A Journey Through France in War Time Part 14

La Cambre, Belgium, October 29th, 1916.

Office of the Secretary to the King and Queen.

Mr. J. G. Butler, Jr.

Youngstown, Ohio.

Dear Sir:--

I was particularly pleased to read to his Majesty your good letter, and to receive the pamphlet.

I am charged by the King to thank you for the sentiments which you have expressed and for your sympathy for Belgium.

Our Sovereign wishes you to know that he recalls with pleasure the meeting with the Directors of the American Iron and Steel Inst.i.tute at Brussels.

I beg you to accept, dear sir, the a.s.surance of my highest regards,

J. INGENBLECK, Secretary.

I spent a good part of the following day in buying war relics, many of them made by the soldiers in the trenches out of such material as exploded sh.e.l.ls, b.u.t.tons from the uniforms of dead soldiers, etc. I purchased some unique postal cards, painted by hand in the trenches by soldiers who were artists. Other relics consisted of hat pins, napkin rings, bracelets and finger rings, all made as before stated, from war material.

A copy of an English publication was brought to my attention during the Belgian conference, and I was struck by a paragraph which is quoted:--

SUBMARINING AMERICA

What Germany is Doing now is Submarining the Monroe Doctrine and that is Submarining America.

In this connection there was some discussion and I was surprised to learn that the French, even those who are at the head of things, have a very hazy idea of what the Monroe Doctrine is. I explained to them that it was a statement made in a message to Congress by President Monroe in 1823, in which he laid down in a few words the principle that America, because of her history and the form of government established in the western world, was not a proper place for the exploitation of despotic governments, and that any attempt on the part of European nations to gain a foothold or to extend their territorial interests on the American continent would be regarded as an act unfriendly to the United States. I explained that this statement was never questioned and had become an accepted principle. The explanation seemed to please the French and Belgians to whom it was translated, and they apparently approve of the idea.

Coming back to America, by the way, I found that there was no occasion to be surprised at lack of understanding of the Monroe Doctrine abroad, as few of us understand just what it is at home.

On October 17th, I visited the American Emba.s.sy and met there, among others, Captain Eugene Rosetti, a captain in the Foreign Legion. This Legion was recruited from friends of France who were not Frenchmen, but largely Americans. When the war broke out this body was thirty-six thousand strong, and on the date I talked with Captain Rosetti there were but thirteen hundred survivors. The Foreign Legion was largely in evidence at the early part of the war and stories of its bravery were heard everywhere.

In the evening Dr. Veditz made an address before the Commissioners, telling of the work he was engaged in and what he had accomplished.

On October 18th, the Commission gave a luncheon to Wilbur J. Carr, Consul in Europe with headquarters in Washington. Some very plain talk was in evidence as to the inefficiency of some of the American consuls.

Consul Carr delivered a very forceful address. He had been in the consular service for nearly a quarter of a century and is working, with much success, to better the service.

XVII.

ON THE WAY HOME--ENGLAND

On this date, October 18th, the commission left Paris for Havre at 4:50 P.M., its destination being London, by way of Southampton. We boarded the boat at Havre after a very rigid inspection of pa.s.sports, baggage, etc. It was a rough night and many were seasick. The boat was crowded to repletion and the trip was a very uncomfortable experience. We had been escorted from Paris to Havre by Captain Sayles, of the American Emba.s.sy.

This was one of the many courtesies shown us by the American Emba.s.sy in Paris under the direction of Robert Bliss, Charge d'Affaires, in the absence of Amba.s.sador Sharp. I had a very interesting talk with Captain Sayles. His first question came out quickly and rather abruptly. "What most impressed you on your trip?" I replied, without hesitation: "The spirit of France and the morale of the French soldier and the French people. All France is thinking and working and trying to do what they can to help save France." Captain Sayles said it was a tradition that when events required it, France always rose to the occasion and pa.s.sed the crisis successfully. He said also that the battle of the Marne, as has been said previously by many others, settled the war. That the Kaiser and the Prussian militants knew then they were beaten and have been trying for a year and a half to find a way out. There is no doubt in the opinion of Captain Sayles, that the German people are deceived and still think that Germany will win the war. They are fed upon false information.

In this connection I had a talk with Allyn B. Carrick, an American who had spent several months in Germany during the past year and had recently returned from there. He was an American and understood German, and was a good listener. He said the people in Germany are talking among themselves, criticising the government, especially the Kaiser and the Crown Prince, and he felt that some day something would happen which would bring trouble. He said there was great distress all over Germany.

Mr. Carrick got his information by keeping his ears open in cafes, railroad stations, hotels and pa.s.senger trains.

When the conflict is over it is my judgment that international law will be overhauled and some of the German methods of war on innocent women and children will be eliminated, such as the sh.e.l.ling of non-combatants and bomb-throwing. Terrorism in ghastly forms is now a part of the German method of fighting the enemy.

The Kaiser has for many years considered himself a Charlemagne, Frederick the Great and Napoleon the First rolled into one. Results are developing which put him in the cla.s.s of Napoleon the Third, or even below that monarch in ability.

We arrived at Southampton on Thursday, October 19th, at 9 A.M. There was much red tape in evidence and many questions asked the commissioners. We were warned that no letters could be carried for delivery, and that a violation of this order would result in arrest of anyone guilty.

After some little delay and much needed a.s.sistance from friends of America, our baggage was registered and incidentally "greased" through to London. We arrived in London at 1 P.M. Considerable evidence was here apparent of the recent visit of the Zeppelins. One had been captured and partially destroyed, and I was fortunate in securing some pieces as relics. I met here Dr. Sherman, who has been in close touch with and a.s.sisted Alexander Carrel with reference to the Carrel technique, the recent antiseptic discovered for wounds and injuries, used so successfully for the prevention of blood poisoning. The fluid is a solution of bleaching lime with bi-carbonate of soda, filtered or poured through the wounds. Thousands of lives have been saved by this discovery. The method has been adopted by the Italian, French and Belgian governments, and is being considered by the English government.

On the day following our arrival in London, I called upon Consul General Skinner and found him busy at work. Inquiries resulted in receiving a most excellent account of his stewardship. He is very much alive to American interests.

I also met H. W. Thornton, formerly a high official in the Pennsylvania Railroad system, but now in charge of the Great Eastern Railroad in England. He is an important personage, and, from information obtained, has made good. He is one of the counsellors in close touch with the war department.

While in London we were at the Savoy hotel. I was struck by a notice posted on the bedroom-door.

DEFENCE OF THE REALM ACT.

Important notice.

Visitors occupying rooms are now held responsible by the Authorities for the proper control of the lights in the rooms they occupy.

It is absolutely necessary that they should see that the blinds and curtains of the rooms they occupy are closely drawn so that no light can leak through.

It is imperative also to switch off all lights before attempting to open or close a window, if this necessitates drawing the blinds.

These regulations apply to all rooms occupied, including bathrooms.

I attended the Hippodrome in London, walking through the darkness escorted by a friend. The show was pretty much with reference to the war. I was attracted by the notice at the bottom of the program, which is copied below.

[Ill.u.s.tration: French Marines Operating 75-mm Gun on Shipboard.]

Arrangements have been made that warning of a threatened air raid will be communicated by the Military Authorities to this theatre.

On receipt of any such warning the audience will be informed, with a view to enable persons who may wish to proceed home, to do so.

The warning will be communicated, so far as possible, at least 20 minutes before any actual attack can take place. There will, therefore, be no cause for alarm or undue haste.

Those who decide to leave are warned not to loiter about the streets, and if bombardment or gunfire commences before they reach home, they should at once take cover.

By order of The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

New Scotland Yard, S. W.

The anniversary of Trafalgar Day was celebrated while we were in London.

This was one of the most decisive battles in the history of the world.

As an English view of the battle of Trafalgar I copy below the editorial from the Daily-Graphic, and might add, in my own words, that but for the British navy our sea-coast cities, both on the Atlantic and Pacific, might easily have been wiped out before this time.