Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-05-30
FOLLOWING The FIGHTING
Description of French Battlefelds as They Appear
to Visitors Now
THE DEAD OF YPREs ARE STILL UNBURIED
Colonel Mcconnell Paints Vivid Picture OF Conditions as
He Finds Theme Occupied Sections Of France In
Ruins; But Belgium Has Not Suffered Except IN
Spots.

Having been recalled several weeks
ago, just as he was about to start to
America, Lieutenant Colonel John w.
Mcconnell, of the Medical Service
then a major, has had considerable
time for sightseeing. and in the fol-
lowing letter to Mr.. w. D. Grist, he
gives new and interesting impressions
of conditions that came under his OBJ
servation.
It is very hard to tell lie about this
war or the conditions in Europe and
Belgium, for they are so contrary. Ev-
en- IL a man tells lie about his per-
sonal experiences, it is pretty apt to be
really true in the experience of some
one else. Let me illustrate: went
over to the commissary a bit ago and
bought a box Of candy-good candy at
a low price, for we buy all such at cost.
The box was marked, this candy is
made from sugar saved by the people
of Arkansas from their allotment"
and felt proud that the people OF Ar
kansas had saved so might have my
candy over here. Five days ago was
in Belgium and in Brussels 1 founo
more candy and cake stores, with inner
stocks of stuff than in any American
city of the size. That sounds queer, after
all the saving we have been doing Tor
Belgium-to go there to Brussels and
find white rolls, when in France we
had brown bread, to find the streets
crowded with women finely dressed,
theatres crowded, plenty Of good food,
dance halls running all night, with
wine, women and song much gayer
than in Paris-yet it is all true. The
Germans kept Brussels intact for II
was a leave center for their officers,
and they kept the sugar beet factories
going, for sugar is one Of the chief pro-
ducts Of the region, and was needed,
yet a casual observer would find II
hard to understand the conditions.
Germany made no attempt to destroy
Belgium after her first few weeks OF
occupation, when she did kill civilians
and burn some towns, for she expected
to hold Belgium forever, while in
France she set out Systematically to
cripple France in a commercial way by
destruction which is beyond your ina
gination.
This is Introductory to the Irish
stew" of notes from my notebook, for
1 am giving you things as jot them
down in passing and in chats to differ
ent people. Seven days ago, was In
Brest with my outfit ready TO leave for
home, for I have been with Base Hos
pital 80, a California unit. was on the
deck with my baggage, when an order
reached me by telegraph to report to
Savenay, to see brain case, infection
from the mastoid in woman at the
head Of the Red Cross nursing force
l had to stand on dock and watch my
friends sail away, and you have tc
swallow hard to keep down the lump
that will rise on such occasions. BY
tn, time reached here, the case had
already been operated on. but they put
me on duty and 1 have been here since
working very little, plenty Of time on
nv hands, too much in fact. Yet the
seven weeks has seen spring come and
now France is really the sunny, beauti-
full country we have read about.
It is easy to see why the French dc
not leave their country often, for 1t Is
really the most beautiful country ir
the world, with it's variety Of scenery
1t is we'll watered, fine rivers, all clear
streams, plenty of canals and as greer
as can be. Here in Brittany we are
Just little ways from the Jersey Isles
and it is fine cattle country, though
tho Guernseys seem more popular
than the Jerseys. Blue grass and Glow
er grow as we'll or better than kentuck!
so the cattle are fat the year round
Up the Loire Valley are as fine whea
fields as in the Shenandoah Valley
The Valley Of the Marine and the re-
gion near Chateau Thierry are really
more like the Shenandoah than an!
section 1 have seen and like that Vir-
ginia Valley it is one battlefield, graves
and earthworks for miles, enough
barbed wire to fence the State of Soutf
Carolina, and as you pass up nea
Rheims, millions Of shells lying in th'
ammunition piles, wrecked cannon ant
autos pontoon bridges shot to piece
etc., Just like battle painting, but no
nearly so desolate as some sections
will mention later. You understand, in
Catholic country, all the wealth of
region is centered in the church, ant
in old days the church really owned al
the most valuable property. For thl
reason, the cathedrals Of Europe ar
different from our churches at home
and we will never have anything lik
them as we have diverse religions. 4
church that has been 500 years in build
ing and which has gold and solid silver
ornaments and tapestries worth sa.
five million dollars is different from an!
thing we have or will ever have in th
United States, consequently the grea
hue and cry raised when the German
robbed and destroyed these churches
The cathedral at Rheims is PRACTICAL.
destroyed by bombardment, the inter
ior burned out, but the main walls ar
intact and the church can be partly re
stored. No church in York could stand
more than two 9-inch shells, but this Ole
building stood many, for the walls ar
thick stone, we'll braced. Here was
city of 10000, very rich and prosper
Gus, fine streets. parks and car system
When l was there, there were 500
people, hardly a house in town tina
was not torn almost to pieces, yet tn
people were coming back. 1t was tn
only place l have been in where tn
fighting had been from house to house
the loopholes dug through the walls o
the dwellings and sometimes the Ger
mans held one street and the FrencI
the other, machine guns placed every