died, and it was impossible to
get it repaired, and the records were
worn out anyhow and we couldn't get
any more. l had hard time keep
ing those records for the men in the
hospital, though. They were sal
vaged" l know not how many times
by corps men, by ,officers-but |
always got them back. ! knew that
repertoire and was peripatetic.
Came the armistice, as aforesaid,
and the first premature celebration.
We all went wild that night. From
the window of my little Office, after
mess, saw the searchlights criss-
crossing in the clouds, and heard the
booming of the guns on the ships and
the clangor of the ancient bells of
Brest. Oh, to get to town! Every
available wheel was requisitioned, so
we decided to walk to the village.
half a mile away, where we boarded
street car. The French on board
fairly cornered us and overwhelmed
us with protestations that 81 Amer
ique" had "Sauvee France" and of
their love and gratitude towards all
Americans.
It was embarrassing at the time,
but is pleasant to remember now
Up and down the village streets
danced professions of children, sing
ing La Marseillaise" and Hail
Hail, the Gangs All Here" with in
discriminate fervor, evidently under
the impression that the latter was
our national hymn. In the city, wher
at last we got there, wild mobs o.
French, soldiers, sailors and civilians
and quiet, smiling groups of Ameri
cans, not at all excited-it is the
truth they took it just like that, a.
of In =
they knew was going to happen, ant
it had happened, and what was thu
use of getting excited about it?
think we all felt deeply, religiously
quietly thankful to God-but WI
weren't intoxicated with victory.
On the 18th there was another eel
ebration-the real one, more organ
lied, more colorful-all the bunting
!. in Brest was afloat in the city and OF
the harbor shipping, and the day wa
wonderful, and all the Bretons cam
, out in costume and danced thel
native dances in the Place du Presi
dent Wilson-but / liked the first on
, best.
We waited to see what the armis
tice would do to our hospital. Wit
: the brakes suddenly set on the wa
machine. there was sundry skiddin
) and threats OF a hot box. and thel
the movement was reversed and tn
stream of men began flowing tn
( other way. No more men come from
Y the States; and many began to e
home, and from our humble position
= as the rearmost post of the S. o.
: we became in a sense the front-a
4 least men from the front came to
Y in increasing numbers. This just a
t first, then it was decided that thu
. should be kept just camp hospita
r and not made an evacuation hospita
4 Christmas came on and found Il
S with full hospital The Red eros
g gave a tree to every ward, and
I present to every man in the hospita
e and many ''left-overs' 10 the unluck
d "casuals" in the camp outside. Nh