Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-01-17
ADDRESS BY Mr.. CARLIN
Tells of Visit to European Battle
felds-Lauds Work of American
Army and Navy-Praise for Splen-
did Work of Red Cross. :.

Representative Charles C. Carlin las
night delivered an address on his re
cent visit to the battleields of Euro
pc under me auspices of The Came
ron Club. The meeting was preside'
over by Miss Helen y. Cummings
president of the Cameron Club, ais
Of the Women's Federation of Clubs
This was Representative Carlin'
first public address before an Alex
andria audience since his return from
| Europe and for an hour and half ht
kept his audience spellbound with hi:
wonderful story of conditions as hi
found them in Europe, and what he
saw on the battlefelds and also Of
the happenings in Paris incident tc
the peace celebration.
Representative Carlin said in part:
accompanied by my son decided to
take the safest method of travel and
boarded the French liner Rocham-
beau which carried four excellent gun
crews.
"After being out two or three days
| was asked to address the troops
aboard and did so as also did Patrick
)'Brien, who was shot from an air.
olane abroad. Miss Margaret Wilson,
wearing Y. w. C. A., uniform
sang for the troops.
ARRIVING on the other side learn
ID the cause OF the routing of the sea
monster, the submarines.
''The task of taking two and one
,alf million of our soldiers abroad
without the loss Of single life SEEM
ed almost impossible. 1t, however,
vas due almost entirely to achieve
nents by way of invention of Ameri-
IAN sailors to transport and convoy
,ighty-hve per cent of American
;roops across the Atlantic.
CARRYING atSLSndon l heard good
leal of talk about the British navy.
1t is not true that the British navy
Won the war. Ninety-ive per cent of
he naval officers l talked to are of the
opinion that the American navy today
could successfully cope with the navy
If any other nation in the world.
,'elt proud not only of the achieve
.nents of the American navy but of its
personnel.
; "We arrived at Bordeaux and soon |
learned that the only branch of the
;irmy in which it is conceded we ex-
eel is the Engineering Corps. The
engineers in less than four months
quilt wonderful drydock at this
place, which is the largest in the
world. tits nearly 1000 feet long and
all of the material was brought across
Ehe Atlantic 1t is monument to the
American engineers.
! First Glimpse of War.
"That night ] got my first glimpse
Of real war. A Red Cross train of
,orty cars loaded with wounded was
erroute to hospital. 1t was sick
.ning sight. Despite the sadness and
sorrow there were the women of the
Red Cross.
eff ever. there was an organization
hat humanity owes debt to it is the
Red Gross. The first hospital visited
vas near Ferdun and the first person
10 greet me was Miss Mamie Jones
IF Alexandria.
II had just heard that the war then
was only expected: to last,.a week.
j Next l saw Gen. Pershing and
never was more favorably impressed
with a man. spent two hours with
him. He is every inch in appearance
h soldier and ] believe 100 per. cent
American. From him I learned con-
'!ditions in the army. I,belieye he would
have rather had complete military
victory He said it would only take
three weeks to capture or annihilate
the German army, so the German
|,hastened for an. armistice which was
almost as ritiful as the German navy
surrendering without firing a shot.
| ."On the battlefield the saddest sigh
Of all is to see the graves. In. Argon'
| ne Forest and Bellieux Woods marked
by steel helmets and a little woodel
! cross There were many Inferred oil
the field and their casket consisted o
the victim S: army blanket.
"The American soldier is well fed
l I was unable to get square meal eN
1 cept when ] took dinner with tn
American soldiers. Prices then pre-
vailing were very high eggs. selling a
|. SIPS each fand apples at 81 eacho1
81 wasr in 4Paris during the peaf
jubilee. # was the first time in fou
years that the lights had been turne