Evening star., 1942-10-08
Both Donish-Born Mother
And Son Join u. S. Arnv
Mrs. Maggie Carlson
Leaves Tonight for
WAAC Troinine
BY LISBETH Selling

BY LISBETH SCLLING.
A Danish-born woman and her
only son joined the Army this week
Mrs. Maggie I. Carlson, Scott
circle, who enlisted in the Women's
Auxiliary Army Corps, leaves to-
night for the training center at
Fort Des Moines, Iowa. Theodore
Lloyd Carlson, her 19-year'old son.
has enlisted here and expects call
to active duty within a few days.
meanwhile he is working at the
Naval Torpedo Station at Alex
andria.
The great duty of the American
people is to forget self and CO.
operate" says Mrs. Carlson. whose
words and actions bespeak the fer
Vld American patriotism often found
In the foreign born. 1--WE must enter
the war with every ounce of energy
and remuneration we have.
Wants Chance to Serve.
I feel strongly about the war"
she continued. Il am really ready
10 explode! That won't do any good.
OF course, but I will certainly make
use OF my pent-up emotions if they
Will give me chance!"
Mrs. Carlson leaves Job with the
State Department, which has grant
ed her a military leave of absence.
Born AZ years ago in Copenhagen,
Denmark, she grew up in the com
portable circumstances provided by
her father, well-to-do turbine
engineer. She was educated at
boarding schools in Lausanne.
switzerland, where she attended an
English junior college. All exami-
nations were taken in French and
most of the pupils were German,
and this gave her excellent ground
Ing in the three major European
languages.
She married an American,
Charles A. Carlson, who was gen.
eral manager for Scandinavia and
Finland of the Gillette Safety
Razor Co. Their son was born in
Muskegon, Mich. Her husband died
in Copenhagen in May. 1885, and
less than year later Mrs. Carlson
Joined the staff of the American
Consulate in Copenhagen.
Busy "a War Broke.
Storm cloudS gathered over
Europe. Some 2,400 American citi-
zens, ordered to leave the war areas
when war broke out in 1899, de-
scended on the consulate in Copen-
hagen. I'VE worked day and night,
"a hours around the clock" Mrs.
Carlson recalled.
The Danish people and hospi-
tails and government officials were
very charitable and more than
eager to help" Mrs. Carlson con-
tinued 1--WE finally succeeded in
sheltering and feeding most of the
destitute people, until we could
obtain aid from their relatives or
the State Department.
BY February 1910. all had been
repatriated. Mrs. Carlson's son
came to the United States from
Petsamo, Finland, when he was II,
On April 9, 1910, a bridge two and
q half blocks from Mrs CarLson's
residence blew up with terrific de-
tonation. German bombers sWooped
over the housetops and heavy booted
German soldiers marched through
the cobblestoned streets of Copen-
hagen.
Halted by BayOnet.
Mrs. Carlson hurried out on the
street to join her superior consular
officer and his family. A German
soldier pressed his bayonet against
her and ordered her to halt. Her
American passport finally cleared
the way. The American consulate
was soon closed. the staff temporarily
jnterned in Germany. and finally
sent on to the United States. Mrs.
Carlson came to Washington, where
she went to work for the State De-
partment.
"The number of Na4 sympathizers
In Denmark is very small Mrs.
Carlson said. Less than l per cent
have co-operated with the Germans.
The Danes frozen, icy stare does not
see a German. He is ignored. The
Germans have complained bitterly
tnaL tney meet HoIlllIlS puI ooei a
cism and ridicule.'
When Pearl Harbor was attacked,
Mrs. Carlson called the Army to see
If she could not join the defense
effort in some way When WAAC
recruiting began in June, Mrs. Carl
son was the first woman in front Of
the door at the Army recruiting
Office at New York avenue and
Twelfth street NV.
Il have joined the Army because
! know that if my husband were
alive he would have joined" Mrs.
carlson says. My son has joined,
have no home to keep up. We
have had the advantage Of living
happily and prosperously in time of
peace. In time of national emer-
gency we have a deep obligation to
help defend the country"
Even Mrs. Carlson's apartment at
Scott circle has joined the Army.
Capt. John A. Andre, chief recruit
ing officer at the Army recruiting
office where Mrs Carlson originally
applied for enlistment, will occupy
the apartment.