Evening star., 1943-06-06

"
french seUen years to conquer it.
"A. P. Photo
broad beach. There were four or five
wrecked ships in the harbor. They were
being blown up to clear the channel,
Then an all night trip on prisoner
laden ship through mile-wide swept
channel calling for the most skillful sort
OF navigation to avoid mine fields. Venus
was so big it looked like golden crucifx
in the field Of stars over the Mediter-
ranean.
First Mishap.
At this stage OF the long hitch hike
came the first mishap. Codell had de-
veloped severe case Of allergy Arms
and shoulders were covered with red
splotches. There was no United States
Army doctor at Bone, but the doctor at
the British dispensary was able to give
assurance that it was nothing Infectious.
He thought it was probably due to tick
bites. The prisoners were unloaded and
marched away to another ship There
was long wait by the Bone docks with
the prisoner guards commanded by 1t.
A. R. Densmore of North Warren, Pa.
Just after the prisoners were cleared out
Jerry came over, probably only on q
reconnaissance fight. There was a mad
scramble for rifles and helmets The
ant1-aircraft guns missed the raider and
he disappeared behind a cloud.
There was choice of waiting couple
OF days for ship to Algiers or more
hitch-hiking to the nearest airport at
Telurgma, just outside Constantine. Juct
then came by Red Cross field worker
with car. He was on his way to an
American general hospital not far awav
from Constantine
A long ride through perhaps the richest
country IN North Africa, hillsides COW
cred with green wheat as far as the eve
could see, and through historic Phillip
vile with its colonaded streets.
Meet Washingtonians.
Infinitely the finest billet of the trip.
and probably the finest in North Africa.
was the next two nights at the great
tent hospital set UP by colonel we'll
known in Washington because of his
long association with Walter Reed Hos
pital. Especially helpful were the Red
Cross workers-Miss Mary T. Buffum,
sister OF Miss Margaret Buffum of 24l6
pennsylvania avenue, and Miss Elizabeth
Phen1x, who formerly lived at 2274
Cathedral avenue.
There in two days Codell was treated
and completely cured by one Of Amer
1ca's foremost dermatologists on tho
hospital staff, and Maj. Phil Halloch of
the University Of Minnesota Medical
School arranged meals and transporta-
ton. With few patients at present much
general research work is being conducted
at this tent hospital set up by the colonel
In one OF the loveliest valleys in North
Africa. The moon was full over the
mountains two nights we spent In this
maven for the battle wounded,
The doctors, some Of them the fore.
most specialists in the United States.
were like college boys as they louneed
ABOUT their tents. Perhaps in no other
setting have great physicians seemed
more like ordinary folks-and like thu
salt of the earth.
Majestic Constantine.
The next day in the hospital quarter
masters truck to majestic Constantine
loVellest city in North Africa, uudoubt-
edly one of the loveliest in the world.
The roses in its public gardens were In
1ull flush OF their May bloom. The water
was bright turquoise in the great SWIM
ming pool In the deep gorge which cuts
OH this impregnable city from the sur
rounding countryside. Constantine dates
IRON the days of the Carthaginians. It
took the French seven years to conquer
it.
In the square at Constantine a slap on
the back and excited greetings from a
fellow I hardly recognized in mis- Aro,v
unlform-Wade Jones, formerly on the
staff Of The Evening Star. During his
two months here Jones has learned the
clty-French black market restaurants
and all.
The Ride Back.
The last stage Of q long hitch hike
that day-a ride In a C-47-jeep Of the
skies-back to Algiers and the frenzied
hunt for some place to Sleep A billet
finally pre-empted on the fifth floor Of
an apartment building, where there is
room to throw bedding roll on the
floor. 1t Is really one Of the luxury billets
OF the place. Two British colonies shared
1t for two nights and assured me it was
the best they had known In North
Africa. except for few days at an ex-
tremely expensive hotel In Cairo.
Back in Algiers to q big let-down.
Most Of the reporters knew pulling out
for England, full Of visions Of house par
ties at country homes, dinner at tho
Connaught, cool Scotches at the Savoy
bar. AL have their own ideas. Of course,
about where things will start next and
there IS nothing but rumpr confoundins
rumor, speculation eonfounding specu.
lation.
)