Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1920-08-11
AMERICAN TOURISTS
VISIT FRENCH RUINS

ing on the French.
Jean Rogier, leading Frenchwriter
to learn just what Effect the sight Of
the FrEnch battlefieids and devastated
regions might make on Americans
seeing them for the first time, made a
our day trip with American tour
lists to Chalons, Saint Mihiel, Verdun.
the .Argonne, Champagne. Rheims and
scissors.
During those four days Rogier
declared to the United Press, Il
lived with them. watched their ges
lures. ! studied their glances and
looks, observed their words. and. l
think. read their hearts.
"Thesc Americans, especially the
Older ones were very gay and their
gayiety, rather boyisl,, if not childish
at times, first grated on me and then
shocked me. would have preferred
to meet them grave and already pre-
pared for the sorrowful proof to which
they were subjected.
But suddenly among the very
first ruins, this gayiety died and seem
ed to bury iselt in the stones OF the
overthrowr villages. They no long
er laughed and no longer jokcd.
"The frigftful image OF the war be-
gan to appear. 1t was there before
their eyes and no longer were they
able to turn their eyes away.
"T'hcy looked with frightened ex-
pressions at the disembowcled houses
at the demolished church towers. at
ruined churches, at the torn and twist
ed ironwork of the former factories.
at the riddled walls and all the hid
eous skeletons oil the war which pass
ed along at the side of the automo-
biles like skeletons.
with extended arms the American
tourists pointed out i'll the distance
hugh red spots that either stood out
against the green verdure OF the hills
or Redeemed the grass of the prairies.
"Burned-burned- village burned
oh! Oh! Oh"
Their lips never ceased to repeat
this trembling lamentation i'll tones
that intermixed their pity, their sor-
row, their indignation and their anger.
"There are people whose sensible
ties are suddenly aroused at moments
like the opening and shutting of doors
and there are others where the sensi-
bilities remain like silent and viglant
servant.
with these Americans there was
no exhnberance of gesture, no fracas
OF words, no extravaganza of any
expression. 1t was only on their faces
and in their eyes that | could read
their expressions and see their souls
reflected. Their silence translated
their emotions and spoke more loud
y than as though they had uttered
the most vehement curses
AS yet the thought of death had
not beenborne to them 1t only struck
them as they stood before Bellcau
Wood and ROMANCE where $4,000
graves lie dug in the shade Of II
trees.
With slow steps. uncovered heads
and pious gestures they entered as
one enters temple, On each cross
there was a name. the number of the
regiment. but sometimes only one
word: Unknown"
'One Of my companions pointed out
in the middle al the cemetery crown
of pearls resting against flagstaff
from the Grown OF which floated the
Stars and Stripes. Worked into the
crown with different colored beads
was the inscription which she trans
lated from French into English:
'"rhe city of Montrouge, mar
raigne of the village of Trolley to the
American soldiers who died For Lib
erty. Justice and Right
THAT is sweet-very sweet muir
INJURED the Amrcan tourist.
Zone of them. woman, continued
ut is very sweet lfor us to feel that
France has not forgot our boys who
fought along side her own.
"Then one of the American women
ran to a little wooden house all white
in the center of young Expresses and
flowers where she exchanged few
words with a young American girl
sitting on the veranda, shook hands
and then returned to join the party.
"I don't know any of the girls.
she said, but they are the guardians
Of the cemetery-all volunteers-they
live there all alone and felt that
wanted to thank them on behalf Of
III tLa x,,o~,ar ~ the I1,,;ted C<ot.c'