davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
Ready for Tourists

Aside from the sign on the depot
Chateau Thierry of to-day offers
little. 1t has it's ruins and those
who are working to clear up the
debris and put the city back on its
pre-war basis. The Marnc 'rushes
along under wooden bridges thrown
over by American engineers. The
shopkeepers have hauled out the
stones and mortar, busted off the
remaining shelves and are Offering
brass matchbox holders with the
"Gott Nit Uns" circle, lace handker-
chiefs with the embroidered letters
Souvenir dc France" or "For My
Sweetheart" and every imaginable
souvenir Of the war. Near the
depot Paul Lefevrc has repainted
his sign Of trade, "Vins ct Liqueurs,"
in the hope Of patronage, and one
enterprising hotelkecper has hung
out notice, "Steam Heated
Rooms one Of which was literally
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
Like Central Park

Belleau Wood was geographically
similar to Central Park, New York,
before the summer of 1918. Since
that time it was thoroughly
shredded. Over the powders and
through the thick underbrush the
marines attacked on July 6, 1918.
Sustaining heavy losses they won
the wood. And the French govern.
ment, in honor of the achievement,
has renamed it "Le Bois de la Bri-
gade des Marines"
Beyond Belleau Wood there are
fields. One peasant has a crop Of
wheat sprouting on a ten-acre plot
this year. He has cleared away the
barbed wire entanglements, filed
the trenches and shell holes, picked
up the discarded rifles and grenade
butts. piled up the duds and the
shell castings and has gone to work
where he left of about five years
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06

ago. Farming in the shelled regions
is not what it used to be.
Bouresches comes after Belleau
Wood in the tourists itinerary.
Ruined also, like the others. But
the village blacksmith has returned.
He has patched up his shop and has
mis- forge running. Every now and
then he shoes horse or repairs the
damage to some farm implement.
At an intersection of roads near
the Croix Rouge farm there are
American and Italian cemeteries.
Both are surrounded by fences. On
the Italian graves are helmets and
rifles and other bits of war para
phernalia. The American graves
have the conventional crosses. And
tackled to the post at the gate lead
ing into the American cemetery is
this sign:
G. o. 30, Bulletin Al, G. II. @.
The Placing Of Anything on Graves
Sentimentally or Otherwise
Causing Inequality
By Organizations or Individuals
Is Forbidden.
Grave Registration Service.
Fismes, with its romantic name,
is just across the Vesle. The road
leading down from the heights has
been repaired and another Ameri-
can bridge spans the little stream.
The Americans never crossed the
Vesle. The fight stabilized there
until the armistice was signed. But
the Germans In Fismes did not sleep
we'll nights. The American artillery
reduced most of the homes. To-day
there is tin sign advertising auto
mobile tires which got in the way Of
fully 800 American bullets. 1t is
the worst puncture in France.
From Fismes on to Scissors the
demolition was so complete that
very little escaped. Shell holes and
ruins are everywhere. And by this
time, on the 1919 junket, devasta-
ton has grown so common that it
passes unnoticed. Travellers are
"fed up" when this stage Of the
journey is reached, and there are
few ordinations.
Chinese colonials are working
along the roads on the various re-
construction projects. Gangs Of
Senegalese and Moroccans are build
ing railways and bridges. They
work slowly and Enthusiastically.
The streets of Scissors have been
cleaned up. The debris has been
puahed back from the psvcments.
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
lefie1ds. With Wounds Healing, Await Tourists

Many Of the business houses are
operating again, selling cheeses.
souvenir postcards and souvenirs.
The station, which was damaged by
many air raids, is being fixed up.
and a French sentry examines those
who pass.
Several cafes near the depot have
been opened, all Of which bear
traces Of the bombardments. On
the door Of each the French COM
mandant, Gabarrot, has carefully
tackled a written notice forbidding
the sale Of any liquor with an alco-
holic base to the colonial labor
ers, the Chinese and the Annamites.
Because, as the madame explained
it, the colonials do not carry their
liquor well.
The operations from Chateau
Thierry to the Vesle and on TO Sois-
sons were the first TO be started BY
the American Expeditionary Forces.
They took the sting from the Ger
man advance and made it possible
to use many transports to good
advantage this year. The main
routes through this region were not
used by the soldiers last year. They
went 'cross-country. This year the
roads have come back into their own
and the sightseers go over the top
in Fords and other vehicles. AS they
go over they pick up the shell cas-
ings, the discarded packs, the car
fridge clips and every available
souvenir that was left behind by the
negro labor battalions that swept
over after the armistice. But few
real good souvenirs now remain, al
though Belleau Wood will offer
splinters of trees and rock for
countless years to come.
Up to April, this year, no sight
seeing, souvenir-hunting "tripper'
had stopped to take on the body OF
supply wagon that was tossed over
into a field near Lucy-le- -Bocage by
a German shell. 1t bears the sig
nature OF the 9th Marines. But,
even though it has been passed up
thus far, it will not remain long.
Some COB on three-day permission
out Of base port will load it up,
weather permitting. and have IL
transferred to his ship for passage
home. And in the coming days he
will use it advantageously as a pre-
mise in that never to be settled argu-
ment anent the respective suprcn-
acy Of the marines and the dough-
! boys at Chateau Thierry. q
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06

ueve, however, that the vrseass a
couvalesceucs has already begun sna
the time is not Tar distant when the
patient will be ven again have great
faith In Russia despite her present
tragedy. and I believe that in ten or
fifteen years shs Will be the greatest
and most powerful country in Europe,
ready to face her enemies. wherever
they may be-
PIaton expressed chagrin at Amer
cas- failure to support the srti-Bolshe-
vik forces In . military way. Hs
urged that instead Of the withdrawal
of the American forces In Russia they
be increased
rIaton vas particularly pessimistie
on the Jewish question in Russia He
prophesisd that the Jewish population
Will suffer greatly for the sins Of the
Jewish leaders ameng the Bolshevih
and particularly for the behavior Of
Trotzky.
"Trotzky," he said, els looked upen
AZ a real power behind the Bolshevik
regime. There was Z time when Lenins
represented that power. but Lenine is
now spending his days broodins over
the tragedy his madness has pro-
duced, while Leiba Bronstein-T rotzky
is parading about Russia in military
Uniform, playing the role Of command
er in chief and ordering unspeakabls
outrages. must give him credit.
however. he is . pretty slick and
courageous fellow. He knows his
business. As far as the innocent Jew.
ish population is concerned, / fear
greatly that an infuriated and out
ragged population will make no dis
tinction between the sinners and the
innocent. That is the great crime OF
Bolshevism. By perpetrating inexcus-
able and unspeakable outrages it has
unloosened a tempest Of bestiality and
brutality in the bread, ignorant masses
Of the country. It will be heroic task
for US, the intelligent and educated
portion Of the population. to hold these
instincts in check. We hope we may
succeed"
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06

see, fortunately. I possess the power
Of tanning wild animals. I utilized it
to good advantage in the days OF the
old regime, when lived IN South
Russia, and singlehanded halted mobs
Of thousands of hoodlums and Black
Hundreds in Kishineff, Kieff, Chotin
and other cities, bent upon killing and
plundering the Jewish population
Platon then told Of how he stopped
n huge mob of 10000 Black Hundreds
in Kieff by appearing in his regalia in
the principal public square and ad-
monishing them to desist from murder
and pillage. In few moments, he said,
the mob, bent on killing and destruc-
ton, fell upon its knees, prayed with
him and dispersed.
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06

ventilated by a shell and is still
open to repair.
There are a few poilu guards
about and the villagers are fixing
up as best they can. The streets
have all been repaired. In the yard
of one ruined home stands a rusty
American machine gun. In the piles
of debris are clips of rife cartridges.
Hundreds of the homes are but
masses of stone and mortar. Some
shells merely pumped through,
leaving behind Jagged hole. But
the residents are at work on recon-
struction. They have looked into the
prospect of the number Of visitors in
the future. In a short time the his
toric place will be ready for all those
who go there, and good accommoda-
tions may be had at the customary
prices that the French think the
Americans should pay. And there
will be sufficient ruins left un-
touched to satisfy the craving of the
tourists for many years to come.
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
By Chester W. Shafer

Private, Ambulance S5S, OdnetuTy
Train so, A. Z. F.
TROM Chateau Thierry to the
X vesle isn't quite the same
Il journey this year that it was
'------ in 1918. As matter Of fact,
the only features that remain un-
changed are the intervening hlo
metres.
Last year It took tho o. D~eol-
ored and mouse-scented American
soldiers from July to October to
make the trip, and they negotiated
the distance in the face Of the
fercest opposition the Germans could
muster. Now it requires only day
to do the trip in a Ford, and II the
traveller is lucky he can make Sois-
sons in time to catch a glass Of win
rouge and the evening accommoda-
ton back to Paris
At the same time the degree Of
opposition depends entirely on the
bulk Of the souvenirs collected. Less
than a year ago the marines and the
doushboys squashed the Hun designs
on Paris and reduced the Marne SAIL
ent to the proper ownership. Only
about eight months have elapsed
since that most famous sector Of
the war was absorbed. And in that
short time it has been changed from
the greatest battle-ground Of history
10 the most priced sightseeing thea
ire in Europe 1t took CUTS to 60 to
he yes]e in 1918. Now all that is re-
uuired Is a pass from general head
quarters, or no pass at al. and
transportation
The heroes Of Chiteau Thierry,
the men who did those whiting
drives last summer, are either back
In tho States or they are inferred
where they fell. To-day the junket
is being made by soldiers and gobs
on leave. AWOLe, by Y. NJ. G. A.
and X. Of c. secretaries, by officers
and dignitarics from all nations Of
tho globe, and by civilians who arc
exceptionally well 10 do. They stare
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
Cure for BoLsherisn,

PIaton expressed great fear at the
danger Of Bolshevism gaining foot
hold in America
"Since my arrival here" he said, 7
have been told there is a strong Boil
shevik undercurrcnt at work In your
country, too. Don't let the hydra
raise its head. I am informed that
you have quite a considerable part OF
your population roofing for bolshev-
ism. Let these people 60 to Russia
and see for themselves. believe they
will be cured quickly enough
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
Chrrchman Here Tells How He Escaped Russian Ked

would have to leave the eity-for two
or three weeks, he said The adjutsns
ir.formed me, also, that the city would
be temporarily surrendered TO the Boil
sheviki. protested against this, as
well as against the plan to have me
leave the city. was virtually KID
Mapped, however, BY French ofieers'
rushed upon q ship and taken to Con-
stsntinople. I remained in Constsntl-
ucple several days and then prevailed
mon the commander Of m English
cruiser to take me to Novoriisk. I ar
rived IN Novoriisk In the dead Of night,
disguised as a peasant and went ashore
in a small boat. There bordered the
Vladimir and came to America"
Platon expressed the opinion that the
days Of the Bolshevik regime are num-
bered. He cited the clearing OF the
Bolsheviki from the Donetz coal basin,
told in last weeks dispatches, and said
that tho young Russian generals wag-
ing war against the Bolshevih were
animated with but one desire: to save
Russia from the chaos and anarchy now
enveloping her. He denied that their
aim is to restore the old regime.
"The old regime Is just as impossible
IN Russia as Is the continuation OF the
regime of the Bolsheviki," he declared.
"Both Of them resemble each other In
their failures, cruelties and disregard
Of the interests Of the people" He
said that as soon as Kolchak, Dutof
and Denikin reach Moscow they will
call q constituent assembly and let
this assembly decide the future po-
litical structure Of the country.
Asked whether Russia will remain .
republic or will restore the monarchy,
Platon said:
1--WE are not thinking of that just yet
We are now concerned with ridding
ourselves of the Bolshevik nightmare.
When that Is done it will be time
enough to think whether or not we
shall remain a republic or restore the
monarchy. The constituent assembly
will have the final word on that. 1t is
highly probable, however, that the as
sembly will favor federated republic
/ Of Russian states on the American
plan"
President Wilson, Platon said, lost
nearly the whole of his prestige in
Russia because Of the Prinkipo pro-
posal. when Russia heard Of the pro-
posal." he said, "the whole country
laughed. Everybody laughed, without
distinction of political opinion. One
might as we'll have commanded the
stars to stop shining as to command the
civil war in Russia to stop. We are
all mad in Russia and our mad
ness must run its course, until sanity
returns to us once more. Bolshevisn
is q disease, a terrible disease. be
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
Many Priests Murdered

"But II the Bolsheviki had succeeded
in killing me-" he continued, "they
would have added only another victim
TO that already long martyrologue Of
the Russian Church under the Boil
shevik regime. would not have been
the only priest they murdered. They
have murdered hundreds of my broth
ers of the church and thousands OF
peasants who dared to raise their
voices in behalf Of the church. One
of my objects in coming to America
is to reduce this martyrologue Of the
Russian Church into writing.
1--WE were living in comparative
peace and calm in Odessa" said Platon,
until the Bolsheviki swept down into
the Ukraine. Then began an orgy Of
pillage, destruction and murder. find
no quarrel with the principle that the
worker should get the fruits Of his
tell. But there are other people in
this world besides people in overalls
and peasant costumes. Against all
these the Bolsheviki have proclaimed
holy war. Choke, kill every bour-
geoisei That is their slogan, and /
must say they are consistent. They
are carrying out the dictum with
fiendish energy. AS a matter Of fact
we all seem to have lost the capacity
to think and feel in Russia. A tenn
pest, a terrible tempest has struck the
sea of our Russian humanity and the
waves are smashing upon each other
with immeasursble fury. We seem to
have lost the capacity to think and
understand each other. God grant
that the tempest may soon be over and
that peace and order may return to
our land"
Cintinuing his story, Platon said:
"The French commander in Odessa,
General d'Anselme, promised me that
Odessa would never be surrendered in
to the hands of the Bolsheviki. He had
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06

gravel. The one was peeling the po-
tatoes for the noon meal. When
party Of American soldiers and gobs
approached, the prisoners immedi-
ately dropped their work. And, de-
spite the feeble protests Of the
guards, they began Offering souvenir
rings for sale. Each one had sew
eral, made in spare hours - metal
rings, with black crosses imbedded
in the face. The Americans paused
and dickered, and several sales
we're effected, the price ranging from
five to fifteen francs. German pris-
oners such as these make very good
money selling these rings. And when
they 90 back across the Rhine and
get few hundred marks for every
franc they won't be long growing in
fuential.
Individual graves-French, Ger
nan and American-are scattered
along the rcadsides into lie Thiolet,
just as they are along every road in
the devastated regions of France.
Most Of them are marked by rude
crosses. Also there are cemeteries.
One, off to the left Of the road near
a strawstack, was surrounded by a
fence made from birch poles which
were ghastly white in the sunlight.
The men had been buried in two
trenches, each Of which had a COM
mon mound. The crosses were ar
ranged at the head, in an orderly
row. Each bore the American
decoration, a tin circle Of red, white
and blue. And on the small tin
plates the name, identification num-
Der and company were engraved.
A cemetery such as this was near
the road at Belleau Wood. And in
the field stretching over to the wood
there we're countless shell holes,
filed, each one Of which was num-
bcred on a board driven into the
ground.
The VioLets Crotc
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
Prisoners at Work

On the way to Vaux, through the
lines Of splintered trees, there are
German prisoners. They are repair
ing some of the damage they in
ficted during the war. And this
year they are not in squad forma-
ton. Neither do they yodel the
songs for God, the King and the
Falerland. They work, but not as
siduously. They move slowly and
deliberately. A gang of fifty of
these "prisonniers de guerre" accom-
plish about as much in n day as a
redheaded American youth would
do in three-quarters Of an hour.
Their chief idea is to get the day
over with. The sooner the better.
Two French soldiers were guard
ing a gang up the hill out of Chateau
Thierry. The poilus wore four
rageres and carried rifles, with bay
onets fixed. All but one Of the Ger
mans were loading q wagon with
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
their ways over the shattered routes

their ways over the shattered routes
in trucks, lhmousines, ambulances,
motorcycles or eau pied" Thou
sands have already passed. They
climb the slopes Of Bclleau Wood in
delightful parties. They laugh and
skip and All! over the ground that,
less than year ago, was won by the
inch. They hurry through Vaux and
Ferc-en-T Tardenois; they gaze at the
ruined piles that once was Fismes;
they bare their heads at the count
less wayside cemeteries and graves;
they marvel and they wonder how it
was done, and they make their col
lection Of souvenirs and go on. When
they have finished, they tell Of their
wonderful trip. Which it is now.
And ever viii be.
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06

HOSE who remember the story
Of how the Marquis de Lante-
mac, Of the vandee, eluded the
armies Of Danton and Robes
pierre will be able to appreciate the
story o. how the Metropolitan Platon,
one Of the highest dignitaries IN the
Russian Church and a conspicuous rep
resentativc Of the old regime in Russia,
escaped from the hands Of the Bolshe-
Wiki In Odessa Platon, as he is known
in the Russian Church, is now in New
Yerk. after many weeks of travel that
took him from Odessa, his diocese, to
Constantinople, thence back to Novo-
risk, where he boarded ship for
America. He was aided in his escape
by the French and English military
and naval authorities in the south OF
Russia. He arrived in New York on
the steamship Vladimir, Of the Rus
sian Volunteer Fleet, several days ago.
Just as the French Convention out
lawed the Marquis de Lantensc and
placed a price upon his head, so did
the Bolsheviki proclaim Platon outside
the pale Of law and offer reward
for rs capture dead or alive. When
the Bolsheviki swept down upon
Odessa through the Ukraine last March
they caused large PrOclamatiOn' to be
published and placed upon the walls oil
the towns and villages along the route:
"The revolution has proclaimed the
death Of Platon. All loyal sons Of the
revolution will abide by this decision
and act accordingly" The Bolshevik
commanders vowed that the moment
they reached Odessa they would exc
cute Piaton. Platon told the story Of
his persecution and escape at st.
Nicholas Cathedral, Ninety seventh
Street and Madison Avenue.
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
Tanning WHd Beasts

This was not the first time / faced
death at the hands Of the Bolsheviki,'
lie said. an tho early days Of the
Bolshevik regime, when l resided in
.ioscow, I maintained official relations
with them as a representative Of the
church. In these days they were not
quite as brutal and bestial as they
crew to be later. when they began to
,,cl their power slipping from their
ands and grew moro desperate in
"a cir efforts to retain it. At that time
~hey confined themselves to insults and
lmiliations, which they heaped with a
.cnerous hand upon the members and
representatives. Of the church
1T was more than once that Boil
hevik ohaci1 put his fist to my face
and threatened to strike me. But I
always brushed him aside with kind
word or a satiric admonition. You
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06

plenty Of Russian, Greek and French
troops at his disposal to keep his
promise. However, when Nikolaieff,
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
June q Year Ago

Both the Boche and the Allied
artillery battered Chateau Thierry.
The Germans tossed in their mon
ster CT cans (high explosive shells)
and followed them down the hill
into the northern part Of the city,
in squad formation, singing the VIC
tory yodels for God and the King
and the Faderland. That was in
June last year. Then the French
and the Americans countered in the
shelling. The stone houses crumpled ;
the buildings were blasted; the
bridges were destroyed. And the
shclling. was continued until along
in July when the ferries attempted
to cross the Marne. A machine gun
battalion Of the third division not
only crimped the plan, but furnished
much groundwork for many a cross
bearing the words "Hicr Ruht"
But in spite Of all this action many
places Of the city escaped with
slight damage.
Chief among these was the "gare"
the railroad station. This was
scarcely touched and the sign Of the
city, spelled with white letters on a
blue enamellcd background, remains
as IL was on the wall near the main
doorway leading to the trains. Last
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06

necessary for strategic reasons. In
very few days, however, he sent his
adjutant to me and informed me that |
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
The Metropolitan Piafon Of the Russian Church

deliberately surrender
visited the ing these cities TO the bov he
the surrends WEI"
New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
The VioIets Crotu

Belleau Wood, with ito shattered
trees and rocks, its dugouts and It's
The L'Anse sentinel., 1919-01-31
M. E. CHURCH NOTES.
lndav Services as follows:

SUNDAY Services as follows:
Pequaming at 1890 a. m, Preach
ing. Subject, "Sin." Sunday School
at 11:00 a. m.
L'Anse at 2:30 p. M, Memorial Ser
vice. Subject, Goods Saints in Heav-
en-" At 10:30 a. m, Sunday School.
At 700 p. m, Subject, "A Vile Con-
spiracy" 30 ~
The Memorial Service in the after
noon is for the soldiers that so will
ingly gave their lives for Freedom,
therefore l invite all returned soldiers
and sailors to be present at the serv-
ice. 1t is also Memorial Service for
our beloved sister. Mrs. Florence Men
ard So will you please take this as
an invitation both from the family and
the minister to be present at the
church ar 2:30 prompt. Master John
Smith will sing solo.
George Smith, Minister.