Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-09-30

quantity vi tHe pdpSiS VI Stes'S e
fetal records to Bordeaux. The Ger
mans we'll knew that Paris Is France
to the Frenchmen. The German knew
that if he could take the city, France
| would give up and he guessed rightly.
Finally the engineers located the big
gun 73 miles away and it was de-
niolished. The Frenchman decided TO
make last stand. II Is estimated
that 100000 died at Verdup. Then
came the news Of the coming of the
Americans. New heart and new life
came into the people. Most of the
young men had died but the ranks
were filled by the old. Soon after the
Americans came-clean-cut, virile,
self-rel;art fellows. They appeared In
numbers at Chateau Thierry and
Belleau Wood. The Hun wavered for
the first time and went backward. 1t
was a series of successes then until
the end.
Moral and Social Life.
Discussing the social side of French
life and the moral and physical life OF
the. soldier, Col. Walker gave his au-
dience some interesting light on the
subject. There is no question, he said,
but that the French standards of iiy-
ing, their moral life, is quite different
from our own and the social evil was
one that gave our army authorities
much concern. The Frenchlgirl or wo-
man who works for living Is not
treated with respect by those who do
not have to work. The girl who works
In the shop or the Office is regarded as
woman of the street. The girls and
women of this class and there are
hundreds and thousands of them, take
the, position, "Oh, well, everybody be-
lieves me to be that kind of woman,
so why shouldn't ! be-" Venereal dis
eases were rampant among the Allied
troops during the first stage of the
war. Statistics disclosed that the
number of men affected with one form
of yenereal disease was 240 to the
thousand. Army doctors backed up
by regular army officers, realized that
this was condition which must be
remedied. General Pershing as COM
mander- in chief of the American Ex-
peditionary Forces, recognized the
danger OF such and he issued emphatic
orders to organization commanders
holding them to strict accountability
for the health of their men.
Orders were issued at one time. con-
tinued Col. Walker, prohibiting any
American officer or enlisted man from
appearing on the streets with French
woman. The order created a furor
among the troops, but it did great
good, although it was rescinded later.
1t was unfortunately the privilege of
no enlisted man and but few officers
to meet the French women OF the
higher classes. 1t was my privilege to
meet perhaps a dozen families during
my entire stay in France. | found
them women of culture and refinement
and of beautiful character and con-
duct which reminded me more of
southern women than the women OF
any other country with which l am
acquainted.>
The moral problem of France, how
ever, is Indeed a grave one. The
French man and woman do not marry
with love as basis. Under the Gus
toms of the country, the woman
marries man for the peculiar posi-
tion that he may give her. The man
marries for the girls dover. Both
have the right to love another even
after marriage. A young man who
courtsya young girl in France Is never
allowEd to see her alone. There is
always q third person present. The
young unmarried woman of the re-
spectacle classes never goes on the
street alone. After marriage a woman
goes pretty much as she pleases. 1t
is standard of which we in this
country have no conception.
Col. Walker paid high tribute to the
British officers and men. They are
possessed he said jof sense Of honor
and indomitable courage all their own.
They are peculiar until one gets to
know them; but I have never in all
my experience with men come in con-
tact with q more noble and admirable
man than the British officer.
Red Cross and the "Y."
There are two organizations, he
said, to which / wish to pay tribute
in the conduct of this war, because
they have rendered invaluable SER
vice and have played one of the
greatest parts in winning the victory.
The. first is the Red Cross , and the
second the Y. NJ. c. A. 1t was the
Red Cross who furnished bandages
and medical supplies early in 1917,
when the army had not these things
and when army red tape prevented
the armS from getting them while they
were needed. 1t was through the
agency of the Red Cross that the
doctors were able to alleviate much
suffering and pain that could not
otherwise have been alleviated be-
cause of conditions.
wish to pay tribute TO the Y. M.
c. A. despite the fact that almost
every soldier and everybody else ap-
pears to have q knock for ii. / saw