Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-02-25
DIR. CARRIER SPEAKS TO
ARMY MEN
Paris Is War HeadGuartters-Me
Eager to Return to e. S.-Singing
Feature

| Jan. 50, 1919.
Editor of the Pilot:
My dear Mr.. Thayer. For thirty
years / have read and some times
written for the Pilot. Today 1 am
writing you from Eastern France,
where | am with the American Army.
have been in Europe, now, one
month. After a most delightful voy-
age across the ocean we landed at
Liverpool. The Celtic" on which l
came, brought twenty thousand tons
of freight and then carries soldiers
back, thus many of these boats are
relieving the situation both in getting
provisions over here and in getting
our men back and we are hopeful that
the Peace Conference will do its work
and then it will be over, cover here"
l spent day in Liverpool and not
| only saw the city, but visited the
barracks, where we had many soldiers
waiting to, return. l was four days
in London. The streets, hotels and
7. NJ. c. A. huts are crowded with
soldiers from all the British provinces
and America. The Australians, New
Zealanders, Canadians and United
States men are particularly cordial to
each other London, of course, is a
wonderful city and the men want to
see it, so far as possible.
Paris War Headquarters
1 then came to Paris. This city is
really the headquarters for all war
activities. The representatives of the
nations to the Peace Conference are
here. l had the privilege of seeing
President and Mrs. Wilson, twice.
The Y. M. c. A. has it's headquarters
here and one marvels at the magni-
tude of its work. There are between
three and four thousands secretaries
still here. Many have returned, but
the work was never more important. |
They are trying to serve the more than
million and half of these restless
American boys still here, to minister
to their needs and comfort physically, |
mentally and spiritually.
1 came over to do educational work,
to help interest and organize the men
in this work, but the constant chang
ing of the divisions and the uncertainty
just when the men will move or go
home has made this work somewhat
disappointing. | am, therefore, giving
my time to going from camp to camp,
speaking nearly every night, bringing
the message of good cheer, content
and clean living and it is proving not
only great opportunity but a great
pleasure. No one, who has not lived
with the American soldiers can know
what a fine lot of men they are. They
are impatient to get back and home
sick for the best country on earth,
and we do not blame them, with the
war over and the uncomfortable way
in which they have to live.
Is With Fighting Companies
1 am in the region of Chaumont,
with the 77th and 82nd divisions.
Most of these men saw hard fighting
and some companies were almost
wiped out. I had quite visit with
the officers of the company that Tai
bot Montgomery of Wausau was in
They spoke of his courage and de-
votion. He was wounded at Argonne
and died seven hours later and is
buried with some forty others in the
cemetery near the church in the viii
lage of LaChalade.
The army, while waiting, is located
in the French cities and villages. In
the larger towns there may be two
one to two companies. 1t is interest
ing to know that France is not settled
like America and England with farm
homes, but here the people live in
towns and villages from two to five
miles apart and the people go out
from their homes to work the land,
but do not live on it and there is
seldom a house seen in the country.
These villages are always irregular
with narrow streets and large old
stone buildings with red tiled roofs. |
They are so arranged that they are
both house and barn and to us Amer
leans the conveniences are very prim-
tive. The soldiers are living in these
houses and barns as best they can,
using them as temporary barracks.
Wood and coald are very scarce but
they try to keep little stoves and fire
places going for comfort.
This central eastern part of France
is about tlR climate of Kentucky or
Tennessee. Until lately the ground
has not been frozen but now it is and
nearly four inches of snow has fallen
Few Men in Each Hamlet
am in the little town of Aujurres
today, where l have spoken. There
are two companies here, or about 500
men. l speak tonight in Leuchey, two
miles away, where two more COM
panies are located, but come back here
to sleep as there are no hotels and
l am in the home of an old French
couple, who keep the railroad station
They are very kind and neat, but the
quarters are humble. 1t is very in
teresting to have to talk French, when
you don't know much of it.
These soldiers have been here now
ten weeks, about one hundred miles
south of the battle line and when
word came yesterday that within ten
days they were to move towards the
Western coast for embarkation, 1 was
tice was signed and 1 need not tell
you that the men sang with new
vigor at our meeting.
1 expect to spend about two weeks
more in this region and then go to
CoblenZ, Germany, to be with the Oc-
cupation Army.
1t is a great proposition to transport
our army home, but 1 hope it can
soon be done. Until then l expect to
be with the boys here. l have ad-
dressed eighteen meetings in ninteen
days and travelled over the beautiful
roads Of France in an auto a long
ways to do it. I want to say a good
part of our meetings is always the
singing of popular songs until the boys
are all happy.