The Washington times., 1919-05-20
BY JACK CONNOLLY,
Chairman Salvation Army DuEOut
Committee, Formerly of the
26th Division.


1t is perhaps presumptuous on my
part to attempt to add any new lau-
reIs to the work done by the Saliva
ton Army in France, but il has been
my privilege to have seen GbSir work,
! and to have been benefited by it at a
time when t1.was needsd mist. The
work done by the Salvation Army at
I the front will remain foreYeE-in the
memory of members of the Al. 2.
/ l want especially to emphasize the
| front for il was there, under terrific
] shell fire Of the enemy, thstrWe saw
these little girls, many of them hard
( ~ out of their teens, give HTeHsnouT-
J ishment, and transform them from
/ fighting maniacs into men again.
When the enemy blew up o9T--soup
/ kitchens and supplies in attempting
to disrupt the morale OF the'tro6ps by
causing them to go without food they
/ had not reckoned with the little band
of brave SaIvationists who for days at
a time furnished the only nourish-
ment we had.
Made Good From Start.
The Salvation Army made good
from the start. and today there is
not a single member or the Yankee
division but will not take off his coat
and go to work to put the drive over
next week. No longer Will the soldier
pass by the lady on the street corners
with the tamborine, or drum. and
smile. If necessary he will cary the
drum.
We know the Salvation Army. It
was 100 per cent efficient.
The members did not spend their
time in Paris or other large cities
except to minister to the sick or
dying. They did not ride in first
class tCains. because they knew the
enlisted men were not allowed to.
ride frst-class in France and they
wanted to be with the boys. They
had a happy faculty Of always
springinE up at the right time
without any preliminary announce
ments.
They were at all times trying to
others. and never had any regard for
themselves.
Appeared on Easter sunday.
They made their first appearance
with the Twenty-siNth. or Ys2kee
Division, in the TouI sector. cur di-
vision relieved the First Division on
Easter Sunday. 1919. and the Saliva
tionists opened up their shop" i'm
mediately. They die not open UP {
division headquarters. but in a little
town Of AnCeville, directly back Of
the front line
There were PA" and Ma" Burdick
and four girls in the party. The
building they occupied had formerly /
been small factory Practically all !
the buildings had been struck and |
the village presented pitiabIe ap- |
pearance. The mud was over ones |
ankles and a cold drilling rain heat !
down. lnsid" their little building.
with its windows covered with mat (
ling 50 enemy acroplanes could not .
see the fires burning. This brave /
little party started IN 10 work. With /
the aid Of some Of the bows they /
built a stove and then began making /
doughnuts and coffee. /
They wore little aprons over their
overseas uniforms. and with only the
light OF "A few candles. worked dav
and night. They were always on the
job.
Service At All Hours.
II did not matter IL the boys did
not come out OF the lines until 5
o'clock, their hot coffee and dough-
nuts were waiting for them. Unless
one has been without food for days 1
or has been ct the front, he will never
know just how good those doughnuts
tasted and the effect that these Sal
vationists had on the mon.
Men stood in line in the heavy rain