Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-11-21
Editors Letter Box
Mora About Mr.. Libby.
Winthrop Center, Maine,

Editor Kennebec Journal:
Among the many excellent edi-
torials which appear from day to day
in the Kennebec Journal are two in
one column in Tuesdays paper which
I would specially note. One, en-
titled BE Decently Reasonable" was
of a woman who asked a school Of
fetal how much compensation he re-
ceived for the milk furnished the
school children. You rightly con-
denim this lack of respect for, and
confidence in those who are en-
deavoring to benefit our future citi-
zens.
1t appears to me that the writer of
the preceding editorial in Tuesdays
paper, "Why Encourage Them"
cherishes a state of mind exactly
similar to that of the woman who
challenged the motives of the school
official. In referring to Frederick j..
Libby and his associates in the 'War
on War" society the editorial says
1--WE do not know the extent of the
emoluments received by these leaders
of War on War; but we have not
the slightest difficulty in understand
ing why they prefer to do their wag-
ing in this country where there is no
war" And in the next paragraph
the editorial asserts that our mill
| tary situation is such that it is i'm
possible for "the most apprehensive
TO worry - unless they find it
pecuniarily profitable to exhibit what
NAV n1SS for Wnrrjynnrt -
These statements appear to charge
Mr.. Libby and his associates with
graft and insincerity
I am not supporter of Mr.. Libby's
present organization. There are sew
eral reasons why l do not support it.
But l count Mr.. Libby among my
friends. | believe in his sincerity
and his integrity. l cannot honor
ably read these lines, which appear
to impcach his motives, without a
word of protest.
If my memory serves me correct
ly, Mr.. Libby is native of Rich
mond, Me. He was graduated from
Harvard University. For several
years he taught in Phillips Academy,
Exeter When the war came, al.
though he was we'll above draft age,
he left his school work and went I'd
France as a volunteer worker under
the Red Cross. l remember being on
the same assignment with him I'M
loading trains of American wounded
one day in Paris, during the Septem-
Der drive, 1918. No man in the whole
nn OF III
than did Mr.. Libby. And 1 observed
his gentle touch when a poor fellow
would beg to be turned a little on
his stretcher; and l overheard his
occasional quiet WORD bearing cour-
age to the bay who was homesick and
discouraged as well as wounded or
Sassed.
Mr. Libby remained in France for
about a year, | think, after the
armistice. helping to rehabilitate
some of the devastated villages. In
February. following the armistice,
was in Neuvilly, fifteen kilometers
west of Nerdun. That village was
completely destroyed. and there was
an American crew of about eighteen
men there erecting sectional wooden
houses. Several car loads of the
houses had been shipped from the
factory in southern France, but they
had been lost somewhere. Unless
the houses came soon the men would
be idle. The French were CRYING to
return, but there was absolutely
nothing to shelter them. Mr.. Libby
was sent to find the lost houses. AS
] recall the incident he was gone
about week He returned hazrard
and exhausted from cold and ex-
posure. and lack of food and sleep.
But he brought back the houses. He
mad spent three or four DAYS and
nights in mid winter on a French
freight train, conveying the cars of
mouse parts. to max. certain thew
oid not get side-tracked again. This
one act made it possible for at least
a score of families to have homes
s'me weeks sooner than they could
otherwlse have done. I have not
spaoo to give more incidents from
Frederick Libby's record as | oh
SERVED it. For all this service he re-
cpived no remuneration, whatever
except the satisfaction of serving
humanity. He everywhere made
friends by his gentlemanIy conduct
1r ynr1 L.