Otto P. Higgins - n.d.
Transcript
Otto P. Higgins Worlds Greatest War Correspondent! [stamp] Released Gratis [handwritten] as usual [stamp] on use of credit by Union Pacific RY. Press Bureau
Transcript
[page 1]Higgins. Back in the summer of 1914, just as Germany started its invasion of Belgium, the French began mobilizing troops. In the little village of Essey near the town of St. Mihiel and only a few hours from Nancy by motor car, lived a happy little French family, a father, mother, and their dark haired, brown eyed, 5-year-old daughter. The father was a lieutenant in a French regiment of artillery, but he [m.s. crossed out
Transcript
[page 3] But always the result was the same. No answer. [m.s. crossed out
Transcript
[page 4] Nothing seemed to be able to stop the boche advance. On, on they came, sweeping everything, [m.s crossed out
Transcript
[page 5] [m.s. crossed out
Transcript
[m.s torn at the top] [m.s crossed out
Transcript
[page 4.] One fight followed another. The boche were thrown back in their monster Champagne drive by General Gouroud
Transcript
Word was flashed over the world of the great American success. Everywhere people went wild, in France, England, American, Italy. [m.s crossed out and wherever anyone was interested in beating the Hun.
Transcript
[handwritten] A little dress closed in his hand In the next room, a combination dining room and kitchen, they saw a figure in French gray, the gold braid on his arm indicating he was a lieutenant, sitting on a chair, his head buried on his arms which rested on the table. On the table was a little worn out shoe, such as a child would have, and a rag doll with the stuffing gone from one leg. Tightly clasped in his had was a blue and white cheap gingham dress, a dress just large enough for a little child. Not a sound came from the figure, no a sob or a quiver. Not until one of the soldiers dropped a heavy hand on his shoulder and gave him a jerk, did the man look around.
Transcript
To The Kansas City Star from Otto P. Higgins, Staff Correspondent. London, May,.- It might be a little bit of Berlin or Munich, if it wasn..t for the sight of a British Tommie now and then, going zbout his work. On every hand are signs printed in German, here and there are little German shops where most anything can be had, and the German language is almost universally spoken. But once outside of the main buildings it is slightly different. Here and there you see an armed sentry, and on every side is a high barb wire fence backed up by entanglements constructed from the same kind of material, making it very difficult to leave unless you have full permission of the commandant. But the British internment camp for Germans the one visited by a party of newspaper correspondents, is a mighty comfortable place, to look at, at least, but without a doubt a bit monotonous for the regular boarders. The prisoners themselves generally call it the
Transcript
[page 2] Almost every bit of the work is done by the prisoners themselves. They do all their own cooking, baking, operate the laundry, keep the different rooms and buildings spotlessly clean, and govern themselves to a certain extent. There are men in camp taken from every walk of life, and these usually drift together. One corner has been usurped by the artists, and filled with little studios. Here the artists have their easels, and do their work. Each studio is separate and apart from the others, the pretentiousness of it depending upon wealth of the owner. Each man has his name on the outside, printed in German, and they go about their work just as though they were free. The tailors all have their shops together, and some very high class outfits are turned out at a minimum of cost. The barber shops are bunched, and even the turkish baths have their little corner. The woodworkers keep together, and the musicians have their music room, while a large room in one of the towers has been fitted up as a workshop for the jewelers, - a workshop that is identical with any other jeweler
Transcript
[page 3] The men are allowed to correspond regularly, which they do in many different languages. All letters going either in or out of the camp are censored. Each prisoner is allowed to receive visitors once a week for two hours, and a tea room has been arranged where they may entertain their friends with either tea or coffee at a minimum cost. Those prisoners who paint, make sketches, or do fancy woodwork may sell their things, the profit going to them. Visitors to the camp many times invest in articles on display. and some of the things are sold in London shops. So nearly every man interned is able to earn at least a small amount of money, and this, added to what the German government sometimes sends, is ample to keep them in tobacco and many of the little things they may need from time to time. About the only complaint that is heard from the prisoners is on the food question. They are on a ration basis, just like the civilian population, but they are unable to get some of the things they were accustomed to having before the war, The scale of rations for interned prisoners follow: daily, bread, nine ounces; broken biscuit, four ounces; meat, four ounces--five days a week. (pickled beef is issued on two of these days,) salt cured herrings, ten ounces, two days a week; tea or coffee, one-half ounce; sugar, one ounce; salt, one-half ounce; potatoes, twenty ounces; fresh vegetables, four ounces; split peas or beans, two ounces; rice, one ounce; oatmeal, one ounce; jam, one ounce; cheese, one ounce; and a little bit of pepper. Prisoners are also permitted to buy articles from their own canteens, such as sweets and such things as are not included in the regular ration.
Transcript
To The Kansas City Star, from Otto P. Higgins, Staff Correspondent. London, May. -Dear Bill: Someone said, sometime, that
Transcript
[page 2] You don
Transcript
Higgins. [m.s. crossed out
Transcript
[page 2] So it happens that the matter of billets, which isn
Transcript
[m.s. crossed out
Transcript
[m.s. crossed out Not so in France] A woman
Transcript
[page 5]
Transcript
[page 6] Our men could never become accustomed to the French ideas on morality. For instance, a Frenchman who is married can keep a mistress three or four blocks down the street, and no one thinks anything of it. In fact, it is the proper thing and everyone does it, providing he has money enough to keep up the two institutions. This is an outgrowth of the cast system, whereby families of the various social strata arrange the marriages, the bride bringing with her a dot. Many times love isn
Transcript
[page 7] Men who have been all over France, who have lived there before the war and during the war, who have seen it under conditions elsewhere than those at the front, they love France. But the returning soldier, whether he be from the S.O.S where he spent all his time in one town or village, or whether he be from a combat division where he spent all his time at the front, they don
Transcript
[page 1] K.C. Scared. Promised K.C. talk, among friends. Do-Op called. Scheme. Work out on them. Just like over top. Never get over being scared. C story at Funston. From Chanute - - Chicago- - One boy confession- that chaplain. White C here. Red France. Gibbons- Timmons. wounded. Couldn
Transcript
[page 2] War taught us preparedness, military training. Fat lean, lean fat. Raise army overnigh Not train or equip it. Funston, wooden horses, boy palm beach suit, wooden gun. December 14, permitted announce American cannon. Marines, 1700 cas. Belleau woods, men not shoot rifle. Leaye- 952,000 But- March 500,000 See what army life does. More deaths Flu. Finicky food. Bread on string. Take iron rations off dead. different ideas, show clown, now meat salesman. Makes men out of them Champion case. Makes them strong, Load not to exceed 3,000 War a refining influence, Father Hart, 140th. How men act under firea. Helmick; eggin. Seldes and grass., ME in woods. Hey, have you got another hole here? Stop for a wrist watch. [m.s. crossed out Corp. Kelley,
Transcript
[page 3] Kid about acts of bravery. Joe Ferguson to Red Smith.
Transcript
Latest battle line West banl og? euse to north of Letanne, westward to the north of Beaumont, and north of the Beaumont-Warniforet road. Activities The mopping up of the west bank of the Meuse was completed last night. The Ger Shelled Beaumont. where there are 401 civilians, with gas all night. Following are extracts from German orders: This division (the German 88) is again opposing the 89th American divisio as it was in the St. Mihiel sector. This division is as it was at that time, known as a good American shock division which undertakes many strong patrol missions
Transcript
as powerfully organized-[m.s. illegible: 1 wd] defensive across is entre front- Conly broke [m.s. illegible 1 wd] bully [m.s. illegible 1 wd] times for wayward MG action- Corps 3000 fees - 40 guns- 12 tons 130 [m.s. illegible :1 wd] territory- [November] 5- Crossed Meuse Am Bruselles & [m.s. illegible: 2 wds] 6 fetch 89th- [m.s. illegible: 1 wd] Beaumont, [m.s. illegible 3 wds] my Bars Le [m.s. illegible: 2 wds] of [m.s. illegible: 1 wd] Meuse [m.s. illegible: 1 wd] Cressae & Beaumont Rine flooded [m.s. illegible: 4 wds] Night -5 [November]Craned S of 5 miles with Sedan Metz DR. [m.s. illegible 1 wd] line [m.s. illegible: 1 wd] German army-
Details
Title | Otto P. Higgins - n.d. |
Creator | Higgins, Otto P. |
Source | Higgins, Otto P. Otto P. Higgins. n.d. Higgins, Otto P. Collection. 2010.145.109. The National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
Description | Otto Higgins did not serve in the United States military, but was assigned as a war correspondent for the Kansas City Star soon after the United States entered the world conflict and was with the American forces in all the major engagements in which they participated. He wrote and photographed soldiers from the Mid-West, especially Missouri and Kansas. Higgin's began his service with the old Third Regiment, and was with regiments at Camp Nichols, Fort Riley, Camp Funston, Camp Doniphan, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Sheridan, and finally in France. This is a photograph of war correspondent Otto P. Higgins holding his camera. |
Site Accession Number | 2010.145.109 |
Contributing Institution | National World War I Museum and Memorial |
Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the National World War I Museum and Memorial: (816) 888-8100. |
Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
Language | English |