Evening star., 1936-11-08


I were Mrs. Benet know should
long since have fairly bursted with
pride over the whole shelf In certain
library bookcase, which is required
to hold the row of medals, honors,
decorations and awards that the gov
ernments OF the world have conferred
upon her husband. Interestedly she
tells you of the background of this
one or that and with modesty that
Is refreshing In its unusualness, never
even gives you hint until fairly
pushed to the wall that she is also the
possessor of no less than seven deco
rations awarded her in her own right
because Of her acts Of mercy and
great ability in organizing relief agen-
cies during and after the World War.
Tells Of War Service.
With the Indian Summer sunlight
on one of Washington's incompatible
Fall days streaming In on US. we sat
one morning this past week in her
husbands study, lined with books and
interesting portraits of old Washing
ton friends, cheek by jowl with world
personages.
With the slenderly erect hostess,
in whose hair there are still glints of
the golden hue Of her Washington
girlhood days. before me, 1t seemed
as If we were moving again in some
| half-remembered dream while she
was induced bit by bit to tell some of
the circumstances that we're behind
these medals and ribbons which at
test her distinguished war service.
Almost as soon as war was declared
Mrs. Benet volunteered for service
with the American Ambulance Unit,
sustained by contributions from the
United States, but under the juris-
diction Of the French minister OF
sante and hygiene. Among the many
famous surgeons who were connected
with 1t and gave their skill for suf-
fering humanity with this service
were DIR. Charles w. Dubouchet, as
chief surgeon and Drs. Grille, Brewer,
Joseph Blake and Cushing of Boston.
With this group Mrs. Benet served
continuously as an auxiliary nurse
and member of its Ladies' Commit
tee from August, 1914, until July, 1917.
In addition to many other RESPONSE
bilities she had charge OF the distri-
button OF all supplies as they arrived
Irom America. In talking of those
days Mrs. Benet quite simply tells
you that she has always felt privi-
legged to have been in this work from
the start and to have had q part In
collecting the supplies and money
from America to keep 1t going when
the need was very great.
To this day, as she remembers the
frequent bombings of Paris, the zoom-
ings OF shells from the great Berthas
as they fell. and the screechines OF
the sirens bidding them to take to
the underground, which she ALWAYS re-
fused to do on the theory that she pre-
1erred to take her chances in the |
open, Mrs. Benet says she almost |
covers her ears again as "the sound |
OF the awful guns definitely reverb
crates through them"
Recalls Devastated Area,
Mrs. Benet also has certain unfor-
gettable memories of her work as vice
president and as acting president of
the Duryea relief work among the
refugees in the devastated war ara
at the time when she was in charge
OF this work during the absence of
Mrs. Nina Duryea in America. A trip
which she made to this area during
the time when Clemenceau was min
Ster OF war also is etched on her soul
and remains with you as she recalls
visiting homes to which desperate.
starving people had returned, although
there might be only a chimney or a
befouled well by which to identify It
The tears still come to her eyes, and
they rise .unbidden in yours as she
tells you OF the woman whose house
had been blown to bits by a shell, but
who, under the shelter of a toppling
shed. still managed to serve her a
drink Of coffee from a battered. dis.
carded soldiers mess cup, with a fiow-
er or two beside it, the sole survivors
IN patch OF indescribable waste and
desolation, Of what had once been a
cherished peacetime garden.
Mrs. Benet was q member Of the
Union des Colonies Etrangeres for the |
re-education of the wounded French
soldiers: Of the Accueil Social Franco
American for the assistance and edu.
cation Of the children of the nine
teenth and twentieth ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Of Paris, and Of the organization
known as l'Heure Joyeuse (the Happy
Hour. which was the first library and |
lecture room for children in the Rue |
Boutebrie, Paris.
A vice president Of the French Cam |
Ger League from 1919. to April, 1895, |
Mrs. Benet since has been elected an |
honorary vice president of the league |
for life. The Illuminated scroll which |
was presented to her upon her retire. |
ment from ofiice, because of her re-
turn to her native land, is inscribed |
with such names as M. Lebrun, the |
President OF the French republic;
Nine. lie Bret, the president of the
league; M. Justice GODDARD and many
others
In addition to being one of the
founders Of the American women's
Club of Paris, as well as q life MEM
Der and q director in charge Of its
information bureau, which was of
inestimable service to thousands of
Red Gross nurses and aides and other
American women In Paris during and
Immediately after the World War, Mrs.
Benet was member of the American
Legion Auxiliary and a vice president
Of the Women's Auxiliary Of the
Ffdac. In this latter capacity she was
q delegate in 1928 to the congress at
Bucharest and in 1929 to the congress
at Belgrade.
Holds Several Medals.
Made an ofacer of the French Le-
sion Of Honor in 1880, Mrs. Benet
also holds the Medal Of Honor In gold
Of the Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres
Of France and the Commemorative
Medal Of the Grand Guerre with gold
palms for hospital service. She like