Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-03-26
REV. R. c. KEAGY
Tells OF HIS WORK
EXECUTIVE SECY. IN CHARGE OF
PROMOTIONAL WORK OF NEW
MOVEMENT. .
ORGANIZING GREAT MOVEMENT
Work Il Being Carried to all Camps
In France, and the Army
OF Occupation.

| Through the kindness of Mr.. C. W
keagy The Democrat is permitted tc
give its readers extracts from letter
from his son, Rev. Mr.. Keagy
which he wrote on February 18th, and
in which he relates many interesting
facts concerning his work and the
country in which he is working. We
take the following extracts from Rev
Mr.. Keagy's letter:
IL Rue d Aguesseau, Paris, France.
February 13, 1919.
Dear Father and Mother.
1T is not because I forgot but be-
cause time is so limited and I am so
busy these days that l actually have
had to squeeze in minutes enough
during the day to eat. The organ
ization, for 1t promises to be one,
Comrades in Service" is one Of the
big issues Of the war. AS wrote
you, Bishop Brent is the president
and Gen. Pershing is the Honorary
President. President Wilson attend
ed our initial meeting at Paris about
q month ago, and since that time the
Movement has grown like the pro-
verbal SNOWFALL. ! have become
assistant to the executive secretary
and in charge of the promotional
work We are steering a big idea
| which will return the soldier as a
better and a more useful citizen. SEN
sible Of his responsibilities at home
and instead Of dropping his burden as
be discards his uniform assume the
tasks which await him as repre-
sentative American citizen whose
opinion will count much and whose
thought will be highly valued.
II have been in the field somewhat
speaking but am now getting a work
ing organization together. depart
mentalizing it. and trying to follow
up the field workers who have in a
little more than month carried the
message of the Movement to every one
of the eight or nine great bases in
France We expect to move into the
Army of Occupation next month, and
it may be possible for me to accom-
pany the party. I have seen as much
of France as I really wish so see,
except the extreme Southern coast
on the Mediterranean. l expect to get
down there before many weeks. But
there is so much to do here in the
office and SO much work to be done
Immediately that l really prefer to
remain in Paris until things are set
up more definitely. A month ago we
started with four or five men. We
have a personnel now numbering
about twenty-five, with four steno-
graphers busy, and most of this work
/ have promoted and started. Those
years OF experience with the Laymen's
Movement are proving very valuable
to me now.
1--WE have been having spell Of
cold weather. A snow fall OF four
inches started things last Wednesday
and this was followed by low tenn
perature. l presume it was possibly
10 above zero or even lower and be-
cause heat is scarce and few build
ings warm enough for comfort we
know that it is cold. But l am per-
fectly we'll and enjoying these snappy
days. Paris does not usually have
such cold weather and it is really
hard on some of Paris teeming null
titudes where coal is scarce and liv-
ing conditions have increased 444 per
cent during the past four years.
read that statement as unquestioned
authority in the paper yesterday and
can believe it when / glance at price
cards in the shops and in the large
stores.
II room at Hotel Cambon with a
Mr.. Stone from Olympia, Wash, a
former newspaper man whom l Sc
lected as publicity manager. We have
comfortable room and elevator ser
vice, electricity and steam heat, but
the heat is as rare as day in June,
altho we have hot water, very hot,
as least twice week. / have had
several (?) baths since coming to
Pasis. In hotels where there Is no
bath in connection with the rooms,
as we have in one Of ours, it costs
from 8 to 5 francs for bath, and
hot water is not common.
II have had no word from re-
quest 1 sent to the medical headquar-
ters for information concerning
Harry. Mail is uncertain over here
but becoming more certain between
France and the States. l hear from
you quite regularly; in fact, much
oftener than l expected.
1T is nearly o'clock and l must
go to supper in just few minutes.
The work takes my full time, altho
| am highly privileged in seeing Paris
leisurely and good part of France.
Yesterday morning Stone and l visit
ed three Paris churches; the Made
laine, built by Napoleon; Trinity, one
of the most beautiful structures; and
the Church of the Sacred Heart on
the Heights of Montmarte, modern
structure which almost surpasses st.
Peters at Rome in beauty and size.
1t is not yet completed, altho begun
in 1870 or thereabouts. The interior
mosaics and glass are indescribable.
The chapels in honor of Joan of Arc,
John the Baptist and national and
Biblical heroes are bits Of perfect
art In the Trinity were some of the
Notre Dame.
I'm the afternoon We went to
movie" quite purposely, the biggest