E. Lansing Ray Journal - September 21, 1918 - November 28, 1918
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[page 1] [September 21] Left St. Louis on fast Pennsylvania, heavy train. Comfortable trip. Eugene Williams, wife, Mother & Robert Lungstras on board. Arrived New York on time. [September 22] Account Autoless Sunday walked to Waldorf. Comfortable out-side room and both $5. Toad & Mrs Burkham were waiting at hotel. went with them to Plaza. Awfully glad to see them. [September 23] went to British Bureau of Information in Morning. Told would sail next day. Met Geoffrey Butler, in charge, a pleasant sergeant and another Captain. On advice got Richards & went to British pass-port office, where my pass-port was waiting, all vised. Then went to U.S. Custom House & secured embarkation permit. Didn’t have number of ship so had to telephone [British Bureau of Information] & found it was 718. Passport only read for England so went to U.S. Pass-port office to see what trouble was. Told all in our party were same. Butler says O.K. extensions for France etc. will be made on other side. Dinner at 7:30 at Sherry’s, guests of [British Bureau of Information] Butler, Louis Tray, Novelist, a Capt. Henderson, former atty. of Northcliffe & a British Naval Commander, Belt, there as well as our party. Good dinner ; all made short addresses, Butler Calling our trip “The Great Adventure”. Wired Mary about 2 p.m. “Advised will meet my friend Early tomorrow afternoon, all arrangements made etc”. [September 24] Left Mary’s address for Cable of arrival at [British Bureau of Information] Got Richards & saw Mr. Remssen. Hurriedly packed & found I needed another satchel so Richards rushed over & secured one. Got down to Pier, foot of 56th st. at 1 P.M. all party held until about 2 before we could embark. Got three soldiers to help me carry baggage. Had to change all money to Federal Reserve Bank Notes. Quarters Miserable. Believe some one bungled job as I
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[page 2] Cant imagine a party such as ours was meant to be badly treated. Four to a room can hardly turn around. My room-mates Barrett of Birmingham, Patterson of Western Newspaper Union & McKay of Salt Lake City. Boat very dirty & short of help. Heard had contagion of Spanish Influenza on trip over & that about 70 of crew had to be taken off. Called up Butler & got him to Pier, He says U.S. authorities say ship all right. About 2000 troops on board, 2 battalions of a tank corps & other units, including some colored labor troops. Fine looking lot of men. our party decides must go through & make best of it. We all agreed if the troops can stand it, we can. We didn’t want the risk of a quarantine, though, on the other side. Meals passable. Officers eat first & civilian passengers afterward. Our complete party is twelve Frank P. Glass, W.V. Jones of Minneapolis C.A. Rook of Pittsburg, Lafe young Jr. E.H. Butler of Buffalo, A.N. McKay of Salt Lake City, E.B. Piper of Portland, [Oregon] E.W. Barrett of Birmingham, E. H. O’Hara of Syracuse, W.A. Patterson of Chicago, F.R. Kent of the Baltimore Sun & Myself. Retired at Midnight at dock in New York, still coaling ship. [September 25] Got up about 8:30, some job dressing, 4 in a room. Slept fairly well. at 11:30 we started. Ran out to entrance of Harbor quietly. On way harbor boat stopped us and said they had orders to take off a private of the tank force, named Dickson. Dont know for what reason. At entrance of Harbor there was a stationary dirigible. We have
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[page 3] two or three air-planes flying around now, they go some distance & then come back. One has just flown by now, very noisy. On way out of Harbor, we were called into Salon and told to keep our life preservers always with us. In case of six whistles on emergency horn, (Called a diaphone), which has a very peculiar sound, we are to know there is danger & must immediately go to the main salon & wait orders. All the soldiers are wearing their preservers and I understand are ordered to keep on all the time. I am wearing my pneumatic Cartridge belt under my vest. I am not going to worry, Have been very nervous & figidity several days, but now started have settled down for the long pull. They say we will be about 12 days & are bound for Liverpool. Number of unattached British officers on boards, one with wife & 3 little children all under 9, I imagine several Y.M.C.A. girls. Now 4 P.M. & land about gone. Many ships of all characters in New York Harbor and every kind of Camouflage. Very smooth day. Our ship is the Orontes of the Orient Line, now running as a British Transport under White Star auspices. Has since war began been acting as transport for Australian troops. G. Butler told us yesterday the King of England went on it to the last Durbar. A number of small U-boat chassers are sailing on each side, It is a great sight to see the dozen or more transports steaming along. Sometimes in a broad line cross-ways, other times in a long line two or three across, in fact in every kind of formation. Cruiser or battle ship front and rear, and a destroyer along side.
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[page 4] I am trying to record only such matters as will strictly Conform to Censorship requirements. at dusk all outside lights were put out. Port-holes all fastened tight. At doors going out on decks are heavy curtains with so many folds as to be hard to find the way. So dark outside rather dangerous walking, especially with stiff wind as tonight. Generally stated very little danger of submarines at night as they can not see ships in dark & our outfit Continually zig-zags. Played rum all evening & turned in about 11 O’clock. [September 26] Went on deck as soon as dressed, fine sunny day too warm for an overcoat as I have a winter suit on. We are on right side of our group of ships. Should have preferred the middle location. Troops every where. They have one side of deck (Main) & all other decks. Gun and Navy Crew are in rear. The troops have fire drill every morning & life-boat drill every after-noon. Passengers haven’t had boat drill as yet but are to as soon as soldiers have had several days of it. The first mate of boat announced that order of business in case of sinking is passengers first. Pretty hard on the soldiers but we all have to follow orders as determined upon. So little deck room available that there are only a few steamer chairs out. We walk & stand outside until tired & then go inside for a while. Beautiful sun-set. One boat in our convoy, I am told a French one left just before
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[page 5] sun-down, we understand to take another Course for some French port. We have to guess at what is happening no one knows anything about Convoying or our Course will talk. There are any number of pessimistic ideas & rumors constantly developing. No one seems to take the danger lightly not even those who have crossed frequently. Those who Cross and make light of the strain are in my judgement camouflaging. They say we will have a large convoy when we arrive in more dangerous waters nearer England. The Montana passed us yesterday on way to New York. Met a most interesting English Officers in evening, a (as he calls it) “Leftenant” Simeon, A great big strapping fellow. He has seen service in Mesopotamia & other places, was shot through the lungs and honorably discharged from his Highland Regiment. He is well now & going back to try & get in again. Eight or ten English fliers and other Officers on board, also an American Naval Lieutenant named Dittmar. Simeon told me he had seen service in Fi-ji & Samoan Islands among other places. Organized an English Native police force in one far away East Indian group of Islands. Lots of soldiers sick. I feel very sorry for them. After sun-down breeze Came in very heavy. Played dominoes from 9 until about 11:30. So hot and stuffy no one wanted to go below. At 8:30 the officers of the tank corps attempted to
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[page 6] pull off a show in the main lounge. A very attractive young woman, A Mrs. Breck, who I imagine is an actress, who says she is going across to take a government office position in London, sang. There was an improvised orchestra of soldiers, a pianist, a violinist & a banjoist. They had expected to have a colored quartet and a buck & wing dancer from the colored soldier contingent but they reported all sea-sick. Show therefore was over in less than half hour. There wasn’t much audience available either, only officers & passengers could come and most were sick. [September 27] Quite rough today. So many waves breaking over deck that I have spent practically all day in-side. Still haven’t had slightest symptom of sick-ness & slept well. We all undress just as if no danger. I am glad to say we have noticed no inhabitants either of a rodent or vermin nature. Carpets in passageway in our level are up & they turn the hose on floor quite often. They say so rough today that U-boats can’t operate. Talked with a number of interesting people. Mostly English. One is returning to England with his wife from a town on the eastern side of the Ural Mountains in Russia. He was 32 days in one Car on way across trans-siberian R.R. & was taken prisoner once by a Bolesheviki force. He has travelled all over Russia, Korea, China & Japan. He
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[page 7] has never met Ambassador Francis but spoke very favorably of him. I am very lucky, I got on board first of our party and brought my trunk with me so, go it in my state-room. So I have it and my bags. Some of party have had their trunks put in hold & are running short of clothes. So dark here in the smoking room I can hardly see what I am writing. I heard several sick soldiers saying, “When we get over, if ever, we’ll certainly stay there – no more ocean for us. I doubt if many of them either men or officers have ever crossed. This is no trip for a squeamish stomach. They had them all out marching & trotting around the deck today, even though rough & wet, so they would get some exercise. They are lying around sick in every con-ceivable place. [September 28] Finished breakfast at 8:30. A little smoother today but still fairly rough & quite wet on deck, no sun. Heard today that another boat in the convoy just missed hitting the stern of our boat night before last. It is reported to have come within a very few feet. Heard report today that cruiser out in front is named after a city very dear to me, One of the Y.M.C.A. men on board is a most interesting man of about 50. He has been doing excellent work already in this trip. He mingles with the men, cheers them up, helps them write letters; this is especially necessary with the negro troops as hardly any of them can write, gives Fatherly advice and leads singing & other amusements, although they are too crowded to play
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[page 8] anything needing elbow room. They are all lying out on deck now, wet as it is, some evidently feeling miserable. The “y” man told me his name is Reid, of one husky chap, he had talked to, afterward coming up and saying “I cant write & haven’t written to my mother in 10 years, wont you write for me”. He dictated a long letter which was written down exactly as he talked, then the “Y” man held his hand while he signed his name. The tank corps is a very fine looking lot of boys, many of them, I am told, college men, many rich and all volunteers. The truck constructions corps is under a fine fellow a Major Palmer of Adrian, [Michigan] He was a furniture manufacturer but volunteered in January 1916 when he saw the war was coming. He is married, with children, and at least 38, & says he supposes his business is going to smash. That’s the real kind, isn’t it. Another chap I have talked a great deal to is a Lieut. Nolan of Washington, about 21 nice ruddy complexioned chap. He has been awfully homesick, I could see from his looks and conversation, one of the funny characters on board is a chaplain, I imagine an Englishman. About a half-way mixture of Toto Papin & BIlly Bounce, very rotund & wears a uniform. Came in to the dining salon yesterday afternoon at tea time with his army coat reaching to his knees, over his pajamas, Explained that a wave had caught him on deck & that he has no more clothes available.
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[page 9] They say he was down among the colored troops the other night talking about salvation, how dangerous war is & the consequent need of religion and praying that a submarean might hit us. The Military officers when they heard about it are reported to have given him h-l, as they feel his talk was very demoralizing to impressionable negros. It is awfully hot in doors. I am sorry I have put on my winter suit. Later today the chaplain appeared on deck with his putties added. He is quite a sight I wish I could sketch him, his is so comical looking. Met him later, he is really a well meaning chap. He is a Presbyterian, so the joke’s on me. He has seen about three years service at the front. Got much smoother and less windy toward night. Too dark though to be pleasant on deck. Our party got together and discussed, in a preliminary way, such joint action as we should take on the trip in various matters. There are some curious angles to it which have developed. Went to bed at 10:30. [September 29] Slept well, got up, shaved and had breakfast about 9 o’clock. This is sunday. Wrote mary a long letter, putting as much in as I thought permissible. Have just seen notice announcing boat-drill for passengers at 4:30. Has gotten much colder and we are in a heavy fog. While writing to Mary our whistle blew. Am told the log apparatus which floats behind each ship about 150 feet to tell how fast it is going of another ship showed up alongside almost touching, so I imagine we had a close shave. Some of the boys thought it was a submarine. Quite cold now, so I am glad I have on my
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[page 10] winter suit. Have now been on boat 5 days and have been on voyage 4 days. Have been going all day in heavy fog, so heavy that they are blowing the horn every once and a while to keep in touch with the other boats. Had life-boat drill at 4:30 this afternoon, at least on signal we all assembled as per instructions in main lounge & fastened on the preservers. Didn’t go to the boats today. Every body was orderly, the various units of troops stood at their appointed places around the decks, very cold outside tonight so really pleasanter in side. Understand had another close call as one of the convoy brushed our side, Heard that soldier on one of other ships died of pneumonia and was buried today at sea. went to service at 9 o’clock P.M. The fighting parson, who is a major in British Ex. Force officiated. I wasn’t much impressed. He kept telling of the various deaths he had officiated at. Seems to me this is unfortunate talk for the young officers now going to their “great adventure”. They ought to be stimulated rather than depressed. Several made such character of remarks to me or in my hearing. Talked tonight with the sargeant major and the top-sargeant of the head quarters. The latter is a graduate of the Boston Institute of Technology. Both spoke very highly of the personnel of their tank battalion, both as to officers and men. They seem to be a lot of picked men. The running of tanks requires men who are specialists in almost every live-field artillery, cavalry manoevering, infantry tactics, electricians, motor experts, riveteers etc. Fog lifted about 11 P.M. and stars came out.
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[page 11] [September 30] was most agreeably pleased to find this morning the the convoy was all together. We had feared they might have become separated in the fog. Travelling alone does not appeal to me. Beautiful day, spent all morning until now (12 M’) on hurricane deck, where you get the best view of all sides. Quite a heavy swell again this morning. I happened to mention in the smoking room that I had banged up my fountain-pen point. A sargeant said “we have an expert in the tank corps”. He had him sent for and now my pen is better than ever. Tank men are helping the ship crew man the gun, with the wireless signalling & many other ways, I have great respect for their organization. This particular group are “light tank” men. Played rum all afternoon. It is very rough now, dusk. very heavy swells evidently the tail end of some storm. The destroyer alongside looks like it would turn over. Passed the first boat, going west, that I have seen outside our convoy, although they tell me we saw one several days ago. The report is that we were half way this morning, Watched the negroes in the stern hole trying to get down the hatch with their supper. If it hadn’t been rather pitiful it would have been funny, they would fall all over the deck, spilling everything. They tell story of over hearing one praying “O Lord! please call this here ocean to attention”. Another story of two of them talking together. one said “I am going to die”. The other said “You are a lucky dog” (all this in absolute seriousness. I never saw so many sea-sick people in my life. The racks are being put on the tables for supper. Very hard to write. Went to bed about 10 o’clock. Slept only fairly well. Quite hot in state-room and very rolly.
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[page 12] [October 1] Wrote Mary today. Fairly smooth in morning with sun trying to shine. Heard we have case of [diphtheria] on board, a soldier. word came today by wireless that Bulgaria has unconditionally surrendered. Haven’t had this confirmed, but the Chaplain told me. Saw first porpoise this morning, he swam almost into the ship. Before lunch the destroyer of the convoy darted off, away from us, throwing a smoke screen behind her. Haven’t heard whether they thought they saw something or whether they were practising. Heard also that it signalled something to the Cruiser out ahead. Quite a fog is again settling down over us as night approaches. Played dominoes all afternoon in smoking-room. If the Bulgarian news did come over the wireless it is the first they have given us. We are all crazy to learn what is going on in the outer world. One certainly feels isolated on a trip like this. Heard there have been other sea burials on other ships. Now starting on seventh day on voyage and eight on ship. the former start at almost 4 in the afternoon, the time we left Sandy Hook, the latter at 2 in the afternoon, the time we came on board the ship at the pier. [October 2] They say now, this is again rumor, the ship is full of rumors, that we will reach port sunday afternoon or Monday morning. It seems to be definitely understood that we are to land at Liverpool. I retired at 10 last night and slept pretty well until 8 this morning. Nice sunny day and every body was just beginning to dry and thaw out when about 11 it began to rain so we are again all bunched up inside. Heard last night that one of the passengers had died. He was an old man, I imagine over seventy. Understand it
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[page 13] was from exposure and lack of nourishment & that he wasn’t well when he came aboard. He was going back home, where he hadn’t been for several years, and had come all the way from some place in western Canada. As far as I have heard he was all alone. They tied him up and dropped him into the sea this morning. Haven’t run across any one who was present so dont know what services were held or any details. Understand there is an English officer & several of our men that are Critically sick. There have been a number of funerals on different ships. Heard also today that one of the other boats ran down a fishing boat last night. As the boat isn’t visible in our Convoy this morning I imagine the story is Correct. It probably stopped to pick up the fishing Crew. Our party had a meeting last night & organized. Mr. Glass was elected Chairman, Ed Butler, secretary & myself Treasurer. I am to assess the others from time to time & then pay out when joint tips, expenses, etc. are necessary. wasn’t anxious for the job. All the members of our group seem to be deadly in earnest as to the importance & seriousness of our trip. They are all going to send in more or less correspondence to their papers so I guess I will have to do so too. I think if I try hard I can get away with the job, Although reporting & writing hasn’t been in my line. It was very interesting to watch the Cruiser out ahead flashing messages this morning. They do it with a mirror and powerful electric light arrangement. The various boats also frequently fly different flags as signals, wig-wag, & our boat has a sort of semaphore arrangement with two arms which they work around in signalling. The battle-ship, which had been at the rear of the Convoy until the fog several days ago & then dissapeard is now coming up again.
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[page 14] There is a Mr. Maginn on board, an Irishman who lives in England, who says he has heard of James P. Magins of St. Louis (one of our small stock-holders) and that he thinks they are distantly related. He gave me some very interesting views on the Belgians. He says the feeling of distaste toward them which has grown up in England is probably due to both sides & many causes. The Belgians were originally very destitute and were taken in out of charity by the English people. He was on the original committee to raise money for this purpose. Subsequently the Belgians naturally desired to work & support themselves & at the time business conditions in England were at a low ebb, so the workmen objected to the Belgians working, then the employers feeling that the Belgians were rather charity persons didn’t want to pay them the British wages. They now do. Then the Belgians are some of German origin & some of French (The Walloons & Flemish) They stupidly objected to being billeted together, even though being helped. The English didn’t like the attitude. As the Belgians got positions & made money they began to spend & wore better & fancier clothes than the British felt they should. The British taking the situation much more seriously. I shall be interested in continuing investigations on this question. Lafe Young & McKay saw the burial this morning. The body was tied up in canvas with the British Flag over it. After a prayer by the Chaplain it was slid into the water, but flag kept. It is now supper time and there has quite a strong, cold north wind come up. [October 3] Good clear day early but very rough with hard north wind. About eleven in morning ran into a rain. Just before lunch there were three calls on the siren or emergency horn. This meant “man over board.” One of the crew, a Greek or Italian, had fallen while working around a life-boat. Several of the deck
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[page 15] life-bouys were thrown out but he was never seen again. Either washed away or sucked down by the turn screws. Our boat & the entire convoy have too and a life boat was partially lowered when we went ahead again. As I understand the situation we are short of experienced officers. The only two experienced navigators being the Captain & the First Officer. One of them would have had to go in the boat and that would have left the steamer in case the boat foundered with only one navigator. It was very rough and they say while they could have lowered a boat that there was great danger of it’s being crushed to pieces on return. Then there was very little chance of being able to find the man anyway. A very tough, sad experience. Very cold today I have my sweater on inside & wear my winter over-coat out-side. We invited Mr. Maguire to talk to us yesterday morning. He discussed the Irish question from the view-point of an Irish-Catholic living in England. According to him the Irish are greatly abused. They are capable of self government; pay taxes to the Empire, a part of which go to the Episcopalian Church, in which they have no interest, they are unable to buy land from the large land-owners on an equitable basis; dont select there own judges, in short haven’t the same measure of self-government as the other Colonies. Today we had a Mr. Crooks talk to us. He is a very cultivated, agreeable English man, an importer and exporter of Liverpool & London. He has been in the U.S. for some months looking over lumber for air-planes. His view on the Irish question.
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[page 16] He says that by the passage of the “Land Act” of Gerald Balfour that the whole situation was satisfactorily arrange for all sides until [Herbert] Asquith in order to secure the passage of some acts he designed promised “Home Rule” in order to get the support of the Irish members of Parliament. There are 607 in the house of Commons out of which there are 103 Irish representing about 4,390,000 people, of which 23 are Ulster Protestants and 80 Catholics, and which, through the divisions, control. According to their system the Irish vote as a unit, the majority in caucus controlling. The 567 other members represent about 41,500,000 people. By the “Land Act” a commission was appointed to whom questions of purchase of land is referred & then both the buyer & seller have to abide by the decision – The Government will loan a man a large percentage of the cost and provision is made to credit him with improvements if he is unable to continue payments. The commission is impartial and competent, It’s personnel as well as all the Irish Judges being Irish & in most cases catholics. The Governments policy toward Ireland is highly benevolent & while they do pay taxes to the Empire a part of which goes to the Church in England, the balance is in favor of Ireland, as England gives it more money than it gets. The Church has been dis-established in Ireland. Most of the Irish claims are sentimental rather than actual under present Conditions. The Irish are really not capable of self-government, being emotional, passionate and by experience shown as a whole not able “to get together” on general policies. The Ulsterites are very loyal to The Crown. [John] Redmond more
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[page 17] or less of a demagogue who married a rich wife, [John] Dillon, the present leader, a thoroughly honest but fanatical man. [T.P.] O’Connor, a hypocrite, who associates in personal life with the Aristocracy & enjoys such life, & then who publicly takes another course. Says that [T.P.] O’Connors “Weekly” contains more society items than almost any other English Publication. Ireland’s exports of cattle & various food products to England very large proportion of the whole. One of the measures of [H.H.] Asquith was that to pay members of Parliament, which is bad. Before without pay there was better grade of representatives. Judges are all appointive. Doubts if English will buy German made products after the war. Says seamen’s union has adopted policy that for 5 years after war they will not sail on German boats, or on those gong to German ports or carrying Germans & that they hope to get the American Seamens’ organizations to do the same. In England there is almost Universal male suffrage, a small tax being imposed to keep out the absolute loafers. Expects very fine business for the Allies after the war, as whole world will be clamoring for every kind of product. Thinks soldiers will have very important part in control after war. Says English Unions are more powerful than the American. That he does not object if they will not object to new machinery, Cuting down use of men & speeding up production. Says they now do this. Feels Germany must pay large indemnity & will probably be divided up into smaller units. Germany will be much handi-capped by loss of man power, by the exhaustion of it’s finances, by it’s isolation
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[page 18] and by it’s loss it’s big ore districts in [Alsace-Lorraine]. He asked for information as to the circulation of the various papers represented by our party & was much impressed when told that the eleven newspapers aggregated over 1,000,000 & the twelve including the papers supplied by the Western Newspaper Union, represented by Mr. Patterson, over 7,000,000. The [St. Louis Globe-Democrat] with 180,000 is 70,000 larger than the next, the Minneapolis Journal, Mr. H. V. Jones, with 110,000. Mr. Davidson, the Gentleman from Russia, has consented to talk to us tomorrow. I think this Idea of exchanging views, with intelligent people, for our party as a whole is an excellent one. We get a broader aspect than we could individually. Thoroughly uncomfortable today. The American Commissioned & non-Commissioned officers were instructed yesterday afternoon to carry their side-arms (revolvers) continuously, I presume we therefore are approaching the danger zone around England, & the pistols are to preserve order in case of panic on part of passengers or soldiers. From what I have over-heard I think the probable actions of the negroes in case of trouble is worrying those in control. I dont think they will make trouble if the officer show at the out-set of trouble that they mean business. Wrote Lansing yesterday (Letter #3). Racks on the tables again at lunch today & despite them everything flew around. Big wave came over the lower deck about 3 this morning and drenched the soldiers sleeping there, washed away a quantity of blankets and about $150 worth of books belonging to the Y.M.C.A. which had been loaned to the soldiers. Understand
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[page 19] there are about six cases of pneumonia on board as well as many of other diseases. The coughing all around is incessant. Still rough at bed-time. [October 4] We all feel we are getting near the end. One of the crew and two soldiers died yesterday afternoon and during the night. They were buried quietly at different times this morning. Understand there have been a number of deaths on all the different ships. Mr. Davidson spoke to us this morning. He is a most interesting Scotch man. Lived in Petrograd about 2 ½ years when he first went to Russia. Spoke German previously and learned Russian through German text-books. Says they are much better than the English. From what he says the Germans seem to have cultivated Russia thoroughly for years the same as they have done South America. They do business the way the natives want. An English or American firm would take orders for delivery F.O.B. part of embarkation & payment there. The German salesman goes out with catalogues printed in the Native language, prices all quoted in it & sells in quality, quantity manner of packing, terms etc. that the native wants. Mr Davidson travelled all over Siberia long before there were trains, using either boats or wagons. He says that in his trips he picked up a great deal of information which was valuable to the governing & rail-road officials & that consequently for years under the old regime he was accorded every courtesy & facility. He has lived in Russia & Siberia 1885, Most of the time in Siberia. Russia has for years been pro-German in knowledge and German was the most useful of any foreign language.
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[page 20] He is the representative of the British & Foreign Bible society. For some years his residence has been [Yekaterinburg] on the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains. [Alexander] Kerensky is an honest, well-meaning man, but a sentimental idealist who was too lenient to control. He allowed the soldiers to lose respect for their officers, which broke up all discipline. The officers lot was a very un-pleasant one, they were dis-obeyed, their insignia stripped off and soldiers often would spit in their faces to show their independence. [Vladimir Lenin] & [Leon] Trotsky have been demonstrated as tools, bought & paid by Germany. He says they are Jews & that the Jews are exercising a great deal of influence in Bolsheviki circles all over. They are shrewd and know how to play the present game among the rabble which is in control. Davidson’s knowledge of present conditions is entirely of Siberia, especially the locality where he lived. All the news they received, or at least the greater part was inspired by the Bolshekiki, they took over all the papers & ran them to suit themselves. While the central government is supposed to control the various local districts have become almost independent. The Bolsheviki keep in power through the intimidation of the soldiers, The Red Guard. They immediately abolished marriage & divorce laws and, established very lax ones by which acquiring a woman a man liked or vice-a-versa was a matter of only a few minutes. Each district prints it’s own paper money which has no metal basis & consequently will be very much like that
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[page 21] of the southern Confederacy. Most of the officials very young men of no education or experience. One of the prominent men in his town was a tailor, a Jew, who formerly lived in London. If they saw anything they wanted, a house they wanted to use for a committee or other official purpose, sometimes private gain they take & very often do not even give a receipt. Two paper mills & other business establishments & manufacturing plants confiscated. Church separated from the state, Banks taken over. They would allot such weekly payments out of a persons bank account as they decided proper. Balanced the authority of one person against another, frequently the action of a majority of a committee being necessary. Soviets in full control. A kind of local governing body. Those officials, judges & officers as acknowledged the new regime frequently secured good places, those that would not had hard times, having to do the most menial work to exist. No one allowed to keep or take out of country gold or silver only to use paper money. Took jewelry away from people, in fact anything they wanted. [Yekaterinburg] the center of Siberian prosperity. Large platinum & other minerals center, about 80,000 population. Town where Czar [Nicholas II] & family were imprisoned. Czar’s death he believes confirmed but hasn’t had that of Czarinna & family confirmed. Conditions finally got so bad he & 12 other foreigners decided to leave. Had already sent his wife to [Vladivostok] under care of a British Officer, who was leading a party of refugees. Selected as leader of the party. Finally persuaded authorities to let them
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[page 22] go and to give them a second-class sleeper. Car in very bad order, soldiers had stripped even the plush from the seats. Had to hire people to clean it up a little. English Consul gave them a sealed pouch addressed to the Foreign Office in London, Swedish & Danish Consuls also gave them money to be delivered to their Governments. These commissions were given in order to give the party an official look and they were also allowed to put the sign “British Commission” on Car. Started off with pass supposed to get them through to sea-port without examination. The treasury or party was put in his charge. Went about 2000 miles, being constantly stopped & thoroughly searched, despite pass. Were then halted & held awaiting arrival of two Jewish officers who had been sent after their departure to take them back to [Yekaterinburg] They tried to prevent but were forced to go, so back they went the 2000 miles. The British Consul finally got them off again & they went through, with some slight delays at various places for examinations & red-tape in various jurisdictions. Missed the boat on which his wife had secured reservations for Japan and had to wait 8 days at [Vladivostok]. Left [Yekaterinburg] at midnight on Easter and has been on way ever since. Thinks Russia will work out her own salvation in time (he is very optimistic, says 4 or 5 years) if given moral & financial aid by America & other allies. Thinks a very large expeditionary force for intervention would be a mistake as it would
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[page 23] unfavorably impress the people. Thinks present plans for small force the proper course. Says the Czech-Slovaks forces in Siberia former Austrian prisoners, who were on way to fight with Russia against Austria & Germany, when things became so involved and are now anxious to be aided by the Allies. A most interesting man & talk indeed. Still quite rough. Everybody says too much so to be in U-Boat danger. The main lounge was taken over today for hospital purposes and is now full of sick soldiers. We are going to attend a funeral tomorrow morning at 7:30 of the 3 who died today. A very depressing situation. Have just thought of two other interesting men on board, both Englishmen one has been on way since early in August one from Hong-Kong, the other from Singapore. The latter has been there over 8 years & is now going home on leave. He is going to try & get in Army or some other war work. Because of having had the fever & Dysentery in past was turned down in India but hopes for better luck in England. I forgot to mention that Davidson said he had paid as high as $35 for a pound of sugar. [October 5] Miserable day cold, rainy and rough. Funeral of three this morning was sad affair. After short service, bugle sounded taps and the convoy covered bodies were slipped into the ocean from underneath the American Flag, Have stayed in side all day because of dampness outside. Two more deaths, one during last night the other this morning. [October 6] Terrific gale blowing, we have become separated from our Convoy, and have been laying-to, head
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[page 24] up since about ten this morning. They estimate the wind is blowing at rate of about eighty miles an hour. When the ship Came round this morning to head-up there was great lurch as a tremendous wave hit us. It broke most of the windows on the port side of the smoking-room, which is on the promenade deck, threw every one in the room out of their chairs and threw a heavy desk against Mr. Rook’s legs, bruising him considerably. I was sitting in the dining room, it being so rough passengers were not allowed on deck. It broke the double doors leading from the deck out-side to the passageway & a deluge of water swept into the boat. It has been very damp therefore all day. I have been sitting in my winter over-coat, winter-suit, mary’s wool socks & sweater & haven’t been too hot. Mr. Jones has a touch of grip or bad cold. We had no real lunch only coffee, rolls & cheese. Tonight for dinner it was very scant, too rough to cook & many of the dishes broken. We feel much cheered as the rumor is that we may reach port tomorrow fore-noon. It will be the end of the most intensely disagreeable two weeks of my life. Among the interesting passengers are : Captain Herman Ewald, a Danish Naval Captain, a very quiet man, who told me that Denmark is absolutely with us but on account of location can’t say a word ; Captain Frederick O’Hara, nick-name “steve”, a rollicking chap, an Australian who has been through the Gallipoli Campaign & some on the Western front, & a Captain Cooper, an old man
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[page 25] of years sea experience, a typical Englishman. There are only about 60 passengers all together. I had about forgotten “our woman, a Mrs. Breck. I think she is an actress. She is a very lively young lady, who has been very busy among the various uniformed officers. There has been quite a rivalry for her attentions between the Navy represented by a Lieutenant Diltenae, who is on his way to his station & several army men. She smokes all around on deck & in dining-room. I think my field glasses have been stolen from my room. Could not find them when I wanted them this afternoon. When the wave broke in this morning it flooded the state-rooms on the deck below the dining-room, there was about 2 feet of water in them. Everybody came wading up wet & then took off their shoes & stockings & went back to try & get their baggage up on berths etc. out of the wet. Captain Roger’s children, the youngest were carried up by several soldiers. Heard today that the salesmanager of the Hudson Motor Co. & another prominent Auto man of Philadelphia are among the privates & non-commissioned officers of the tank corps on board. The Purser was badly banged up today, I haven’t heard how seriously but I know, his face was badly cut. He was carried, by a big wave, the length of the deck & thrown against the rail. He almost went over-board. [October 7] Woke up this morning with heavy sea still running. Informed we would make Liverpool some time during day. Had make-shift breakfast and arrived Liverpool at 5 P.M. That
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[page 26] is the time we anchored. Have been coming in the harbor, across the bar & up the river since about two this afternoon. Heavy wind & sea all day. The ship’s officers said one of the heaviest winds they have experienced in years. Were met by the British Commission & taken in charge. They attended to getting our baggage through customs without examination & all formalities. Arrived at our hotel, The Midland Adelphi, the best in Liverpool at 8:15. Rooms & everything had been arranged. Good thing they were because town is crowded & most people on our boat & others having difficulty getting located for night. We have four in charge of our party. The chief is a Major Wrench. He is the active head of the Ministry of Information being a sort of chief clerk to Lord Beaverbrook, the head. Had splendid dinner and bath & am now ready to retire, after two weeks of a very hard & depressing trip. Have learned that the Otronto, the flag-ship of our convoy, went ashore on the Irish Coast yesterday with a loss of over 400. Another one of our 12 boats is reported lost, but this hasn’t been verified. If true it means at least 1000 American soldiers lost. The sickness on the convoy has been terrific, over 1000 hospital cases over 25 died on our one ship of spanish Influenza or pneumonia. They have been dying at rate of 6 to 8 per day for last 4 days, & the burials at sea certainly got on our nerves. I have heard, without confirmation that 35 died on another of the Convoy. I never saw any of the British convoy that was to meet us & escort us in. We were
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[page 27] in such a heavy sea, with wind, rain & fog that we lost the rest two days ago & ran along or headed up alone. not a very pleasant feeling off the Irish Coast where the U-Boats have been thick & most of the sinkings have occurred. Fortunately for us, & I am selfish in this, the rough weather we had was impossible for U-boat operation. Our wireless was carried away two nights ago & several of the life-boats stove in. The officials assured us tonight that no news of the disaster to some of our convoy will be published for several days, so I hope my family will not hear of it before receiving word that I am safe. as soon as I landed I wired Mary “safe”. The British Information officials also promised to wire their office in New York today to that effect, which will in turn advise Mary, according to my instructions. Have very comfortable room. We leave for London tomorrow at 9:40 A.M. have lunch on train & arrive there between 2 & 3 in afternoon. We are to have tomorrow Tuesday afternoon & all day Wednesday to our-selves to rest up. I think we go up to Scotland Sunday night. Our first job, unanimously, on reaching London will be to have our clothes pressed & put in order. Everything on the boat was a shamble. It is raining hard tonight (at midnight) as I write. I hope we will soon run out of the bad weather. I haven’t mentioned it before but all during the bad weather, that I have described, during our trip, I had one of my customary colds, I managed to stop it several days
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[page 28] ago, but having it with every one sick & dying around with Influenza & pneumonia didn’t add to the hilarity of the occasion. I followed Mary’s suggestion, however, & didn’t mention it to a soul, except when so apparent that others brought up the subject. Liverpool is dark at night. There are signs up in all the rooms not to pull curtains back or open windows until lights are put out. I think the precaution is rather unnecassary as this city is so far away they have had practically no air-raids, & we are told, officially, there haven’t been any on London for at least three months. The news we got today after two weeks of ignorance was certainly fine. Germans retiring all along the line. Bulgaria out of the War: a new German Chancellor [Prince Maximilian of Baden], who has offered President [Woodrow] Wilson to accept his 14 points forgetting however that the most important point of President [Woodrow] Wilson’s statements has been that the Hohenzollerns must go. St. Quentin taken, fighting in streets of [Cambria], [Zeebrugge] being abandoned, the Belgians under King Albert advancing, & Gen. Allen by with now over 79,000 prisoners in Palestine. A great fortnight of news while we have been tossing about on the Atlantic. I will never forget that trip. My pen has gone bad again. mailed 5 letters yesterday 3 to Mary, 1 to Lansing and 1 to Mother. Hope they all get through, I certainly worded them indefinitely enough to suit any censor.
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[page 29] never enjoyed anything in my life as much as a hot bath I have just finished. [October 8] Got up at 7 oclock this morning and after shaving was down stairs by about a quarter to eight. Having three quarters of an hour before breakfast I strolled through the available portions of Liverpool. It is typically English and very different from London, as I remember the latter. The Town Hall is quite an elaborate building, not at all of the style of architecture you would expect, looks more like a museum, long and low. It faces quite a broad open space & The London & Northwestern R.R. station, immediately in front are three statues, the two on either side being of Queen Victoria & Prince Albert, the Prince Consort. Queen [Victoria] is on horseback and evidently of her when quite young. I have always seen her depicted in more sedate & reposeful poses. At the far end of this open square are some museums back of a tall monument of Wellington. A beautiful thing, the tall column with the statue of the Duke on top. Left Liverpool at twenty to ten on the London & Northwestern R.R. Had special first class car reserved for us, one of the kind with passage-way running along inside. It was marked “Not for Public Use”. Some American Naval officers were unable to find accomodations so our hosts asked them to use one of the compartments. I was greatly pleased to find one of them was Fred Gardner, a younger brother of Russell. He has been on a destroyer working out of Queenstown for a number of months. Looks very well. Says Jimmie Berg is also on a destroyer on same kind of duty. They work with the British destroyers in convoying boats into Liverpool and other ports. Their boat is in Liverpool for repairs, so he is having a 5 day trip to London. Says his
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[page 30] work is very arduous, the destroyers are very uncomfortable & wet. They are on the go almost constantly. Our hosts have been most thoughtful. They consisted today of Major Wrench, Colonel Malone, who had 9 bullets in his abdomen only last March “got in the way of a machine gun”, Captain Rawle, a fine big young man, whose left arm hangs almost useless and a man named Doidge, an Australian, who was a newspaper man, went into the army, was wounded and now does special work for the ministry of Information, such as looking after arrangements for parties like ours. A party of Australian & New Zealand publishers are just leaving Liverpool for home via the U.S. They have been on their boat since Sunday but weather has been to rough to start out. That’s the kind of weather we finished in. The grounding of the Otronto is confirmed but the number of deaths hasn’t been confirmed something over 300 they think. She collided with another boat during the storm a little way ahead of us and had to be beached. The other boat got into Glasgow. There have been 3 ships lost at different places recently, one a New Zealander or Australian & the other a Japanese. One was lost because of a collision in a storm & the other was torpedoed. Conditions on our boat were very bad because of over crowding & sending it out after most of crew on inward trip had had influenza, necessitating a new crew which was only partially obtained. Soldiers had to assist in all classes of work & boat had not been fumigated. Took matter up today with Admiral [William Sims] & we are to send a joint telegram on subject
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[page 31] tomorrow to President [Woodrow] Wilson. Our hosts had splendid arrangements made for trip to London. We had sandwiches, ale & coffee for lunch. Arrived at London about 3 in afternoon. Beautiful country en route. Passed through several fairly important towns, including Crewe & Rugby. The latter the location of the Rugby School, Made famous by “Tom Brown at Rugby”. Major Wrench procured some picture post-cards of Rugby which I am mailing to Lansing. Also saw spire of another famous school, “Harrow on the hill”, just before reaching London. Country wonderfully well cultivated, every inch being used, including right of way along tracks, Instead of fences the hedge prevails. Wonderful roads & lots of sheep. Every town had many tall smoke-stacks indicating manufacturing. Salt seems to be one of the most important products in this district. We are billeted at The Savoy, Mr. C. A. Rook of the Pittsburg Dispatch to my mind a most intelligent man, about 57 years old & a director of the Associated Press suggested that if any case of rooming together came up that we share, so here be & I are in a suite of two elegant rooms with large bath-room between I imagine we have as good accomodations as there are in the hotel. I dont see how they could be any more spacious or luxurious. Plans aren’t definitely decided upon, but they appear to be wonderful. We all received today individual invitations to be Lord Northcliffe’s guests for luncheon Thursday. This afternoon we had free as we will have all day tomorrow. After I had sent my clothes to be pressed & my washing to the laundry, I started out about 4 and spent 2 hours walking down the Strand to Trafalgar Square past the Houses of Parliament to the
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[page 32] Thames. The City is full of soldiers. New York & Washington aren’t in it by comparison. There are 2 men in uniform to 1 civilian on the streets as it seems to me. The Canadians, Australians, with there broad fedoras turned up on one side in rakish fashion & highlanders are the most pronounced. Not many Americans in town, General [John] Biddle, the Commanding Officer of all the Americans in England called immediately on arrival. He same as the personal representative of General [John] Pershing. He said that the previous party of American Editors had only arranged for 2 days with the American forces & that they all felt, officers & men, that this was not long enough & that they insist that we spend a week with them. They say the troops will greatly appreciate our visit. Very gratifying I think. We are going to arrange this even though we stay a few days longer. We feel that after making as hazaderous & strenuous a trip as we have that we want to do a complete job. Newspaper reporters have swarmed around us all day. Hotel employees are very obsequious. Tonight we went, again as guests in boxes to see “up in Air”, I should have said “Going up”, I didn’t think the company was as good as the one I saw in New York, but the music of course was wonderful. The Gaiety Theatre is the best in London, in it they seem to have gotten away from the old English Idea of the “pit” being the worst seats. As I looked over the audience it seemed to me that the parquet, balcony & galleries seemed to be graded about as in a good New York house.
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[page 33] one thing that was different was the bar in the smoking-room, where two barmaids served & when the ladies of the audience mingled with the men, smoking & drinking. London is certainly dark at night. All shows are obliged to be out by 10:30 now, it used to be 10. No drinks are served after 9. All the street lights & there aren’t any very bright ones, no signs or arc lights, shine under large canopys to make them hard to see from the sky in case of air-raids. By the way there haven’t been any raids since over three months ago. Such people as I have seen think the war will last into next fall. So far my talks with various people have brought out about what Dick Kennard said. The more optomistic say this year but they are in a decided minority. Collins the associated Press Chief called on us on arrival. He says Mr. Stone is now in Paris & will sail back shortly. The first party of American Editors is due here Thursday & we hope to see them & get some pointers. They are scheduled to sail from Liverpool Saturday. Mr. [Charles] Grasty wrote Lafe Young from Paris that he had seen them & that from what they said we have a great trip ahead of us. We are certainly, since landing, getting the best that is to be had, some representative of the British Ministry of Information is always with us & we are not allowed to do anything for our-selves. They told me today that they will arrange for me to see Bob, and that if it cannot be arranged it will be the fault of the American Authorities, not theirs. They are talking of taking us
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[page 34] on one of our trips, maybe to France, in aeroplanes. After the trip across I am ready to try anything. I will be very disappointed now after getting up courage, if this feature falls through. I think the former party did this. In our hotel I can’t see much difference as to male employees from New York. In the Adelphi at Liverpool they were almost all girls, even the luggage parties & clerks in the office. Liverpool also had very few taxis, hacks being the most prevalent means of locomotion. When the ship drew into the harbor at dusk, the soldiers had all been assembled with packs on shoulders to dis-embark. They were certainly a disappointed lot when informed they must stay on board at least over night. There was a lot of sickness in the convoy besides our ship which had about 500 hundred in hospital I was told that Liverpool authorities were preparing for over a 1000 beds. Something wrong some where, too much over-crowding & sending boats out laden with Influenza germs, of course the extremely rough trip aggravated the situation. This is a big day for me, getting to London, after such a voyage & being at the heart of every thing & so royally taken care of. I am told we are within 60 miles of the front. A submarean was shelled or something happened at Liverpool last night because Captain Rawle said he heard artillery firing during the night. I slept blissfully through it, as did all our party. We were dead to the world, all of us. Bought myself a cane today. Every body is doing it. You dont meet a soul on the streets that isn’t carrying one, even many of the
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[page 35] Women carry swagger sticks. There are a tremendous amount of wounded walking the streets. Those actually on invalid leave mostly wear special blue uniforms. I must find out the reason. Besides them there are numbers of men, minus legs, arms, eyes etc. Really very saddening, but everything moves along with a crowding & bustling just the same. Very few private autos in evidence I can’t remember seeing one all day, Those motors that I have seen are busses, double-deckers, taxis & military ones. Numbers of women in uniform driving autos & motor cycles with a box along-side. I understand we are to be given food cards allowing 4 meals of meat a week. Haven’t seen any sugar since arrival in Liverpool last night. All bread is straight war bread. Fine jazz band in hotel at Liverpool & good orchestra here at the Savoy. The British & American officers certainly crowd the bars at drinking hours & are thick in the hotels. It is 23 years, this month, as I figure it, since I was last in London. Our old hotel the Grand, at Corner of the Strand & Trafalgar Square is now a government building. Nelson still looks down from his high pedestal in solemn glory. From what little I have seen prices here for every thing are even higher than New York. Cock-tails at The Savoy are about 35 each. Doidge is unusually competent in keeping track of all the luggage in our party. It comes right along with us. Of course he has had preference every where. we are an “Imperial Party” & they call us “The American Commission” here at the hotel. Reid the Y.M.C.A. man
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[page 36] on the Orontes asked me to write his wife in Brooklyn that I have seen him. He was certainly a hard-working, conscientous chap, and alleviated the hard-ships of the boys greatly. The English police-men are a fine looking lot of men. Most that I saw in London & Liverpool being quite above average size, Hotels in London are crowded, So look around the dining-rooms & see them crowded, mostly with officers and women in evening dress, with wine flowing at almost every table, you can hardly realize the terrible things that are happening so near. There men seem to get so hardened to their work, that they take it all for granted & relax immediately. [October 9] Got up at 8 & had breakfast in our room. Lord Northcliffe called at 9:30. He is a very able man. Spoke about the disagreeable London weather, it is raining today. Said the English didn’t heat houses much ordinarily & especially now as they ship so much of their coal to France, because the Germans are holding most of the French coal territory. The big English coal mines are in Wales. Northcliffe advised wearing quite heavy clothing, which is the British custom. He says that many people expect the Germans to send out their fleet & to start into a horrible campaign of terrorism. Everybody is greatly pleased with President [Woodrow] Wilson’s answer to the peace proposal: as far as I have seen among the officials we have met, the one idea is a fight to the finish. Northcliffe proposed an entertainment where we could meet some of the English Women most active in war
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[page 37] work & to be in his brother’s place, formerly the home of Dr. Johnson. It has been kept exactly as it was. He also said he had put aside, several of his private offices in the Times building for our use & had assigned some stenographs to do any thing we want. He also is sending one of his private secretaries over every morning at 9:30 to assist us in seeing anything or doing anything we wish, in spare hours outside of the party’s official schedule. He said he thought we might at times like to get away from the rest of the party & have a little quiet, as was “the case of the old servant, who after thirty odd years of service gave notice of leaving. Her employer asked if there was any trouble, she said “No, but I am just tired of looking at you.” He also said he would arrange golf or anything we desire. Most hospitable, we prepared a communication to President [Woodrow] Wilson on the condition of our ship & the troops, which is to be forwarded by the American authorities here. The men are coming over in very bad condition. Over crowding isn’t so bad in summer but weather now is too severe. at 1:15 we lunched with the Ministry of Information. Lord Beaverbrook, the head was sick. Among the new people I met were Major Holland, sir Matthew Wilson, a member of Parliament too & a splendid, genial man & General Simms, a rather young looking man, I should say about 45 to be a general. They told us that while there are a few general things they desire us to see, that they want us to make any suggestions we care to. Wrote Mary & Bob this morning. Told Bob that Col. Malone was to arrange for me to see him & that one party would probably spend a week or so with the American forces &
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[page 38] suggested that he might be able to get assigned as one of our escorts. It would be fine if he could. Five of us took a cab about 3:30 & drove down to Selfridge’s, where I bought Mary 9 pair of doe skin gloves. Quite a store but not comparable in my judgement to Marshall Field’s or Altenan’s. Walked back in the rain, along Oxford & Regent sts., two of the big shopping & business streets to the mall & then passed the Admiralty building & up the strand, through Trafalgar Square, to our hotel, which we reached about 5:30. Many of the larger stores such as Peter Robinson & Liberty’s, instead of having one large building, have a number of small shops at different points, often on same street & quite near together. Two American officers came in after we had finished lunch. Colonel Jones of Montgomery, [Alabama] who married Powell Clayton’s daughter & is in the embarkation service from England to France & a Colonel Abrams from Oregon. Heard today that the Olympic came in about 10 days ago, with about 700 troops on board of whom over 300 died of pneumonia. Seems to be becoming a regular epidemic. Captain Rawle told me today that there has been very little friction between the American soldiers & sailors & the English people & authorities, only two or three brawls having come to his attention, one at Liverpool & the other at Plymouth. The British are making themselves very pleasant toward the Americans & they are very appreciative of our getting into the war & the tremendous scale upon which we are operating. Got our food cards today. The Daily Mail has asked each of us to write a 25 word opinion of
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[page 39] President [Woodrow] Wilson’s reply. Mine is “President [Woodrow] Wilson has indicated plainly that America insists on full reparation’ and ample assurance for the future. Germany must “come clean”. Temporizing is “verbotten”. Butter, Young Rook and I had dinner in our rooms and went at 7:30 to the National Sporting Club. This is an old, classy athletic club, some three hundred years old. Among it’s patrons have been the King (Edward VII) the Marquis of Quinsberry, the greatest patron of boxing & where rules for open fighting are now the standard. In pre-war times this club’s meetings were great sporting events, many of the leading people went & great sums were wagered. The club also fathered all other indoor sports, fencing, wrestling etc. very distinguished membership. Since war has turned itself over to the British Ministry of Information for the Department of Hospitality to American Forces, which has come to include all soldiers, (especially American), Australian, New Zealand & Canadian or all expeditionary forces. The originator of this entertainment idea was the British Reception Committee for American Soldiers & Sailors of which James (Jimmie) White was the guiding spirit. Every Wednesday evening they have amateur boxing contests between soldiers & sailors, of all nationalities & on Sunday nights a vaudeville show at the Palace Music–hall, where leading actresses & actors donate their services. Both boxing entertainments & vaudeville are free to soldiers. This work has been taken over by the Ministry of Information, our direct hosts. The performances are sponsored by leading American Officers, tonight Admiral [William Sims] & staff were present, and ranking Army men. The latter were Col. Brown, Chief of staff to Gen. [John] Biddle, &
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[page 40] Col. Raymond, in charge of Hospital & Sanitary work in England. Both charming men. Col. Raymond has been in St. Louis about 4 years, in charge of Hospital quarter-master work, left there about 6 months ago, was Chief sanitary officer for World’s Fair. Asked me to dine with him, but I am too booked up to accept. One of his aids, whom I saw, is Frank White, a Captain, of St. Louis. His mother mrs. Bougher runs the Usona Hotel. He was most cordial, although my acquaintance is fairly slight. He struck me as awfully home-sick. The system of contest is elimination, the same as in Golf or Tennis tournaments. They work down to a final. A feature bout was between an Englishman [ms illegible: 1 wd] Doherty & a sailor from the Battle Ship Nevada, named McManus. Doherty has been wounded several times, Good bout although McManus was clearly the best & got the decision after the full eight rounds. The management is very different from the Americans. Instead of having one referee, who is in the ring & separates the boxers, they have two referees, older men & boxing authorities, who sit at a high desk at the side & call out instructions for breaking etc. Looked very much, tonight like law Judges. In addition there are two judges or point-keepers who sit on each side of the ring & keep track of the points. Their verdict is compared at the end of each bout & the winner announced. We had a quartette from the Nevada, which sang, also a jazz
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[page 41] band from the Nevada, an interesting thing about the quartet was that one of them was a Lieutenant, showing the camaraderie between officers & men. The Lieutenant had a splendid voice & sang a solo. The Chaplain of the Nevada made a short talk & mentioned that this Lieutenant had only heard that day that his brother in another ship had been killed. He told of this to illustrate the splendid spirit of our men. This Chaplain is a very human chap & believes in boxing or any other thing to keep the men happy. Not at all a sanctimonious kind. The announcer & “Charge d’ affaires” was an American Y.M.C.A. man, fine chap. These boxing shows for the men, from what I am told, are a wonderful thing, keeping the soldiers & sailors keyed up for clean sport & playing up the spirit of healthful competition. After the Show we were invited upstairs to the club rooms where we had a nice supper & visited with the officials & visiting officers until about midnight. [October 10] A wonderful day. It is now midnight but I feel I must chronicle my experiences while fresh in my mind. We are certainly kept busy, no time to comfortably write diaries or letters. Had breakfast at 8:30. No sooner finished than Dr. Albert Shaw, Editor of the Review of Reviews & F. W. Kellogg of the San Francisco Call showed up. They are on the first party & have just returned from France. They sail for home Monday. They told us of the wonderful experiences they have had & what we have in prospect.
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[page 42] at 10:30 we left in motors for Cricklewood, a suburb of London, about 11 miles, where there is the experimental testing plant for the British Tanks. On way out passed Regent Park & went out the North Road to Scotland, on which the tank plant is located. The officer in charge was a well-known English Actor, [George] Grossmith. They have quite a large enclosured place in which samples of all new models are tested & deficiences corrected. In this enclosure they have duplicates of trenches, muddy roads, fallen trees & every condition which can possibly prevail on the battle-fields, we drove all around in one of the tanks, up steep inclines, over or through trenches, water, mud & down steep grades. We frequently had to hold pretty tight to keep our seats & when we got out were rather muddy & greasy, but it was a wonderful experience which I shall always remember. The tanks are being constantly changed & improved not only to be made more efficient but to keep the Boche guessing. The thing that is now worrying the British is an anti-tank gun of the Germans which pierces their armor. As far as the tanks themselves are concerned the Germans are far behind. Their newest are along similar models to those which the British quit using at least a year ago. We saw many different Models. A French, 2 man small one, with 2 Ford engines, the small English “Whippet” one manned by two men & one manned by 5 men & carrying
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[page 43] 4 machine guns. The larger tanks are called “male” & “female”. The males carry real field pieces, 2 six pounders & 6 machine guns. The females 6 machine guns only. They both carry about 8 men, are about 33 feet long have 150 horse-power Ricardo motors & weigh about 34 tons, cost about $50,000. It takes about 2 weeks to build a big tank & the British output is about 10 a day, They have been lasting about 800 miles but tests are now bringing them up to over a 1000 miles. Armor plate is a little over an inch thick. Other interesting tanks are the “G.C’S” or Gun Carrying ones which carry the biggest howitzers. which can either be fired on the tanks or taken off & mounted on land, while the tank goes to bring up others. Another thing of interest is the bridges. There are many small rivers & canals, & the tanks either have a bridge behind, if a long one is needed, or carry shorter ones on top. The latter can be loaded on top of a tank by one man in less than 5 minutes. The chief engineer knew the “Britannia” & says it is an old type no longer used. Saw the model of the first type of tank used by General [Julian] Byng at Cambria, it looks very old-fashioned compared with the new ones, This engineer says that some types of tanks have crawled over a 75 % incline. From the roughness of our trip both inside & outside afterward, when seeing where we had been I think we made some pretty steep grades. I am keeping this diary under lock & key in my trunk because I am beginning to record data that is
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[page 44] strictly military secrets and which they caution us must be absolutely held in-violate. saw the famous “Lord’s” cricket field on way back as also the noted Arch at one of the entrances to Hyde Park Reached our hotel at ten to one, dirty & grimy. Were due at the Times building at 1:15 for the lunch of Lord Northcliffe. Have been officially informed that punctuallity is essential at all functions, that when a Britisher invites one to anything he expects promptness. We hustled & arrived on time. Have limousines constantly at our disposal & several officers always on the job as guides. Northcliffe’s luncheon was a wonderful affair. A very representative affair. Besides our party & the preceeding one, among the guests were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, Earl Reading (the British Ambassador to the U.S.) Admiral [William Sims], [Lord Rothermere], (Northcliffe’s brother), & many others. about 60 in all. Luncheon was served right in the Times building, which is very old & historic, and very rambling. Outside one wing is the site of one of Shakespeare’s open air theatres. I have a souvenir booklet on the history of the Times, preparred for the occasion. one of the interesting features was the “Toast-Master”. It seems that there are about a half-a-dozen of them, who are professionals, going from one official function to another. A very pompous, important individual who announced each of our names as we entered the reception room, where we were greeted by Northcliffe. This toast-master also introduced each
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[page 45] speaker. His words are about as follows, “My lord Viscount (Northcliffe), my lords & gentlemen etc” very formal. Northcliffe made a wonderfully good, simple straightforward talk. Mr. Glass, representing our party & Dr. Wheeler, Editor of the “Current Opinion” representing the other responded. Afterword we were shown through the plant by Northcliffe. From there we rushed down to hear Lord [Edward] Grey make an address, the first public address since he retired as Foreign secretary some years ago, after the start of the war. There was a great crowd. The speech was splendid & he constantly referred to [Woodrow] Wilson. Mr. Steed, the foreign Editor of the Times told me that Lloyd George nor the King [George V] nor any one else is the one the common people of England look to now as their guide on international matters, that it is entirely President [Woodrow] Wilson. Sent cable home yesterday to office, for publication, on the reception of the President’s reply here. [Woodrow] Wilson is certainly strong in England. His answer to Prince [Max von Baden] is greatly complimented. He seems to be considered the man of the hour. He certainly has a wonderful opportunity not only for himself but for America. Admiral [William Sims] today was very frank in confidential conversation. He says that the President holds the keys to the situation, that it is only within the last three months that Europe has ever admired a respected America, that the English especially do now & that their invitation to the American Editors has no underground motive but is just the desire to cement relations
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[page 46] and extend hospitality. I think they are looking to the future, after the war ends, and want to do everything possible to make the international relations as close as possible. They feel that we can, if favorably impressed & so disposed, do a great deal in this respect. [William Sims] further said that the jealousies among the allies are something very discouraging. That Belgians, French & English each won’t give an inch. That when things looked like they were lost last spring that [Ferdinand] Foch was finally named as generalissimo but that he is in reallity that only in name, that he has an advisory council of representatives of each country who decide things & that [Ferdinand] Foch “can only suggest” & ask for approval before putting in to action. This information is of course coming pretty straight. [William Sims] is wonderfully thought of here in England, he is regarded as very diplomatic, capable and democratic. They say he is very capable as a “raconteur”. of course we have only seen English officialdom so far, but they do land, [William Sims], [John] Pershing & [Woodrow] Wilson. The more I see the more confident I am that my previous opinion is correct that America has really saved the day. [William Sims] was very complimentary of what England has been doing in war energies, says she is doing everything possible. I agree with this. She is certainly all war energy. No young men are seen except in uniforms & they are everywhere. Many of the motor drivers are women in uniform. A common sight is a woman driving a motor cycle with a baggage attachment along side. It is now a quarter past one. I want to write Mary again tomorrow. Don’t have much time to ourselves.
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[page 47] Tonight we had dinner at 7:30, as guests of the [Ministry of Information] They had with us a number of literary men: sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, the author of the Prisoner of Zenda, E. Phillips Oppenheim, Temple Thurston, four or five others. After dinner we sat around & talked & each one was called upon for several stories. I don’t shine particularly in this kind of party but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I fortgot to say that from the Grey meeting which was held in the Central Westminster Building several of us walked over and spent a few minutes, until it got too dark to see, in Westminster Abbey. Then we walked back to the Savoy. Passed Whitehall on the way where Charles the I said good-bye to his family. [October 11] Beautiful morning. Whole party had breakfast in party sitting-room at 8:30 & learned that we are to spend Sunday afternoon at Sandringham as guests of the King [George V], where we will meet him. The Ministry of Information seems to have enlisted most of the authors in it’s services. Mr. Rook & I walked down to Westminster Abbey & spent an hour and a half. I had previously written up my diary for yesterday & letter #6 to Mary. There is great feeling today over the torpedoeing of the Irish packet yesterday in the Irish Sea. A boat entirely on a pacific errand, without troops or munitions or supplies, carrying people on a domestic errands, as it were, between two home ports. Went the whole gait at Westminster Abbey. Unfortunately you cant see much of the various Royal Tombs because they have sand bags over & all around. At 1:15 we went to a luncheon given in our honor by the English-Speaking Union of which mr. A. S. Balfour is the President. Among others at the speakers’ table with us were Admiral [William Sims] & General [John] Biddle. I sat next to Edward Marshall,
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[page 48] whose news bureau sends us so much in the way of feature articles, & the English clergyman who made the invocation. Met again the young English officer who was an aid to Northcliffe in America & whom I had then met. Mr. Balfour made an excellent address urging the closest possible intermingling of English & Americans. Referred in terms of deepest scorn to the sinking of the packet yesterday. Mr. Glass made a very good reply. Admiral [William Sims] followed with a very good address. He was cheered more enthusiastically than any one when he arose. He seems to be very popular. General [John] Biddle followed with a few words. After lunch we went to a most interesting but depressing place, “St. Dunstans”. This is a place where they reconstruct, as it were, the blinded English & Colonial Soldiers. They teach them a trade, get them a position & then keep track of them all their life. The usual or average time of the course is about 8 to 9 months. Sir Arthur Pearson, the prominent publisher, who is blind, is the head. It is a voluntary subscription proposition, with a subsidy of some sort from the government. All men blinded in the war are sent here. It is located in Regent Park, and the house from which it takes it’s name surrounded by 16 acres of land was loaned by Mr. Otto Kuhn of Kuhn, Loeb & Co. New York. The man in charge of the “after care work is a young Captain Ian Fraser, a young chap not over 30 who was blinded from a bullet wound. He talked to us quite a while & his frank discussion of the blind problem was splendid. He says sir Arthur Pearson always talks to the new men himself, & tries to show them that they are not
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[page 49] done for, that they have a place in life & can be self-supporting & not dependent on charity. They also have as the various instructions men who are blind. Blind men talking cheerfully & demonstrating their arguments by their ability to be teachers have a wonderful effect. They teach telephoning, massage, (they put the graduates out in the hospitals) Typewriting, short-hand (by an instrument which takes down dictation). Poultry-farming, Carpentry & joinery, basket-making, boot-repairing, mat-making, net making & other trades are taught. The men get to be very expert & St. Dunstan’s places them in positions. They also are arranging to watch the men as long as they live & if they lost their situations, through no fault of their own, to find them others. They also purchase in bulk supplies for the men who are doing work at home. The men we saw all seemed to be fairly cheerful, that is most of them. It was very depressing to our party. There are now about 560 inmates & they have graduated about 600 making a total of between 1150 & 1200. Cap’t [Ian] Frazer said the idea of blindness from any kind of gas, even the mustard gas, is erroneous. Of course there are a few cases. Most are from shrapnel, some from running into something or bullet-wounds. They quickly learn the place & walk around so naturally that you doubted sometimes that a man was really blind. They have oil-cloth, where the paths in the rooms are, which guides the men. There are also a great number of volunteer workers, women, who help the men & entertain them. very few paid employees. Raining again late this afternoon. We have had a great deal since arrival.
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[page 50] our party & the first party dine tonight at the “chesu’re cheese”. Captain Frazer stated that the average case of total blindness is about 1 to every 1800 casualties as against 1 to every 1700 in ordinary statistics. Had a wonderful evening tonight. Both parties were guests at that quaint old coffee-house, made famous by Dr. Samuel Johnson & the other literary lights of his and subsequent times. It has been kept very much as it was & to sit there in the uncomfortable stalls, with clay church-warden pipes & shades tightly down, a rule in London after dark as a precaution against air-raids, was something to be long remembered. The ministry had all of its active staff, Besides those I have mentioned before were Colonel Elliott, a veteran of 30 odd years in south Africa and sir Campbell-Stuart, the young Canadian Colonel, who was aid to Northcliffe when the latter was in St. Louis. Major Evelyn Wrench, the active man of the Ministry on these trips, was I imagine a leader, if not the originator, of the idea of The English- Speaking Union. The whole evening was devoted to expressions of cordiality between our two parties, as representing enlightened American opinion and there cultivated diplomats & soldiers of Great Britain. It was very informal and one of the most pleasant evenings I have ever spent. The other party leaves early in the week for home. While I, of course, wouldn’t miss the wonderful things in store for us, and the really big things are to come, I am honestly very envious of them having their faces set definitely to the west & all that is dear to me. The idea of crossing the submarine infested seas
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[page 51] & being so dangerously separated, legitimately, I think, makes me a little home-sick. Well, that’s enough of this sort of thing. Tomorrow we have free to sort of rest up. In the evening young, Butler, Rook, Piper & I, together with Mr. Frederick Wile are to take in the Palace, the leading music hall. Wile is a correspondent who has lived in Europe for many years. Admiral [William Sims] in his speech today said that Wile has just completed what he considers the best and most authentic book on England & the war that has been written. So much so, in fact, that the Admiral has written an introduction for it. We ought to have a most interesting & instructive evening talking with him. Colonel Elliott told us tonight of many interesting experiences while in South Africa & especially German South West Africa. He says the Germans for years have been most brutal in their treatment of the Natives, practically having adopted a policy of extermination. So much so that when they wanted to build a rail-road some years ago, they had to go to British South Africa to hire labor because there were so few left of their native population. He is to send us the “Blue Book” telling of all this sort of thing. One typical case which he, himself, witnessed was after an uprising of the natives. A number of wounded had been brought in & were lying on the ground, A German officer went around & shot them saying to Colonel Elliott, who tried to protest, “We always play safe”. It seems to be inherent in German blood to be brutal. As one speaker said “the only way to make a German realize that he is licked is to get him down & then kick him & that the war could only be successfully ended for future safety by carrying it on
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[page 52] to German soil and giving adequate & severe punishment.” A decent, liberal peace arrangement they wouldn’t understand & would take as a sign of weakness,” Every British Colony of importance except a few, was represented at the dinner tonight. As a cordial we had some part wine of year 1887, & it was certainly mellow & delightful. [October 12] The story of the sinking of the [HMS Otranto] has just been released, 431 were lost including a large number of American soldiers. Every one says we had a very close shave our-selves. I forgot to mention before that at breakfast Monday, the day of landing, on the suggestion of an Englishman, Mr Crooks, Mr. Glass made a talk and solicited subscriptions to a fund for the Captain of our ship, who hadn’t left the bridge for almost six days and had had hardly any sleep. We started the ball rolling with $10 each. I was made treasurer & spent most of the morning receiving donations. We raised $507. Mr. Glass & I went up on the bridge as we neared Liverpool and handed it to the Captain. He seemed very appreciative. This morning I decided I ought to get a dinner-coat. Found a very good one that fitted me at Peter Robinson’s, for $25. I have feet rather awkward in my spike-tails. Robinson’s is a very nice store & to me better than Selfridge’s. They have carpet on the floors. Very cut up as is a part of Selfridge’s. They have a number of different stores joined together by very narrow doors, you even go under one of the streets in a tunnel. It is like a Chinese labarinth. Arranged with the New York Herald for the party to send joint telegrams from time to time in my name, to be relayed by whiting to the various papers. This suits me
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[page 53] to perfection, as I will get the benefit of the experienced writers of the party. After lunch Piper, McKay, O’Hara, & I took the first joint cable down to the [New York Herald] office to be forwarded. Hope it arrives in time for tomorrow, Sunday’s paper. Piper wrote it and it is an excellent 1000 word resume of our trip to date. After that we walked on up Fleet Street to St. Paul’s A wonderful structure. The day wasn’t particularly bright consequently we felt like we were looking up into space when we gazed up into the recesses of the great dome. Number of beautiful memorials, the most noted are, of Course, Wellington’s & Charles George Gordon’s (Chinese Gordon), the hero of Khartoum. Mr. Jones had said to see St. Bartholomew’s Church, so we wandored through this old part of London looking for it. We ran across a “bobby” who was very gracious and volunteered a great deal of interesting information. We discovered that we were standing in Bartholomew Close, where are located some of the oldest places in London & where the havoc of the first air raid air was felt. For several blocks all the windows in buildings were blown out and in the middle of the small square a hole was blown big enough to put a good sized house in. It occurred about 4 in the morning. One of the buildings that was destroyed hasn’t been rebuilt. Another raid at some later date, in day time did a great deal of damage in the same locality. This was in day-time and in one building where oil & paints were stored several people were burned to death in the fire which started. St. Bartholomew’s Church right at end of the close (which by the way really means an alley) was built in the 10th century. It was originally an old abbey. It sub-
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[page 54] sequently was put to other uses but quite recently most of it has been acquired back for church purposes. They are still negotiating for some of the cloisters which extend away some distance. The church was much larger than it now stands. A most interesting old building of beautiful church architecture. It fronts on Smithfield Square the place where the [Smithfield] Martyrs were burned, several hundred, I believe for heresy. A tablet on the St. Bartholomew Hospital which faces the square at right angles from the church to the left, marks this terrible event. This hospital is a charity one & one of the largest I have ever seen. It is next to the main London Post-Office, which they believe was the objective of the air-raids just mentioned. From Smithfield we walked on back toward Fleet Street passing down historic Newgate. The lower walls of the present criminal courts to the left are part of the celebrated “Old Bailey” prison. It was in Newgate they used to have many public executions. Frederick Wile, for many years an American newspaper correspondent in Berlin, & who new many of our party went with us in the evening to the Palace Music Hall. Quite similiar to the Winter Garden, smoking permitted. Elsie Janis was the star. Show very good, beautiful costumes. The main theme was to pat America on the back. After the show, through Ms. Wile, we were invited to go to Miss [Elsie] Janis, dressing room, where was also her mother. Quite a proper affair. Talked for about 20 minutes & had some port wine. Miss [Elsie] Janis Could talk of nothing else than the work she had been doing entertaining the American soldiers in France. She is not as attractive off the stage, at close quarters, but still very nice & pretty.
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[page 55] [October 13] Sunday – a day I will never forget. at 11 a.m. we went to Sandringham, the country place of the King [George V]. It is about 100 miles from London on the North Sea or an arm of it. Has several times suffered from air-raids, about 60 bombs having been dropped in the grounds. Colonel Galloway, a prominent official of the Railway had a special train. The other party of Editors, who are in London on way home were also there. I was invited to make the trip down in the Colonel’s private car, Mr. Glass & I representing our party & Mr. Bok of the Ladies Home Journal & Mr. Sedgeuick of the Atlantic Monthly the other. There were only the five of us in the car, Had a most interesting talk. Lunched on train. Arrived Sandringham about 2:15 P.M. were met by some handsome royal auto busses & driven through the beautiful estate to the house. One thing of interest was the great amount of wild ferns which had turned autumnal brown. After being coached on the formalities we went in in groups of four & were presented. First to King [George V], the Queen [Mary of Teck], the Queen Dowager Alexandra, the Princess Mary, the King’s own daughter, & the Princess Victoria, the King’s sister, also to numerous, about 8 gentlemen & ladies in waiting, equerries etc. The proper address we were told was for the King on presentation “Your Majesty” afterward “Sir”; Queen Mary “Your Majestic” afterward “Mam”; Queen Alexandria the same; the Princesses “your highness” afterward “Mam”. Immediately after presentation, which was the only real formality the party broke up into small groups for conversational purposes. The Royal party walked around the grounds with us until 4:30. Saw the gardens, stables, greenhouses etc. Everything beautifully kept up. The estate is about 15000 acres & is the personal property of the King, being purchased by King
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[page 56] [Edward VII]. King [George V] lives in a smaller house of 15 or 20 rooms on the grounds, which he said had been built for him by his Father, shortly before his marriage. It is a most comfortable house & quite simple. Everything in perfect taste. We were even shown his den or office. A very small, comfortable room with open fire. There was a large map of the war in one of the rooms which he studies as religously as Mary & I do our little one. The larger original house or Castle of Sandringham is occupied by Queen Alexandra & her daughter the Princess Victoria Passed through Cambridge & Ely on the way. Couldn’t see much of the former but had a splendid view of the handsome Cathedral at Ely. A very massive, handsome structure, we took turns as we walked around talking to the King & other members of the party. Thus we each had about 10 to 15 minutes with each. They were all very simply dressed. The King in a business suit. Wonderful autumn coloring to the vines over entrance to Sandringham. A very old man Sir Richard Probyn of Indian warfare fame and possessor of the Victoria Cross was in attendance. The Pictures of King [George V] do not do him justice. He is animated in action, ready & distinct in speech, with an inclination to the humerous, and absolutely affable in manner. He talks very freely. Expressed him self as greatly pleased with our visit. Showed a remarkable knowledge of world, American & general affairs. He is very enthusiastic over the American soldiers & base-ball, Queen Mary is a handsome woman, very affable but more reserved than the King. I imagine she has a quite fine character. Queen Alexandra is fine. She is quite a slight
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[page 57] looking woman, quite deaf & walks with a decided limp as if one foot or leg is shorter than the other. She kept upon a rapid fire of conversation. Princess Mary is a dear. Mary would love her. She is about 21, & very good looking, a fine ruddy complexion. She is fond of tennis & other sports. Says she loves the time she spends at Sandringham. A thoroughly girly girl. very simply dressed in white serge suit with a little silk embroidery. Everybody was greatly pleased over the Peace proposal news but would not believe that everything is over yet. There still is lots of chance for a slip up. As Mr. Balfour said at the luncheon the other day. The end is in sight but not yet within our grasp”. The Royal stud for breeding race-horses. In front of the stable is a great statue of Persimmon, which won the Derby in 1896 & was a great favorite of the late King. A fine effigy of a splendid horse. The present chief of the stud is Friar Marcus, which was never beaten as a two-year old. Lansing would have loved the little Colts. There were many of them. The King always feeds all the horses carrots on the Sundays when he is at Sandringham. Queen Alexandra showed some of the party who happened to be with her at the time, her work-shop. An Art Craft shop & presented them with tea-tables of mahogony. At 4:230 we had tea at Sandringham, tea, cakes etc. Served by men in quite elaborate uniforms & many with distinguished war service medals. The King has the appearance & manner of an alert, quick-thinking, well informed, well-groomed, middle-aged man of business. Queen Mary a stately & even beautiful woman, with something of the grand manner. They were all certainly putting themselves out to be highly agreeable
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[page 58] & it was astonishing how much at ease they made us all feel at once. Every one is certainly putting themselves out to show how much they think of America. They all hope that the two great English Speaking Countries will become very congenial and of mutual understanding. Had dinner going back on train. Arrived London about 7:30. As our train for Edinburgh did not leave until 10:15 we went back to the Savoy Hotel. I was so full up with the day that I wrote a long letter immediately, to Mary telling her all about it. Left for Edinburgh at 10:15. Five of us went on one train, Butler, Piper, Young, Rook and I, also our new escort Lieutenant Robinson, of the marines. We are under the Navy’s escort for several days now, although Mr. Doidge is going along to act as business manager. [October 14] Sleeper very comfortable. I had a little room to myself. Bed is sidewise across the car, instead of length wise as in America. Only about 2 ½ feet wide, but quite comfortable so I slept like a boy until I was called half an hour before arrival at Edinburgh. Had tea & cookies served in the state-room. Cloudy day. We are in the “North British Station Hotel” right above the station. Quite an old hotel & not any to remarkable. Had good breakfast. Walked around a little afterward. The hotel faces on a sunken plaza, formerly a lake, with the celebrated Princess street on one side & the high hill with the Town Hall & beyond it the old castle which dominates everything, on the other. A magnificent statue & monument to Sir Walter Scott is about in the middle on the Princess street side. The view from Princess Street across to the castle is as wonderful as anything I have ever seen. The cliffs are
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[page 59] covered with a very green grass which at a distance looks like moss. at 10:30 the town “clark” and an assistant called. The former was a Mr. Miller. We were taken in autos, first up to the Castle, on the way a typical Scotch mist began to fall. The Castle is principally a soldiers barracks & is the head-quarters now for the famous Black Watch battalion. The bulk of it is in France, but the reserve station is here. We saw, a squad march by, with full field equipment, leaving for France. A wonderful lot of men with bare legs & kilties. As we drove up one of them, a big husky chap, rushed out followed by a number of others. He was jagged and put up quite a fight before being led off to the guard house. Several officers joined our party. We saw all the interesting points including the old banquet hall, made famous by many events, & the room where Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner & when her son James the I of England was born. An old chapel is the oldest building in Edinburgh, st. Margaret’s. In it Edward the I imposed the oath of fealty on the Abbot of Holyrood. I have never been more impressed with the history & what a place has stood for in ages past than this wonderful old castle standing up there on this high eminence. It has withstood many a siege Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel at St. Ives features it. From the castle we drove to Holyrood Palace. The King stays here when he visits Edinburgh. Was last here just before the war in 1914. Holy-rood history hinges around Mary Queen of Scots. We saw her bed room, with private stairs leading down to the rooms of Lord Darnley’s rooms immediately underneath & then down to the old chapel in the ground floor. The roof of this
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[page 60] has fallen in. It is very old & was part of an Abbey founded by David the I. In it Queen Mary was married to Lord Darnley. up the private stairs went the assasins hired by Darnley to murder David Rizzio, an Itallian lover of the queen, He clung to her gown but was torn away & killed. A tablet in the floor shows where his body was drawn almost to the door to the private stairs & left. He was buried under the stairs near the door to the chapel. There are some beautiful old tapestries in the palace. Darnley’s & Queen Mary’s beds as well as original fire-places, grates & pieces of furniture are still in good state of preservation. A very interesting thing at Edinburgh Castle was a small bay terrace right below one of the highest points where a number of small graves are, It had the sign “cemetery for soldiers’ dogs”. The mascots of the boys are buried here & they take a great deal of interest in it. Even flowers are planted & taken excellent care of. After lunch we took a drive through a part of the town & out into the country passing through Roslin, a small village & seeing Craig Millar a favorite county home of Mary & many other Scottish Monarchs. Stevenson’s home under the shadow & at the foot of Kaim Kelton, one of the highest of the Pentland Hills, a very picturesque spot, now occupied by a Lord Guthrie. A new cavalry barracks, the City Fever Hospital, an attractive Golf Club (there are no less than 19 around Edinburgh) St. Anthony’s Chapel ruins high up on the side of an impressive hill which overlooks Holyrood & called King Arthur’s seat, the Nelson Monument, the University, John Knox’s house & a high-school, where King Edward went to school for a while – Interesting
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[page 61] items are the wonderful autumn coloring to the trees. Almost entirely stone buildings & homes, most of the brick construction houses being covered with plaster or cement. When school let out the boys were trooping home all in the scottish socks that Lansing wears & many bare-headed. Lots of small children in evidence. Many of the small & older shops have signs which stick out over the sidewalk & have symbols to show their wares. A fish monger would have a gilt fish, a chemist a gilt mortar & pestle & a lock-smith two gilt cross-keys. The street cars are cable. There is a very lengthy & cumbersom turning of a wheel to stop & start much worse I imagine than the old grip levers we used to have on the cables in St. Louis. The busses & many of the auto-trucks have large bags on top filled with ordinary gas with which they are run. Many women taxi-drivers & chauffeurs. The one driving our touring-car was the daughter of a first or second cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson. A very pretty, well educated & refinned speaking girl. She wore a uniform with a chauffeurs badge. City very beautiful & clean. Not much bustle or confusion on the streets. Passed several very quaint Inns in the country. I imagine the prevailing style of architecture is distinctly scottish. Quite different from anything I have seen. Bought Mary some Black watch pattern tartan for a skirt. Each clan & some of the regiments have their own design for the woolen cloth which they use for kilts or trousers. Many of the men wear trousers made of these very striking & pronounced, I might say “loud” patterns. The scottish Black Watch pattern of black with green squares is, I think, one of the best looking & decidely the quietest. It is a
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[page 62] very popular pattern. Also bought two pairs of socks for Lansing. In evening we dined at the town-hall as guests of the corporation of Edinburgh. They pull off some of the most formal entertainments in Great Britain. The Lord Provost (Mayor) sir John Lorne MacLeod presided. All the aldermen were present as well as the biggest men in town, The Lord Provost wore a magnificent chain with badge insignia of office attached. The alderman less elaborate gold chains. I sat between a Mr. Reay, the head of the Bank of Scotland & a Prof. Darroch of the University. The Lord Provost & Mr. Reay were kind enough to insist that I belong to the Reay clan or family. They say which I believe is true, that most of the Ulster Protestant Irishmen came from Scotland. Prof. Darroch was the most typical Barrie scot I have met. Dinner delicious but most formal. The special features were “scotch Haggis” a sort of hash, cooked in the stomach of a sheep & containing sheep liver sweet-breads, oatmeal & I dont know what else. You always drink a pony of whiskey with it. Quite a good dish. The other feature was “Angels on Horseback, which came after the dessert & between it & coffee in place of cheese, it is very fat bacon grilled & rolled around the stomach of an oyster & then put on a sort of brown bread. Both of these food specials are very rich. The King was first toasted, “God save the King” sung & there Hurrahs given very solemnly & under preceptorship of the Lord Provost, who raps for order with a handsome ebony & gold & silver stick, quite stout & about
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[page 63] two feet long. Then a toast to the President, followed by singing “The Star Spangled Banner”, followed by the three hurrahs. Then a toast to us as the guests, with three hurrahs. The Lord Provost made a very forceful address emphasizing, as every one is doing, the cordial relations that do or ought to exist between the two great English speaking nations. He extended the freedom of the city & every other possible formality. A very human chap though & most interesting. Mr. Glass responded very ably. We wound up by singing “Auld Lang Syne” with crossed hands being held along the tables. About 200 present I should say. A very fine town-hall with handsome pictures. After dinner we adjourned to the museum which corresponds to the Jefferson Memorial except it is merely a room in the Town Hall but filled with historic prints & other things. I certainly am all for the Scots. They just crowded around us after dinner to talk & shake hands. Met Mr. Wilson of “The News” & Mr. Croawl of the Scotsman” both Editors & Publishers of big Edinburgh papers. Very interesting to talk to. [October 15] Bought Mary a Black Watch buckle & belt with stone in clasp called a “Cairn Gorn”. Fine clear morning. We are very lucky because it will make our visit to the Fleet much pleasanter. Doidge is laid up today, I imagine, with the “Flu”. Edinburgh is a most beautiful city, with the Firth of Forth on one side & the Pentland Hills on the other. The Scotch run on soldiers aid or entertainment place for Americans. It is patronized mostly of course by sailors, because there are so many ships near & we are out of the line of soldier movement. A number of American Girls are here. A
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[page 64] prominent citizen in this work in talking to one of our party made the same criticism that we have often heard. That they send over too many ministers and are too sanctimonious. At ten O’Clock we started out in motor bus, special for one party, for Rosyth on the Firth of Forth. This is about 10 to 12 miles out of Edinburgh & a lovely drive. Passed on the way some big piles of shale from which oil had been crushed since the beginning of the war also a large estate of Lord Roseberg. The Grand Fleet happened to be located here at present time. It stretched along the Firth for miles. There were super-dread naughts, dreadnaughts, battle-cruisers, cruisers, large destroyers, small destroyers, air-plane boats, colliers, oil tankers, water tankers, hospital ships & submarine chasers, besides a myriad of launches, tugs & barges with sailors rowing which were darting hither & thither. There must have been at least 500 fighting ships anchored for miles. There were also air-planes flying around & numbers of sausage balloons in the air. The greatest sight I have ever seen. We were under the guidance of a naval Lieutenant Walton, a most agreeable young man, who had lived at Medford, [Massachusetts] for a year & was also on the flag-ship of the British Fleet which came to America for the Hudson Centennial celebration at New York, we were taken aboard a submarine Chasser & for miles went here & there among the ships. Saw the [HMS Lion] & [HMS Tiger], famous in one North Sea battle. The [HMS Queen Elizabeth] the largest of the super-dreadnaughts, which carries 8-15 inch guns, & which is Admiral
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[page 65] [David] Beatty’s flag ship, the courageous, the longest & latest type of battle cruiser. 800 feet long, longer than the [RMS Lusitania] & having a speed of 37 knots per hour, the Iron Duke, a little smaller class battle-ship, The King George the IV, the Ferocious which is a cruiser to carry air-planes, carrying about 33, the [HMS Colossus], an eight year old type carrying 10-12 inch guns & crew of over 900 men, in fact every type of ship. The American Battle Squadron of 5 ships, with flag-ship The [USS New York] was not in, being out on a cruise, the different units or squadrons takeing turns at cruising the North Sea & sending insulting messages to the Germans by wire-less to try & get them to come out & fight, which means destruction Vice-Admiral Browning had expected us to take lunch with him on one of the largest battle-ships, he being high in rank & very near the top under Admiral [Admiral] Beatty, who commands the Grand Fleet. His ship is however quarantined because of a spanish Influenza epidemic, so we were the guests of Rear-Admiral [William] Nicholson on the [HMS Colossus], a dread-naught. Vice-Admiral Browning was there to greet us however. He didn’t want to shake hands however because of the “Flu”. When we told him we had crossed on a transport which had over 400 cases & were not afraid, he shook hands laughing & saying we had lots of nerve. Were shown all over the [HMS Colossus] from bridge to Engine-room by various Junior officers. My guide was the commander & executive officer who is next to the Captain & what might be termed the business manager
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[page 66] of the ship. The mechanical equipment of the large turret-guns was most interesting. Ship in wonderfully quick for action & clean condition. They can all get under weigh in an hours notice. Even have little push-button elevators, like in our apartment, except only big enough for two people, which runs down to the engine-room. Every body was absolutely frank in showing every thing & answering questions. Officers quarters most comfortable. Had cock-tails in the ward-room, the living & dining-quarters of the junior officers, then went to the admiral’s suite where we launched. Had claret & post afterward. Most delicious lunch. The ships orchestra played during lunch & as we went in we were greeted by [John] Sousa’s “High School Cadets”. The [HMS Colossus] was hit 25 times at least in the battle of Jutland, being in the lead of the fleet of dread-naughts which came to the assistance of Admiral [David] Beatty’s battle cruiser squadron. We were to have had tea in the afternoon on the flag-ship of another Vice-Admiral, the [HMS Malaya], a sister ship to the [HMS Queen Elizabeth] & consequently one of the newest & largest of the super-dread-naughts. We found however that the squadron headed by the [HMS Malaya] had sailed on an hours notice. No one knew whether that meant a suspicion of a fight or whether it was part of a regular practice routine, It seems that they frequently order the various squadrons out on hour notice just to keep them on their guard & constantly preparred. It was suggested
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[page 67] too that they had ordered out this particular squadron knowing that we were to have tea on the flag-ship just to show us how quickly they do things & how preparred they are always. Any way within 2 ½ half hours after we passed by the [HMS Malaya], looking quiet & peaceful, she was gone & not even in sight. Another ship of interest was the super dread-naught [HMS Canada], originally built for Turkey, but who on completion did not have the necessary lucre, so was sold to Brazil. The war however came up before delivery so the British Admiralty took it over by condemnation. Saw the first boat I have ever seen of large size without smoke-stack, a large air-plane ship, with some sort of arrangement for the smoke to come out of the stern. The newer boats all burn oil instead of coal. They are faster & cleaner & easier to load. The Firth of Forth all along the shores has dry-docks, oil-tanks & all sorts of shops as far as the eye can reach, the ships of every description also extend as far as the eyes can reach. This immense congregation of fighting monsters & fast boats is the main fleet, but does not constitute the whole by a good-deal as there are always many out on cruises & patrol work. At Roslyn the Forth is crossed by a splendid cantelever bridge over a mile wide. I shall never forget my impressions as we rounded a turn on the way out in the bus & starting to go down hill saw this monstrous layout of grey boats. The grand fleet is not camouflaged & is all battle grew. Only the convoy boats & those that go more or
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[page 68] less by themselves are camouflaged. Most of the grand fleet destroyers are considerably larger than those we had seen in convoy work before Admiral [David] Beatty was not in town or I should say at the fleet today. The [HMS Courageous], the 800 odd foot boat I spoke of which goes 37 knots an hour, has over a hundred thousand horse-power. We came on down the Forth in our chasser to Granton, another naval station about 20 minutes by trolley from Edinburgh, where we disembarked. Piper, Butler & I walked back to the hotel, where we arrived about 5 o’clock (half an hour ago) we had a wonderfully clear sun-shining day today which was just right to see the most lengthy views possible of the fleet. Good clear weather, is they say, very unusual for Edinburgh. Lieutenant Walton told us the sun only shown during ten days last August. The maid has just come in to draw the curtains before turning on the lights. This rule is as closely adherred to here as in London. It is a very serious breach of the “Defense of the Realm Act” to be careless in this respect. Admiral Browning has only his right hand, he wears a large nickle or silver hook for his left, which he uses quite dexterously. He lost his hand in an accident some time ago. He looks very much like the pictures of General Grant. Admiral [William] Nicholson, the Captain of the Ship, the Commander & two of the Admirals aids were the only guests at luncheon beside our party except Lieutenant Walton, our guide & Lieutenant Robinson, the Lieutenant of Marines who is our Naval attache through Scotland. We leave tonight about 8:30
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[page 69] for Glasgow where we arrive, I believe, about 10:15. A very pleasant chap a Captain Legg put us on the train last Sunday evening at London. His home is in Winnipeg, and he has played golf in a number of American cities, never in St. Louis. He knows his name-sake Harry Legg of Minneapolis very well & has played golf a number of times, with him. The Ministry of Information certainly has a great number of very able & pleasant officers & civilians connected with it, who know how to take care of every want of their guests. Walking back to the hotel today saw two funerals. One was of a grown person & the casket was hung underneath the carriage between the springs. Another evidently of a child for the spare underneath the drivers seat had glass panels showing the coffin under-neath the seat. I dont know whether they ever use hearses here or not, but they didn’t for these two funerals, Will be very sorry to leave Edinburgh. There is a great deal more I would like to see. Before being taken to the Fleet today we had to sign a statement agreeing not to write anything about the fleet without submitting to the censor. I dont think I have gone into detailed technicalities enough here to be violating any confidences, especially as this is a personal record & not for public consumption or publication. Left Edinburgh with regret at 8:40 P.M. I could have spent several days most enjoyably & profitably at this grand old Scottish City. We are going tonight to Glasgow a hot-bed of influenza. The deaths yesterday were at rate of 38 per 1000 inhabitants. I guess we can stand it. Arrived Glasgow at 10:15. Have large comfortable room at the
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[page 70] Central station Hotels. The hotels in Scotland seem to be run by the rail-roads & over the stations. Scotland is beautiful. We Could not have picked a more beautiful time of year to visit it. The autumn coloring is splendid. But it is awfully cold. The coal shortage is acute & there is no heat in the rooms. Our party always has one parlor as an assembly room & it has a coal fire, there are also a few grate fires in main rooms of the hotels, but the majority of places have no heat. My bed-room, as I write, is very damp & cold. When we entered the hotel lobby tonight we ran into “steve” the Australian Captain & Mr. Foard, who were both on the Orontes coming over. By the way, we hear every where that our trip over, when the Otranto was lost, is considered an unusually bad trip & that we are very lucky to have escaped the elements & the sickness. It’s a good thing we didn’t realize how really serious a fix we were in. I am afraid my letters home were rather gloomy, but I didn’t know how truly bad things were. Most people in our party have bad colds. I have had a dandy since I left New York, but Mary will say “Chestnuts” so that’s enough. The trip over was very short & pleasant in first class compartments. We had to leave Doidge at Edinburgh, sick in bed with the “Flu”. He expects to be with us in a couple of days, but I doubt it. Lieutenant Robinson is in charge & he is a very capable man, we all hated to leave Doidge, very sick in a strange hotel, where treatment could
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[page 71] not be assured. He was dead game. [Scotch] whiskey in it’s home country is almost impossible to obtain. Our party has been amply provided, but generally it can not be obtained at any price. It sells for about $8 a bottle & then it is hard to secure. They are not making any because all the plants are being used to make explosives. It is wonderful how Great Britain has turned all it’s energies toward war work. One would think that woolens in the home of sheep, Scotland would be cheap. One of our party, Mr Kent, paid $15 yesterday in Edinburgh for a suit of woolen underwear. Lieut. Robinson tells me that Glasgow is the second largest city in the British Isles, having a population of about 1,250,000 & being next to London in size & population. I forgot to mention that the walk-over shoes & the Hanan Shoes, as well as the woolworth 5 & 10 cent stores, seem to have places all over, only instead of 5 & 10 cents, in London it is 3 pence & 6 pence, a means of having an even amount, which is of Course to the store’s advantage. Also saw a number of Ford signs in Edinburgh. Saw a number in London but none in Liverpool. It is now past midnight so will Close. [October 16] Started down the Clyde River in a small yacht at 10. A.M. This river is very remarkable, was originally a very shallow stream, which could be forded at low tide, & was in some places only 18 inches deep. Is now a deep navigable river as far as the first rail-road bridge with depth of about 40 feet, has to be constantly dredged. Many ships on stocks all the way we went, which was about 8 miles. Quite chilly going down. At eleven they served scotch-highballs followed by tea & cakes. No sewage is dumped or flows into the river.
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[page 72] Glasgow sewage runs to various places, where it is sorted, all valuable products extracted & the refuse taken in special boats way out to sea before being dumped. Docks are every where & very complete. You go into a narrow ship & find you are in a large basin filled with ships. Saw several boats which sail to Belfast, Londonderry and other Irish ports. On trip saw [John Brown & Company] yards, the 2nd largest, where the [RMS Aquitania], [RMS Lusitania], [RMS Mauretania], the [HMS Audacious], sunk off the Irish coast & the [HMS Hood] all extremely large & long ships have been built. The [HMS Hood] was launced recently & hasn’t had it’s armor put on yet. Largest dreadnaught ever built, 980 feet long, 108 feet beam, armor plates to be 1 foot thick. Lobrintz & Co. yards, yardow yards, which were flying American flag in our honor & Harland & Wolff yards with immense cranes. Saw the Casimir with bow badly bent & crushed from collision in which the strauts sank. It was lucky to get into port. One of the enineers at Beardmore yards told me the wind in the storm that day was the worst he had ever seen in Glasgow. North British Deisel Engine works & an immense plant of the Singer Company. Heard that the boat camouflaging is under the direction of Norman Wilkinson, a former poster artist, Saw on bank of Clyde the engine of the oldest boat of the Clyde. Every one says that Glasgow has on the Clyde the largest ship building production in world, both now & before the war. The main objective of our day was the [William Beardmore and Company] Ltd. at Dolmuir, a suburb of Glasgow. This is the largest ship yard company in Glasgow, the head & principal owner is sir William Beardmore –
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[page 73] a most interesting and capable man of about 55. He is perhaps doing more government work than any one in Great Britain. He is the dominating factor in many of the largest enterprises. The Dalmuir plant, which we visited, covers over 100 acres, & has 1 ½ miles of river front. Employes 12000 hands 2000 of which are women. Average working hours are 54 hours a week (days) 62 ½ hours, (night) (no night scale but an allowance of 1 shilling a night for supper), average wage of skilled woman 2 pounds a week, average of men (skilled) 5 pounds, can earn 7 & 8 on piece work. Then is a canteen for women which charges 8 pence a meal. This plant is said to be the best coordinated plant in Great Britain. It not only manufactures ships, but also cannon, air-plains, zepplins torpedos, destroyers & submarines. The ship production since beginning of war in 1914 has been : 2 battle ships; 3 light cruisers; 15 destroyers; 6 submarines; 1 sea plane carrier; 8 Indian marine; 7 boilers. Other production 50 Mark IV machines; 570 Leon Mines; 20 barges (oil engines); 50 tanks, Aircraft production 450 bi-planes, Renault motors, 130 miles per hour; 2 dirigables; 50 Handley-Pages having 500 horse-power & carrying 21 people. Ordnance output. Weekly 10 six inch howitzers; 15 eighteen pounders; & 23 six pounders which includes carriages & complete equipment. Torpedo boat destroyers, present type cost 250,000 pounds, have 4 torpedo tubes, 2 four inch guns & maximum speed of 40 knots per hour also 29000 horse power. Submarines 2 types. “L”. Type. Length about 300 feet, speed 16 knots surface, 12 submerged, power 1200 horse-power (2 six cylinder motors, 14x14 ½ inches. Uses oil for fuel
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[page 74] above water & storage batteries when submerged. Type “K”. (new). Length 340 feet, speed 23 knots up, 16 down. Torpedos 2 in tubes 2 extra. Guns 2-4 inch, power 10,000 horse power turbines. Battle Cruisers. Cost 750,000 pounds approximate. Guns 8-13.5 in 12-6 in. } [HMS Lion] Speed 25 knots. Dreadnaughts, Cost 2,250,000 pounds. Guns 8-15 in. 12-6 in Ships now building. Destroyers 6 ; submarines 7 of 16 knots ; Cruisers 2 of 32 knots. The director of the ship building plant is Archibald Campbell, who presided at the luncheon given to us in the executive offices. The consulting engineer is Captain William Onyon. The following information is interesting Torpedos. A- 21 inch diameter, weight 2000 lbs, speed 40 knots, range 12 to 15 miles, released by compressed air. As soon as the torpedo strikes the water there is a little trip which is turned down by the contact with the water. This releases valve to compressed air tank (pressure 3000 lbs. to square inch) & sets in motion a three cylinder 35 horse-power motor. B. 18 inch diameter, length 15 feet, weight approximately 1800 lbs. speed 40 knots, range 12 to 15 miles, motive power same as “A”. Cost “A” 1200 lbs “B” 1000 [lbs] While women work in most departments, they do not work on air-planes. The wood-joiners forbid. I was particularly impressed by the extreme flimsiness of the
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[page 75] wood used in air-plane construction. The frame work for the side-planes is made of wood so slight that could be broken with one hand. These are braced by steel wire braces. Planes are covered by a very fine canvass which is treated by painting process. The main supports of the planes is square hollow construction with elipse toward front. The propellor blades, we saw being made, are of American Walnut. They are made in layers, glued together under heavy pressure & allowed to set for about 24 hours. This glue is unusually effective. Some of the machine shops were at least 200 yards long. This plant also takes howitzers & other guns that have seen service, takes them apart & replaces such parts as are defective. Walked right under a battle-Cruiser the [HMS Raleigh], which is being built in the stocks. The chart system to keep track of production is unusually good. Right across the Clyde River the [William Beardmore and Company] has a big Zepplin hangar. The power for the plant is from gas generated on the premises. The women even drive the gigantic travelling cranes. Didn’t see any wearing over-alls. They all wore a rough yellow working blouse & skirt. Most of them looked very well, they are husky women with the customary [Scotch] reddish-complexion. On way back we saw the country places of Lord Blythewood & beyond in distance that of Lord Bleutyre who gave Erskine House, on the estate, for a home for Invalid Soldiers. Learned today of an invention which I am told is on practically all boats now, no matter what seas they sail, which practically assures no danger from mines. This was invented by a son of an admiral, I believe his name was Bernie
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[page 76] The invention is called “Paravane”. As far as I learned they have some sort of a wire arrangement from the bow & alongside which deflects all mines. They are caught & picked up before exploding. Tonight we were the guests at dinner of the corporation of Glasgow. The Lord Provost is a Mr. Stewart. A most agreeable man of about 65. I sat between Sr. William Macewen, one of the most celebrated surgeons of Europe & Sir Robert Bruce, Editor of the Glasgow Herald. Two most Charming men. We went through the customary very formal ceremonial. There are no place cards. You go in to dinner when your name is called & take your seat in order. After the toast to the King, They sing “God save the King”, & then give three “Hip-hip, hurrahs” in a very deliberate manner. After the toast to the President of the U.S. We sang the “Star Spangled Banner” & gave 3 “Hip-hip hurrahs”. At finish of the dinner they again sing “God save the King” & finish by “Auld Lang Syne”. The Scotch are very hospitable & are very sincere in the general idea prevailing every where we have been of cementing relations between England, Scotland & the U.S. I am getting prouder of the old U.S.A. all the time. Every one is certainly taking off their hats to America. Two seats from me was MR. J. M. McCunn, the American Consul, a most agreeable man. Scotland is certainly a cold country. While we have had good weather it has been very cold. The hotels are like refrigerators. I wish some of my tenants could feel the cold & hard-ships the people over here are putting
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[page 77] up with. You cant get a coal fire here now without some definite reason such as a doctor’s certificate. My room is like an ice-berg. I almost have had a chill the last two nights when I have crawled into bed. Had about half an hours time after return from Beardmore & before dinner. Purchased 2 pair of tan woolen stockings & 3 white woolen ones, as well as 1 Black Watch pair of socks for Lansing. I hope Mary likes them. As I remember she wasn’t able to get tan ones in Boston a year ago or in St. Louis. [October 17] Went this morning by motor to the national Projectile Factory at Cardonald, a suburb of Glasgow. This is a government plant established since the war for the making of shells. It is a state owned plant for the machining of heavy shells, managed by [William Beardmore and Company] The building was commenced in September 1915, and the first machines were installed three months later. It is now producing about 20,000 shells per week. It employs about 3000 women, & 1400 men. Only about 30 of the men are eligible for military service & are kept because of highly skilled technical knowledge. The principal product has been 6 & 8 inch shells. At the present they are running to a large extent on 6 inch, cast iron chemical shells to meet an emergency demand. The average wages are 5 pounds 10 pence a week for men, [3 pounds, 5 pence a week for women] The work is in 2 shifts. 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with several off periods aggregating an hour and three quarters. 5:30 P.M. to 6 P.M. with similar time off allowance. The management does not believe in the individual scale, but in a
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[page 78] piece scale of the whole. The total production of the factory determines the average piece scale payment. By this system the more inferior employees are pushed & helped by the better & the result is best for the total production. Mr. Cecil Walton, the head, is a most charming man & is, I am informed, one of the best informed men on labor control matters in Great Britain, and one of those whose talents will be undoubtedly called upon to help settle the labor problems after the war. He has written several brochures on labor matters copies of which he presented to us. A M. Martin is the active manager & A.M. McKay the plant manager. Had lunch in the canteen, having just what the employees have. Good substantial food. An employee can get soup, roast-beef, potatoes, dessert, bread & Coffee for about 30 cents, the actual cost. The main shops are huge. The whole plant occupies almost ten acres. They are beginning the construction of a large addition to build tanks. They have a well equipped dispensary for emergency cases. Most of the work is in skilled. The shells are passed along from girl to girl, who only does on her machine, the little part assigned to her. Women were driving the huge travelling cranes. We were each given the explosive container of a shell to take home as a souvenir. I begged an extra one thinking Bobby would like to have one as well as Lansing. We went out while the girls were having lunch, or rather when they had just
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[page 79] finished and our chairman Mr. Glass made a speech. They are a fine, bright healthy looking lot of young women, & seemed very appreciative of our visit. Got back to our hotel about 3 P.M. being driven in most expeditiously by our chauffeurs, girls. Most all taxi – drivers are women as are street car motor-men, conductors, baggage porters at stations, Waitresses & bar-maids. Went immediately up to the Club for American Forces, run under the Auspices of Mrs. McGunn, the wife of the American Consul and a Mrs. J. Robertson Blackie, a Virginia Woman married to a scotch man. She is by marriage a niece of ex-president Arthur. These women have a very nice place for the American boys and do any thing they can to make their stay in Glasgow pleasant. Met & introduced ourselves to several American Naval Officers while in Glasgow. Every American we have met seems to be unusually glad to see us. At the American Club met Captain H. J. B. Rice, the medical head of the American Red Cross work in Glasgow. He formerly was the associate actuary of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Co., of Harford Connecticut. He knows quite well S. L. Morton, the Hartford Agent in St. Louis. The Americans arriving on recent convoys have a large percentage of sick. This so called, Spanish Influenza epidemic seems to be running wild. It is every where & every-one is scared to death. Our special courrier F. W. Doidge is sick with it & ought to be laid up, but he joined us again today. We are due back in London in two days & are going to insist that he,
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[page 80] does not attempt to sight-see with us. All arrangements have been made in advance He is a fine fellow & absolutely game. I can imagine myself trying to pilot twelve men around when I had the trench fever last spring. Heard that over 100 American Soldiers had died in Glasgow in the past week. Most of them were men that contracted trench or spanish influenza Which turned into pneumonia, That is the great danger. Left at 4:45 P.M. for Carlisle, England, where we arrived at 7:35 P.M. Had supper, for which we were all good & ready and here I am. Tomorrow we go over the big explosive (Cordite) plants at Gretna. The sight of the large expanse of work is, they say, wonderful. This is where the famous old Gretna Green was located. Will be back in London, the day after tomorrow, saturday. I am hoping to find some home mail writing for me. Haven’t heard a word from Mary since I left New York. I don’t like this isolation from home. I assume Mary & Lansing are all right otherwise I would have received cables. Every thing here is excitement over war developments. It looks like the beginning of the end although the officials profess to feel that every thing is too uncertain to allow of too much optimism. I persuaded the hotel people to give me a fire so I am warm for the first time in a number of days. I am the envy of the rest of the party, & have certainly been unusually comfortable while sitting here in my room writing this. Carlisle is a very fine old English City. It originally had only about 30 thousand population before the tremendous
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[page 81] explosives plant was constructed at Gretna, about 9 miles away just across the border in Scotland. Because of being a border city Carlisle figures in much strenuous history in the fighting between England & Scotland. The scotch law for years, and I believe it is still so, did not require the publishing of the laws. You could stand up in front of a duly authorized party & become man & wife by so declaring. The black-smith shop at Gretna Green acquired fame in this way. Coal is a bigger problem than food in the British Isles. It is very scare & coal rationing rules are most severe. The allowance, for example, for an eight room house is seven tons for the entire year. The suffering last year was most severe. [October 18] The explosive plant at Gretna, is immense it is over nine miles from one end to the other. It occupies over 25 square miles, of course this is not entirely built up. The process of making cordite, which is the principal product, has been divided into two parts, the plants for each being at different ends & connected by miles of rail-roads. The engines used in the danger zone are fireless – they are filled with a given amount of steam & water, & can run in this storage capacity of power for 4 or 5 hours. They are afraid of sparks. The precautions taken are most extensive. Every one has to deposit all smoking materials & matches when entering. At any moment you may be searched & the penalty for infraction is severe. Even the girl workers are not allowed to wear or have around their person any thing metallic such as pins or hair-pins. They all wear a loose blouse & lose trousers, without pockets, to remove the temptation of carrying any thing contraband. There are only slits where the pockets should be. They are like men in wanting to put their hands in their pockets & look like a lot of school boys as they walk about in groups with their hands in their slits. The housing of their employees was a difficult problem, there are over 8000 hands of which 2700 are girls. They are working less than half production now so when
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[page 82] running full blast there were over 16000 employees, some live at Carlisle and are taken back & forth in special trains. Many however live at the grounds. Several tremendous communities have been constructed with dormitories, individual homes for married people, a dancing hall or theatre seating 1000 (we saw) which was completed in a period of six weeks. Most of the hostels are built of wood, but there are many brick & stone buildings for permanent use. There are schools for the children, stores, churches, community kitchens. This housing at Gretna is Internationally famous. The help work in 3 shifts 8, 9 & 10 hours, changed each week so every fifth week each person has the same shift. The shifts are from 7 A.M to 4 P.M – 3 P.M. to 11. P.M. & 10 P.m to 8 A. M. Miss Cotterell of London is in charge of the girls, hiring them, watching them & attending to their social life. They have various forms of entertainment, such as picture shows, dances etc. They claim that the moral conditions are excellent. The girls earn approximately 15 dollars a week and the men 25 these figures are for the ship building plants at Glasgow. There is a reasonable charge for board & meals taken out when the girls live at the plant. The manufacture of the explosive was too technical for me to understand. At some times during the process the danger is great and at others very slight. Where very dangerous the shops are each encircled by regular dirt mounds covered by grass to confine fire or explosion. Cleanliness is a main essential. A little grit on the floor might get in some machine & cause friction & an explosion, Consequently every one going through puts on rubber boots over their shoes. They are very particular that you dont step within the clean boundaries until you get them on. The girls & men employees have to completely change when going to work, from head to toe. The girls here earn about 40 shillings a week and are charged about 17 a week for board & lodging cotton put through various processes including separating
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[page 83] pulping, cleansing dried to about 1 % moisture & mixed with nitro-glycerine, & various things is the basis. Rained A little in afternoon & got quite cold. Had a most delightful luncheon at the employees club, sitting next to Miss Cotterell, we had a very mild claut & grenadine punch. Were told this was the second time anything approaching liquor had been served in the reservation, the other time being at visit of the King & Queen. The later is greatly interested in the condition & housing of the women employees. The girls are a most sturdy, bright & enthusiastic lot in all these factories. They have the typical scotch ruddy complexion. The youngest age accepted is 16 & they run on up. At one place, where congregated after lunch, they gave us a cheer. At the Cardonald Munitions Factory after the speech making they sang several scoth songs, by request, one “Good Byie” as they marched out. Drove back to Carlisle about 3 P.M. Walked up in a drizzle to see the Cathedral & the Old Castle. Both were originally built by the Normans and are extremely old. At 4 P.M. we went to sir Edgar Sander’s office. He is the manager of the liquor control for the Carlisle area. They had a great deal of trouble with drunkenness in the early part of the war & a Board of Control was appointed to handle the matter. The times of serving now all over England & Scotland are from 12 to 2:30 P.M. & from 6:30 to 9:30 P.M. Strength & amount of liquor & beer manufactured has been materially reduced, because products are necessary for food & war materials. Beer is now 2.5 & whiskey very weak. Carlisle through a sub local board with F. W. Chance Chairman & sir Edgar Sanders Manager is trying out the experiment of complete control. They bought all the liquor interests, breweries, manufacturers, whole-salers & retailers. They operate everything. After a most interesting hour’s talk & tea we were taken to see some of the taverns. Had dinner at six in one of them. Wine flowed plentifully at our dinner. Mr. Chance presided. A most cultivated man in the cotton manufacturing business who has
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[page 84] travelled extensively over the U.S. The last time he was in St. Louis, a number of years ago, the Southern Hotel was in it’s prime. He has five sons, two have been killed & a third wounded. Among the other guests were the Mayor who has also travelled extensively in U.S., the Chief Constable & the Police Commissioner. They are all enthusiastic over their scheme of liquor control & feel it is a more satisfactorly working solution all around. They all feel there will be a reaction from America’s idea of total prohibition. They all think England will maintain some reduction. Went to the Theatre, so poor we left after one act. our train for London left about 1:30 A.M. but we went down to the two sleepers & turned in. The Station-Master was on hand to do the honors. He looked like a burlesque character in shabby prince-albert & stove pipe hat. He cheerfully accepted a tip of 5 shillings. Had comfortable compartment to my self. [October 19] Our train was almost an hour late so it was almost ten O’Clock when we again reached The Savoy Hotel at London. Felt mighty good to be back. Found three letters awaiting me. One of Mary’s intended as a steamer letter & another written the Sunday after I sailed. One from Mother written on the first of October Was Certainly glad to get them & to hear that every thing is O.K. at home. Was disappointed in not getting one from Bob however. Started out with our party at eleven A.M. to get our passports vised etc. It was some job. First, went to American Embassy to get pass-ports extended for France. Second, went to American Consulate-General to get the usual permission to leave Country. Third, went to English Military pass office to get pass for war area. Fourth, went to French pass-office to get French passes. It was 1:30 P.M. when we got through. It seems that these details have to be done in person. So they can look at photo & description on pass-port
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[page 85] and see you are the proper person. Then went to the Marlborough Club as the guest at luncheon of Major Wrench. Jim Keely of Chicago was also there having just arrived from New York the day before. He came over in the [RMS Carmania] & reported a great deal of sickness & many deaths of soldiers. They all seem to be having trouble. The toll of deaths now in transportation from the Flu is terrific. Keely told some sensational stories of the heroic work of a unit of young Harvard nurses who saved many of the sick. One man was thought dead 3 times they had even called the Chaplain when the young nurse who had stayed right by his bed pulled him through. Some of the girls didn’t get any rest for three or four days. Keeley’s boat, he said, had also been stuck twice by something which joined it. They think it was perhaps deflected torpedo. The alarm signal was given, but there was no explosion. Keeley is over here in charge of the American and of the Enemy propoganda work of [Lord Northcliffe]. After luncheon between 4 & 6 went around & finally found some stores open on the strand where I purchased a khaki-shirt, some leather leggings & some rubbers. Had dinner in Evening at the American Officers Club & went to see a Musical show “Yes Uncle” as guest of Frederick Wile. [George] Grossmith the producer had given Wile a box for us. Mrs Wile joined us there but didn’t have dinner with us. The Officers Club of which all our party have visiting cards is operated by a group of English & American men of means. One of the founders was a Mr. Hemsicker, the English representative of the U.S. Steel Corporation, who died last week. It is in the home of who turned it over lock, stock & barrel, leaving his handsome pictures & even his cooks & help. Splendid building & great convenience to American Officers.
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[page 86] I want to see more of it on my return to London. Show very good. [October 20] Got hair-cut early. At 11:30 started in Motors for Lord Beaverbrook’s Country place, 18 miles out in Surrey, near Epsom on the way to Brighton. This is where the weathiest & most aristocratic people live, at least many of them. Passed through narrow lanes with handsome estates on both sides, was raining so couldn’t see as much as would have liked. Beaverbrook’s place is beautiful. An old house & about 450 acres. The view is beautiful looking out over several ridges of hills & trees. If a clear day they say you can see for a long way. [Lord Beaverbrook] was not well so couldn’t come down for dinner. There were present [Lady Beaverbrook] His sister Mrs Aitken & his brother Major Aitken of the Canadian forces. Had our pictures taken for the Weekly Movie Films on arriving. I hope they reach the U.S. [Mrs. Beaverbrook] is a most charming woman & host, About 35 years old. Not pretty but very attractive. Miss Aitken came over from [Canada] in July. She is not good looking but quite agreeable. Major Aitken is a dandy. Has been in service about 4 years, & has been wounded several times. Is on leave now. Colonel Malone & Major Whitmore went out with us. Several others were there also, including a Mr. Holton, proprietor of the Morning Sketch & the Evening Standard a very intelligent man. In course of conversation said his papers had made $200,000 pounds before the war in one year, & last year 600,000 pounds. I wish American papers could show a gain too. Some profits; He has a large racing stable & owned the Winner of the Derby several years ago. Epsom Downs where they have the big Derby is near. Most delicious dinner. After dinner [Lord Beaverbrook] came down. A most ordinary looking man, but a wonderfully smart & agreeable gentleman. He is
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[page 87] the minister of Information & one of the ablest & most powerful politicians in England. Owns a big London newspaper. Is only 39. Started out a comparatively poor boy in Canada. Made a fortune in cement & concrete docks. Came to England, was made a Lord, taking his title of Beaverbrook from his place in Canada, his name is Max Aitken, & is now near the top of the heap. He is worried about his health. Is having a great deal of trouble with his throat. They fear an abcess is forming which may necessitate an operation. Some one hinted that they fear a possible tubercular affection. Have three fine Children, not handsome but bright & lively. Girl about 12, boy 8 & boy 6 ½. They romped all around & had to be spoken to several times. Regular boys. The home-life must be delightful & not at all formal. Had a small movie outfit set up & showed some of the recent educational films of the Ministry. One was as recent as the arrival of the survivors of the [RMS Leinster] disaster. After tea left about 4:30 & got back to the Savoy at a quarter to six. I didn’t have any dinner as I wasn’t hungry. Stayed in room & wrote on my diary. At 7:15 we went in motors with Col. Malone, Major Whitmore & Major Holland to the Palace Music Hall. Where they have a free show every Sunday night, under management of the [Ministry of Information] for American Soldiers & Sailors. The different producers take turns furnishing the shows & tonight [George] Grosssmith was the one. He & his partner have 5 or 6 theatres & they sent over some of the best things from all. The choir & several of the stars were there from the show we saw last night. A very fine thing. House packed with our boys & wild enthusiasm. The actors donate their services. Admiral [William Sims] & several of his staff were in a box. Wound up by playing the “Star Spangled Banner” & “God save the King”. An interesting comedian was a Mr. Alfred Bronett, who
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[page 88] was wounded at the defence of Verdun & wore his original French uniform. Show over at 10:30. I went straight up to my room to write this up and here I am at 11 o’Clock. It is still raining. If it is a good day tomorrow we will leave at 8:30 in the morning for the place where we take air-plane to fly to France. If weather is unfavorable we, of course, will cross in boat. Here’s hoping for a good day. I have the hard task now before me of packing into one suit-case enough clothes to last me for about 2 weeks. We can take only what we can carry in Machines with us & leave the bulk of our baggage here in London. Met a young man named William J. Butler, who left St. Louis about 5 months ago to come over here to be on the staff of the International News service. He asked me to remember him to Frank Taylor of the Star. Asked a number of questions about St. Louis. I had never heard of him before. The autumn coloring has become Wonderful. Many beautiful examples in the drive today. The strand seems to be the great promenade for the soldiers. The Red Cross Colonel I met last night says he has seen a good deal of Harry Wallace & that he has a very responsible position & is doing great work. I think he said Harry is at Neuf Chateau. ( I guess that’s the way it is spelled.) I want to try & look him up. I am seeing so many things so rapidly and trying to assimilate & remember so many things that I am all in a haze. Mr McKay of Salt Lake City has to go back home. The owner of his paper, he McKay is the active head a former U.S. Senator named [Thomas Kearns], is on the point of death, so a cable advised. McKay is distressed to have to quit at this most interesting stage, but feels he must. From what he has let drop, I imagine his future is very much jeopardized. I have given him a letter for Mary which he is to mail in U.S. He has also promised to send each of our families a short chronicle of our trip so far.
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[page 89] [October 21] Left London about 10 a.m. by train for Lympne, where there is an important air-plane station. All planes going to France from England have to go through here. A young scotch Colonel of the regular army, Col McCrae of Glasgow, was in Command. We arrived about 10 o’clock. Col. McCrae said the weather in France did not permit a flight but said that it looked favorable for later in the day. He showed us all over the place. First time I learned that air-planes can have either back or forward propellers. Saw every kind & make of British Machine. Our plane was a large Hanley Page which would carry 18. Had lunch with the Colonel at the officers mess at Lympne Castle, a very old building (about 600 years) former country home of Arch bishop of Canterbury & afterward part of coast defense system. Very attractive with courtyard in front. After lunch Colonel said the reports were that weather was clearing so they got out one machine & started to get ready. Every one has to wear special clothes, caps etc. After about half an hour, we were told “all off” – message from France unfavorable. All piled into to army busses and hustled off to Folkestone to catch a boat. Major Whitmore left us there where we found Major Montage on boat with our baggage. Quite a crowd on the rather small steamer. Saw only a couple of destroyers for a convoy. Every one ordered to wear life-belts. Arrived off Boulogne harbor about 5:30 P.M. but account low tide had to wait until 8:30 to land. Found two British officers with machines waiting for us. Had supper ready at hotel wharf. After supper drove about 40 miles to the “American Chateau” at Radingham, where we arrived about 11:30. Quite attractive house with court-yard – portculle’s, moat etc., probably, except for re-modeling, three or four hundred years old. The entertaining of official visitors and correspondents
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[page 90] is quite a business with modern armies & this Chateau is one of several kept for that purpose by the British. It is in charge of a major Norie, a rather stiff & brusque veteran of many years regular service. Means well however, and has several other Captains as assistants (Capts Kennedy & Townroe among them). Room comfortable with regular hospital cot bed, but a great luxury, a coal-oil stove. Help except cook are all soldiers. Meals unusually good. Made this Chateau our head-quarters until Friday morning. Among the people registered as former guests were: Cornelius Bliss Jr., Irvin S. Cobb, Winston Churchill, Charles R. Crane, Floyd Gibbons, Charles H. Grasty, Newell Dwight Hillis, Ring Lardner, Sir John McLeod (Lord Provost of Edinburgh) R. R. McCormish, E. Percy Noel, George W. Simmons & Frederick W. Wile. [October 22] Started out at 9 o’clock in open machines, 2 in a machine. Captains Kennedy & Montagu in charge, St. Pol, former division headquarters, bombed & number of officers killed. Bruay, large mining place at west end of French coal area. After capture of other place, has practically supplied France with domestic coal. Headquarters of 5th British Army. General [William] Birdwood Commanding. Bethune badly shot up from shelling but still number of inhabitants. Fired on intermittently during most of war. As is Case in most towns that have been shelled hardly a window frame of glass. Shelled hard last march. Givenchy & La Bassee on the La Basse Canal. Scene of very heavy fighting and houses nothing but piles of debris, at place Called “Windy Corners” are two historic places, “Pringles Pride” where the garrison, only 4 or 5 men, held Germans at bay, and only a quarter of a mile away the “moat Farm” where 26 men held out and where 21 of the 26 were buried by shell shot under their own building. Old padre walking around searching in ruins for some records & valuables he had buried before the Boche could
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[page 91] get them. Pringles Pride & Moat Farm were 2 pivotal points in defense of Bethune & Channel ports. Shell holes 12 feet deep by 24 feet diameter. Our motors are head quarters cars which give us right of way. This country is terrible, trees all destroyed, roads full of shell holes & no civilian population. Captain Kennedy picked up an abandoned hand-grenade at Moat Farm & exploded it. The greatest care must be exercised in picking up anything. Entered Lille about four days after Boche. Our party probably first civilians to enter. People crowded about, greatly excited. Butler, who speaks French over whelmed. Crossed Deule Canal just before Lille, all bridges destroyed, all telephone & telegraph poles carefully cut down. Lille not damaged particularly by Boche, except every thing of value taken away, very strict enforcement of Boche Military laws. All males between 14 & 55 had to work for Boche. No one allowed out of doors except at certain hours. One girl, we talked with, arrested 14 times for minor infractions. French flags every where, concealed under mattresses of beds. One person said over 5000 women had been deported (not verified) Armentieres, a total wreck, Crossed the La Lys river here. Baillful-Hoaze-broock, Aire, American Chateau. Arrived there about Eight O’ Clock, having covered about 150 miles. Took good cold lunch with us, which we ate at Windy Corners. On trip from Bethune to Baillful every thing absolutely devastated. [October 23] Started out about 9 A.M. went first to see big tank repair station at Erin. Met an American Captain here, E. L. Bull, El Paso, [Texas], who asked me to call up his uncle E. G. Ferguson, John Deere Plow Co., & tell him I had seen him. He was waiting for his company of tank men due that day & then was going to the British front. Saw many tanks badly shot up. When a tank goes the crew is usually all killed. Commandant Lt. Col. Brockbank. About 700 Chinese labours, Considered quite satisfactory, do both skilled & unskilled work. Are very
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[page 92] imitative under competent white instruction. Do skilled work under bonus system. Chief problem with Chinese labor is the fondness of French peasant & towns’ women which cuts down their efficiency. Hermaphradite tank first seen, armed on one side with heavy guns (“Male” Armament) & on other with light machine guns (“female” armament). There were hundreds of tanks here & in movement they look like big alligators. Are very easily manipulated. The big “Mark 9” carries 45 men. The “Whippet” or “3 man tank” is called the “Cavalry of the tanks” & has a speed of about 12 miles a hour. St. Pol (again) Bailleul, totally destroyed, Acy, Mont St. Eloi, tower here used as target by Boche, Neuville, Paddock Switch Line & Vimy Ridge, when we had lunch. Two weeks before under shell-fire. Ridge is about 5 miles long. Monument to Canadian Artillery Corps at Paddock Switch Line. This country all through here the scene of terrific fighting. At little distance Notre dame de Lorette & La Targette both taken with tremendous losses. Vimy Ridge was captured in 1917 by Canadians in 52 minutes. Leus in front shelled by British for months. While standing on Vimy Ridge it was a most impressive sight to see 19 air-planes fly over, in 3 squadrons of six each, in battle formation [small sketch of formation] with a scout machine higher up and some distance in rear. Went in number of the dug-outs & collected several souvenirs. Field telephone wires every where on ground. Souchez, Augres, Lievie, the latter a town of about 30,000, totally destroyed. Formerly a center of Colliery research. Inhabitants forced to work in mines by Boche. Total wreck now. There towns have no more left of them than Pompeii, nothing but piles of brick & stones. Leus, a center of coal mining, held until about 2 weeks before by Boche, shelled for years by British. Total wreck,
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[page 93] Cellars buried under piles of rubbish & still full of gas. We stood at center of main street, facing location where Cathedral & shops used to be and it seemed like an ocean of debris & bricks & stones, not a wall even standing. Many thousands of Boche killed defending place. When they left recently they flooded all coal mines in district with water & gas. Probably will take about 2 years to put in operation again. The Boche left Vimy Ridge only about [October] 7 & Leus some time afterward. Ecurie, Auziu, Arras. The latter with walls of many houses standing but badly shelled. Cathedral with only parts of side-walls left. It is to be kept in present condition as a war exhibit. Met old French woman who had stayed all during the war. The only civilian that stayed. Just before reaching Arras one of our machines, a limousine carrying O’Hara & Piper in trying to avoid hitting a lorry ran into a tree while going about 40 miles an hour. They were both badly cut on faces & had to be taken to a British Evacuation Hospital about six miles away. While waiting for them to be taken care of we took tea at the officers club at Arras. Got back to American Chateau about 8 O’Clock. It gets dark now about 5 to 5:15 so the last three hours are usually just a question of driving back home. We drive much too fast for safety or comfort and it is very tiresome work. They say we can’t cover the necessary ground at slower speed. We arrive at Chateau cold, stiff & tired. The dinners are splendid though & lots of food. [October 24] Off under Major Norie’s guidance at 8:30. Aire, here saw prison where Dreffres was kept a year or so & some very comfortable red cross barges operated on the Aire Canal. [Hazebrouck], Baillful to Ypres. On way saw his tour places Mont Noir, Mont Rouge, Messines Ridge, Wyanchette & Mont Kernmel. Ypres was the Axis of this salient for 4 years. The average British casualties for 2 years were over 500. From Ypres
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[page 94] went through Menin Gate, probably the bloodiest spot in way to Menin. Until several days before Menin was a Boche headquarters. Went into this, where every thing was confusion; maps records etc left lying on floor. I have a Boche saw bayonet & several maps & papers from here. Menin was the high water mark of the British advance in 1914, being reached by Cavalry only. Road from Menin to Ypres most terrific battle scene. No trees, fields look like ocean waves from trenches, shell & mine craters & barbed wire, Destroyed tanks all around, saw at once some 20 to 25. Road for miles blown to pieces. Troops moving each direction, trucks ambulances etc by hundreds. From Menin to Coutrai, abandonded [October] 18, 6 days before, by Boche, shelled 2 days before. British guns firing on Boche lines back of us. Emigres pouring back along roads. Most pathetic sight. Young & old pulling carts with all their possessions. Some with only a small sack on their shoulders. Talked to several inhabitants. Boche left 4 years to a day, after entering. Now in Belgium, crowds in streets looking around & talking excitedly to each other. Our party of civilians attracted great attention & enthusiasm. Hard fighting in town over canals, which intersect. In one house saw grave in court-yard of British Tommy killed just six days before. Rifles, helmets & everything left just where the men fell – no time as yet to attempt to salvage. Rivers & Canals bridgeless, all having been destroyed by Boche. We crossed on narrow temporary wooden ones. On way back passed many [Red Cross] nurses riding out to the front on front seats of trucks, with the drivers. Cassel, never taken & too high up on hill to be reached by shell fire. Until today the head quarters of the 2nd Army. Gen. [Herbert] Plummer, passed him on way back from Coutrai, Airplanes were flying all over Coutrai, which was only about 5 miles from today’s front,
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[page 95] Pretty nearly every thing of value taken from Coutrai, although town not badly shelled. Even took brass-hinges off of handsome cabinets. The convent of St. Joseph at Coutrai operated as hospital before the war. When the Germans entered the town they made the sick leave the hospital & turned it into a barracks. In Coutrai saw about 30 women prisoners being marched through town headed by 2 peasants (men) hand-cuffed together. The latter were spies to be shot next day, the women, harlots, who had been left behind by the Boche in their hasty retreat. They are full of disease and to be interned. In Bailleul we saw a lunatic asylum which had been used by Boche as a machine gun nest. The Battles of Ypres as told us are [October] 1914 April 1915 (Gas attack by Canadians) June 1916 July 1917 [September] 29 1918 (Quite recent) Hooge was the farthest the Boche got. One very hard fighting location was “Hell fire corner” between Ypres & Menin. Inhabitants of Coutrai told us very similar stories to those of Lille. When Boche left Coutrai they had no time to take boys or women with them. People were driven from homes, while officers took upper floors & men the lower. There was a big air-dome with lots of Allied machines at Coutrai. Subsequently heard Boche had shelled Coutrai the day before, on left of road from Ypres to Menin is the [Passchendaele] Ridge. For miles today we saw a most terrific battle scene of total destruction. Troops & ammunition & salvage dumps everywhere. Arrived at Chateau again about 8 o’clock. The battle-field roads were so torn up & rough that we were badly shaken up. Bed is fine. All lights out at 11.
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[page 96] [October 25] started out about 9 o’clock leaving the American Chateau for good. Piper & O’hara were to be brought here & then taken to Paris to await us. Saw them both. O’hara not so badly done up. Cut across upper lip the worst. Piper looked badly with head all bandaged. Has nasty cut across fore-head & was badly shocked nervously. Doullens, Louvencourt, Forceville Bouzincourt, Albert. All showed signs of severe fighting. Albert totally destroyed. Somme Battle Field of this year must have extended over at least 40 miles, total desolation as far as eye could reach, rolling country covered with dug-outs, trenches, barbed wire, road camouflage, stumps of trees, broken wagons, gun carriages and shells. Good road over the ridge & through battle-field built by the Boche. Maricourt with Somme River in front down in the Valley. A very small stream, in distance appears not much over 50 feet wide. To the right the marshs, defenses of Peronne. All through this country Boche prisoners working on roads & salvaging the battle-fields. Passed number of their prison camps with barbed wire fences around. Very small forces of guards. Frequently a hundred or so prisoners would be scattered along for 2 or 3 hundred yards with only 2 soldiers with loaded rifles guarding them. They say they aren’t very anxious to get away & couldn’t get very far if they tried. Was amused on passing one group eating lunch to see several picking lice off companions. Near MariCourt Captain Townroe told us a big British amunition dump
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[page 97] had been exploded destroying every thing, man, beast & tree, within a half mile or so. Fortunately there weren’t many soldiers near at time. It was here too he told me that the American Engineers, he said under Col. Albert Perkins, had done such good work. He claimed to know Perkins, when I asked him. We were stopped & pass-ports & war passes scrutinized very carefully. This happens frequently. We drove from the American Chateau to the Somme on the main road to the Somme. Saw [Mont Saint-Quentin] to the left near Peronne. Roisel, quite a busy rail-road place. Had to make quite a detour here to cross rail-road tracks because of big crater made by a delayed mine explosion the day before. Saw a number of American artillerymen getting off a train. Ate lunch on road-side just beyond Roisel. About 2 miles farther we came to the head quarters of the Fourth Army of the British, Commanded by General [Henry] Rawlinson. The Northern line up at present as shown by arrows at the American Chateau is French Belgians II [Herbert Plummer] (Ypres) V [William] Birdwood (Lille) I [Henry] Horne (Leus) III [Julian] Byng (Bauparne) IV [Henry] Rawlinson (Peronne) Saw a number of captured German cannon at Roisel. Gen. [Henry] Rawlinson’s head quarters consisted of a long train of cars concealed in a hollow with tops camouflaged by moss,
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[page 98] grass etc. This head quarters is nearer to the fighting line than any we have seen. Found that we were billeted for the night at a number of brigade head quarters between Le Catelet & Le Cateau. Each one of us at a different place as we were to be with the actual fighting men. Gen. [Henry] Rawlinson said he wanted to show us personally a portion of the recent battle. Where some American divisions had had a very hard fight & had helped in the breaking of the Hindenburg line a few days before. The exact location was Gillemont Farm on the top of a hill. There had once been a house & a prosperous farm, now nothing but bare-ground & deep trenches, the Hindenburg Line passing right through where the farm once was. This spot was taken & retaken 7 times. We went all over it with the General, up & down trenches. Very muddy. Ground strewn with American & Boche helmets & equipment just where the men fell. An awful sight. The dead had been buried. There was one grave-yard where about 300 American boys lie side by side in long rows of graves, with plain yellow pine Crosses marking each one. The 27th & 30th Divisions figured here. The General said they were wonderful fighters but that they are so reckless that we lose unnecessarily. For instance right here when they first captured this farm they swept on without “moping up the trenches” as a result the Boche, who had hidden, reappeared and swept our rear with machine guns & it was impossible to retake without heavy loss. This fight
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[page 99] was on [September] 27th between Honnecourt & Geary, where the St. Quentin Canal goes through a tunnel. I was quartered that night at a brigade head-quarters at Elincourt. This place & division head-quarters at next town Serain had been shelled the night before. Had supper at Col. Scully’s of the 5th Connaught Rangers mess. The Colonel was most agreeable & cordial. His adjutant was a Captain Barren. This is an Irish regiment, had been first at Gallipoli, Serbia, Palestine & now in France. Was the one which just took all this ground including Le Cateau, a few days before. The front line was now about 7 or 8 miles away & the regiment resting behind the fighting lines. About 10 I was taken over to the Battalion Mess of Major E.H. Weir, a lively, typical Irishman, who spoke with such a broque I could hardly under stand him. The Major, a Captain Brett, another chap & I occupied 2 rather small rooms. I was really quite comfortable in a Boche wire bed in the Colonels blanket bag. We all sat around until about mid-night. There men said I was the first man in civilian clothes, except a few French peasants, they had seen in weeks. They were all greatly interested in my trip. I was awakened in the night by something heavy walking over me, which turned out to be a stray cat. There were no sheets or pillows. [October 26] An orderly woke us at 7 & brought in hot water. I shaved sitting up in my cradle. Had good breakfast. Before starting off called on the Brigade Commander
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[page 100] A General Williams. Our party of 5, Young, Butler, Rook, Capt. Townroe & I were finally collected from the various towns and started off about 9:30. The rest of the party were also in the same vicinity, but with another officer in charge. Mr. Jones was the only one who had any real excitement. His town was shelled, several exploding quite near the house where he was staying. There are no natives permitted, to remain in this front area. We could see the gun flashes during the night & the rockets being sent up, but nothing disturbed me. Drove under Capt. Barren’s direction up to & through Le Cateau. Barren had led a company through here several days before, when it was captured. At one time Le Cateau had been the Crown Prince’s head-quarters. Not badly damaged because the Boche hadn’t waited in it long enough to necessitate the Allies shelling it. On the way out we passed number of dead horses lying about. Also all sorts of abandoned equipment. I cut an epaulet & a button off of a Boche officers coat. In Le Cateau Barren took us to see the most horrible sight I have ever seen. In a rail-road cutting there were a number of Boche Machine gun nests in dug-outs. The bodies of Boche & British were lying around every where. In one dug-out on the side of the cut there were 7 Boche bodies on top of each other & in front those of 3 British. Horrible – badly Mangeled, one leg from knee down 10 feet away from
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[page 101] a body. I took a Boche helmet from along side the dead owner. We didn’t tarry long here. It was war in much too grim an aspect. From Le Cateau we drove back through Roisel & Le Catelet, Crossing the St. Quentin Canal, the scene of many a hard battle, Villers, Esters, Foucaucourt, Warfusee – Abancourt, and [Villers-Bretonneux], the latter the farthest the Boche reached in attempting to capture Amiens. We also passed through Hancourt, Bourncourt & Mons this morning. Much of this territory was the scene of the First Somme battle and was the same scene of desolation & destruction. Every where through there battle areas there is hardly a living soul, except countless soldiers & there are the omni-present little crosses in small cemeteries or in small groups or singly. Reached Amiens about 1:30 & went to a hotel, where we finally secured 2 cold chickens, an omelet a piece & some claut for lunch. Amiens badly shelled but full of people & looking quite habitable. Old cathedral not badly damaged. Left Amiens in very crowded train at 3:50 & arrived at Paris at 8:15. Were met by Captain Castlerosse representing the British Lieutenant Alleg, the French, and an American officer named Hayes, & taken in machines to the Grand Hotel. As the hotel restaurants must close by 9:30, we didn’t wait to do more than wash & went in for a much needed dinner. Were greatly disappointed when told we would start off early the next morning. Half the party young, Butler, Barrett, Patterson & myself at 8 for the American Front & the others at 7 for the French Front. We all felt very tired after a hard week.
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[page 102] [October 27] Lieut R.D. Hayes of the American Army came to the Grand Hotel for us. Had breakfast & lunch on train & at 2:15 arrived at Chaumont (G.H.Q.) There met a Captain Watson, who told me that Chad was down at the Argonne front & could not be reached. In fact none of the party were able to see any of the people they had specified. Started out in Cadillac Limousines about 3:30 for Neufchateau, where there is a Visitors’ Chateau. On way went through Base Hospital # 116 at Bazeilles. There are a number of U.S. Hospitals near here, I believe about 7. Lt. Col. John B. Walker of Bellevue Hospital, N.Y. was Commandant. He was most agreeable & showed us all around. This hospital can hold about 2200 there were about 12000 possible places in the 7 hospitals in that vicinity. Saw many badly wounded men. Talked to a number, they all seem to be quite resigned. Some are minus one part or another. One young lad of 19, from Joplin, Missouri, was wounded in both legs & is paralysed. He will never walk. He was very brave & said he hadn’t written his family how badly he is hurt as they would find out soon enough. A brother of Henry B. Walthall was there. He is having a hard fight to save a leg, but they think will pull through. Another chap was a reporter of the New York American named Arthur Robinson, who knows Louis Lee Arms. Also saw a chap named C.B. Stewart of Columbia, Mo. who knows Harry & the family. He hadn’t been wounded but was in to have some sort of an operation. These hospitals are one story wooden buildings. Look com -
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[page 103] fortable & are kept very nicely. A very cheerful, capable appearing lot of nurses. Had very comfortable rooms & good dinner at the Visitors Chateau in Neufchateau Regular French four poster beds with the big feather quilts. Have rented furnished. Lieutenant Mangan, formerly City Editor The [Binghamton, New York] Press in charge. Lieutenant Hayes & a Lieutenant Alling from Bridgeport, [Connecticut] are our guides. Lieut Hayes, I am told was formerly the secretary of secretary of war [Newton] Baker. He told me he had been the secretary of the Cleveland Civic League & knows Tuckermann, Mayo Fesler & Roger Baldwin. A very intelligent young man. The Captain Watson we met at Charmont was formerly with the Chicago Tribune’s Washington Bureau. While there saw Junius wood of the Chicago News & Damon Rumjan of New York. While the weather in France isn’t so very cold now, The houses are very damp & cold. All the heat here is a little wood fire-place in the living-room. [October 28] Found that Harry Wallace is the area chief of the Red Cross here and Lieutenant Mangan promised to get in touch with him during the day & ask him to dinner. Started out at 9 o’clock. our route today was as follows Colombey-les-Belles, Toul, Montrat, Beaumont, [Menil-la-Tour], Seicheprey, St. Baussaut, Essey, Maizerais, Mansard, through the Bois de Mansard, Heudicourt, Vigneulles, Hattonchatel, Chaillon, [Saint-Mihiel], Sampigny, Commercy, Void, [Vaucouleurs], Maxey, Goussaucourt, Greux, Dourenry & Coussey. About 10 miles from Neufchateau just beyond Beaumont, we
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[page 104] were taken all over a tremendous airplane repair plant. It occupied a number of acres with tent air dromes scattered here and there. The number of planes being constantly damaged is very considerable. There must have been 7 or 8 hundred in today. There were several hundred all ready to be taken out again, aviators were testing quite a number and the buzz of flying machines was very apparent. One of the majors, who showed us around, was [Samuel William] Ramsey of Kansas City. we sped on along the excellent roads and past well-kept country for several hours passing thousands of troops and vehicles. The country right here has never been in the actual fighting zone. About twelve o’clock Lieutenant Alling suggested that we stop at the next soldiers mess and add hot coffee to our cold lunch. This happened to be a battalion of colored labor troops under white officers. We were most hospitably received and urged to sit down and try the whole lunch to see just what the soldiers get in the field. The cook’s wagons were scattered here & there and it was a scene of happy animation. We seemed to be a very unusual sight to the colored boys. One told me were the first civilians he had seen in over four weeks. They had been up immediately behind the front lines keeping the roads in repair as fast as damaged by shell-fire. Lafe Young found several Iowa men among the officers. One colored boy discovered that I was from St. Louis & said he knows Lee Green and has waited on me (that’s his story) on the Pennsylvania diner between St. Louis & Columbus. His name is George M. Hall, 3327 Lawton Ave. After a
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[page 105] very good lunch of boiled beef, potatoes, turnips, baked beans, white bread, & coffee we started out. Around Seicheprey are located several spots of great American interest. Here are the original front live trenches held for the whole four years, with very little fluctuation, until the St. Mihiel drive. This is all what is called the Toul sector. So the right is the Vosges sector, now the most quiet of the entire line, where the newer U.S. troops are put in the line for experience, and where there is only occasional shell-fire and small raiding expeditions. To the left several miles away is the celebrated Mont sec, held for so long by the Boche, which dominated the entire region and poured shells into the American trenches. It’s capture was the first objective of the St. Mihiel drive. It was right about here that, as we were threading one way toward the front, I saw Sam McPheetees sitting up on the front seat with the driver in the first trench of a long truck train. Our recognition was mutual and both stopped. We had a few minutes talk until the traffic behind began to clamor. He was going back, he said for more amunition to take up to the front. The village, where he is billeted, was bombed last night. He told me that Lloyd Wells and Ted White were in a village just ahead and, in the short time our guides could allow me, I tried to locate them but unsuccessfully. A little farther along, in a dense wood, we saw a typical illustration of the care which the Boche took to be comfortable. At what was evidently a division or brigade head-quarters hidden in the wood, with moss, brush, etc. on the roofs to make
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[page 106] them invisible from the air, were a number of splendid bungalows. Nicely made wicker and rough wood chairs, factory made window frames & wall-paper. The paths were made and nicely outlined by a stone border and rustic bridges spanned the small drainage ditch. This is quite near the present front and only a little farther on we passed under one of the U.S. observation sausage balloons. As we passed the anti-aircraft guns started off. They said a squadron of Boche planes were attempting to destroy this balloon but they were so high I could not see them. It was a very thrilling sight to see the shells break way up in the air aimed a burst of smoke and not a quart of a mile away. At Hattonchatel we were up on one of the main U.S. and French observation posts. This is shelled every few hours. We here had to have our helmets and gas masks on and ready for instant use. This place is within about 4 miles of the front at one side and 1 ½ on another. This is however a fairly quiet sector except that at present the American troops are pushing forward gradually. As it is now open fighting there are no regular trenches for us to go in, so this is as near as civilians can get to the front. There was a young New York Aviation Lieutenant here who had run out of petrol the night before and had just barely succeeded in Volplaning down behind the American lines. He had a very close shave as he was being pursued by several enemy planes. His machine was plainly visible out in
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[page 107] the open ground and he was waiting for night to take a truck up to refill it and fly back He couldn’t go in day time as the portion, where it lay, was too exposed. While here a Major Baker, a brother of secretary [Newton] Baker, came up to take a view. We also saw a small plane combat in the distance. Again it was too far away and too high up for my poor eyes, even with a field glass. This is a great day for America, the big drive up in the Argonne is starting. The wedge runs about a 12 mile advance. Perhaps the most critical part of the Boche line is opposite our troops just north of Verdun. If broken the Germans will have lost their line of communication between the Metz area and the more western and Northern fronts. They are fighting to prevent the American advance with a ferocity and stubbornness not exceeded, we are told, in the whole four years on any front. The Argonne country is frightful fighting country, filled with high ridges ravines and woods, affording thousands of strong locations for machine gun nests, which are being taken at terrific cost. The Germans are reported to have concentrated 39 divisions, or nearly one half their total strength, here to protect this vital point, thereby weakening their line at other points, and we hear, thus have enabled the Belgians, British and French to push steadily on. For weeks the Americans have been steadily gaining and the Germans have finally become so weakened by continual pressure, that when the big onslaught came, they went back approximately twelve miles. Their nerves seem to be shattered. The retreat is going
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[page 108] on so fast that the American troops are pursuing in motor trucks. Owing to the hurry & congestion we cannot get into the Argonne district at all, which is a great disappointment to us all. They are moving all possible troops over from this sector and there are streams of them pouring forward, lines of “Walking Wounded” & those in ambulances, amunition & supply trucks hurry forward filled & rush back empty for more. The roads are all confusion. The sound of guns is in the distance, although not so evident on this front. The American soldiers seem to be different, in some intangible way from the French & British. They are wonderfully full of spirit & cheerfulness. Their one idea is to “lick the Boche”. As Gen. John M. I. Finney told me of our party, in describing the whole idea of the American Army, “We want to go home, of course, all of us do, but we are not going home until the Boche is beaten to a finish and admits it. Then we are coming home”. “Finis la guerre tout de suite” is an expression the American dough-boy has acquired & generally uses and typifies the spirit of recklessness & dash with which “they go to it”, which brings results, but I am afraid almost too heavy & un-necessary casualties. Various British and French Generals & officers have so stated. We hear that the casualties are now coming in very heavily. Much the worst we have had so far. From rather indefinite information, I believe the various St. Louis units have been in the thick of it and have therefore
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[page 109] undoubtedly suffered severely. I am wondering which of my friends have gone down. From Hattonchatel we drove along the ridge & then through the valley to St. Mihiel. While damaged some, this town is not so badly used up. The advance and retreat was, luckily for it, too swift to necessitate much shelling. I felt greatly thrilled in driving through a place so pregnant with meaning to America. Arrived at 5 O’Clock at Domremy, the birth-place of Joan d’ Arc. Her house and the church was closed so we decided to drive back the first thing in the morning. Were very glad all of us to get back to the visitor’s chateau at Neufchateau about six o’clock. There had been some mix up about Wallace’s coming to dinner, but they told me that word had been sent to be sure & come over after dinner. Major James, a high official in the Press & censor-ship work, the branch whose guests we now are, a very pleasant chap from North Carolina, a Captain Joseph M. Hanson of South Dakota, for some years with the Ote’s Elevator Company in St. Louis and a Major B.C. Bulger, a New York newspaper man (friend of Barretts) came over from Chaumont and Bar-le-Duc for dinner & to spend the night. James is quite capable on the piano and can improvise an accompaniment to almost any popular song, so we had a very pleasant evening, despite a threatened air-raid. We were all thoroughly enjoying our-selves, sitting around the grate-fire in the sitting-room, relaxing after our enthusiastic but really hard & tire-some day, when the siren blew the first alarm, which means Boche planes have crossed the lines. As these were only some 25 miles away &
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[page 110] as we did not know their objective, there was a scramble to prepare. The shutters were inspected to see that no light could escape, street lights were put out, & the town settled down to await developments. Shortly, I really presume within 5 minutes, a second alarm sounded, which meant they were seen or heard coming our way. The situation then became really tense. We heard nothing more however, and soon every thing relaxed. I think the dark streets or some trouble about Harry’s not getting my message was responsible for his not showing up. [October 29] Heard this morning that the Boche, had bombed the air-plane plant we had visited the day before and destroyed between forty & fifty planes. Arrived back at Domremy about 10 o’clock. In the meanwhile after breakfast, I had walked around to Red Cross Headquarters and found not only Harry Wallace, but Ray Carter, Jim Brookmire, & Charlie Clark. I hadn’t expected to see any one but Harry, as the Red Cross man, who had told me in London that Harry was here, hadn’t mentioned the others. I was especially surprised to see Clark, because I had understood he was in some kind of farm reconstruction work. Charlie was the first one I struck, as I went in the gate. Harry is the Chief of this regional area. They had expected me for dinner the night before so some one evidently fell down in getting me properly connected up. I didn’t have much time to look around but did see the very comfortable French house in which they live. Also met Colonel Murphy. From what I could learn the others of the Barnes Unit are
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[page 111] at Rouen, at least most of them. Clopton is in charge of a field hospital of some kind. Had a nice visit of about 15 minutes with the boys, until our machines came to pick me up. Joan d’ Arc’s house of birth was quite interesting as was the old church where she worshipped. They, of course, point out a few of hers. Up on the hill a little beyond is a memorial church recently erected. Quite an imposing, although not very large, edifice. The most interesting feature of it is the series of six historical pictures painted by Lionel Royer depicting important events in Joan d’ Arc’s life. The vision ; her appeal to the Dauphin to take life seriously and fight the British, when she picked him out although disguised ; the relief of Orleans ; her victorious entry into that city ; the coronation of the Dauphin, where she was accused of taking too conspicuous a part ; and her burning at the stake at Rouen : From Domremy we went to a so called shell-shock hospital. Major Parsons, in Command, gave us a most interesting explanation of shell-shock as we went through. It seems to be a very improper term, in that the shell feature is immaterial. The trouble is really a species of nervous prostration & hypochondriaism. The average time in hospital is 3 weeks. To be cured really depends on the patient him-self & I rather gathered that it is a case of “yellowness in many cases. Arrived at Chaumont at about 12:30 & went to the Visitor’s Chauteau there for lunch. Were met by a Colonel Moreno, quite high up in intelligence work. I forgot to note in reference to last evening that after dinner, on a vote being taken, all the American officers present expressed the opinion that
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[page 112] the war will be over in a week or two. They say that the news they get from prisoners & from Germany is most satisfactory & that the feeling of unrest is very real indeed. Col. Moreno confirmed this today. With the success of the Allied Armies and the trouble internally, things do look pretty good. There is a great deal of speculation as to whether Germany will send out her fleet for a last grand attempt. I do not think she will. The more I see, the more I am confirmed in my idea that the German is not a good losing fighter. Rushed down to station, after an excellent luncheon, to take a 2:18 P.M. train. Found that 3 troops trains were scheduled to go ahead of us. It was about 3:45 before we actually started, arrived at Paris about 8:30 p.m. a Red-Cross-Chaplain, who was in the Compartment with three of us, saved our lives, having a surplus of several sandwiches. He was from Providence, Rhode Island, and said he knew Tom & Minnie West. Were met at station by another U.S. Lieutenant with motors, who took us to the hotel. We have expected to go to Tours tomorrow but there has been a complication or mix-up of Arrangements somewhere. A Captain Clark, a newspaper man from Boston, in the S.O’.S. is here with motors for Tours in the morning & the French have arranged an interview with President [Raymond Poincare] for the afternoon. In the meanwhile, when I left Paris Sunday, not expecting to go to Tours, I had arranged to have Bob wired to come up to Paris and he has sent word he will arrive late tomorrow night.
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[page 113] Here is another complication, G.H.Q., Major James wired Bob we would be at Tours tomorrow, so I do not know what will happen. He is due to leave Tours about 4 P.M. we, of course, cannot go to Tours tomorrow, as an engagement with the French President cannot lightly be broken. [October 30] Spent almost all morning fooling around the Elysee Palace, which is American Paris G.H.Q. and finally got a Major Ballard to have some one in Bob’s department telephone to him to disregard message from Tours and to come on to Paris. About 3 I received a message that he would be here, so I feel I have at last worried every body until I have accomplished what I want. They don’t like to be bothered right now arranging liasons. Our interview with the President was very flattering, I presume, but quite uninteresting from an informative angle. He couldn’t speak English and we couldn’t speak French. Butler speaks a little and he did very well indeed. We were escorted to the interview by 3 French officers in Full dress regalia, swords et all. That evening we had a formal dinner given by the French Ministry of Information or whatever the department is with these functions. We are the French Government’s guests while here and they are paying the expenses. We had a very good dinner and some more French speechs and adjourned about 10:30. On my left was a Mr. Georges – Marie Haardt (Directeur General des Usines Audre Citroen & Directeur General de la societe Automobiles Mors.) The Citroen plant is perhaps the largest shell plant in the world, any way it is one of the largest. Haardt knows the Steedman boys,
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[page 114] especially George. Bob showed up about eleven and we had a wonderful talk. He is here to stay until I leave, which will be in four or five days. He has some business in Paris and he also is having his first real vacation. Was greatly pleased to see me & looks well. [October 31] Had an interview with Marechal [Joseph] Joffre at eleven A.M. Again we listened to an address in French in which the general expressed himself as very fond of the Americans, very appreciative of what they are doing in the war, and of the closer relationship which he hoped would exist between the two countries in the future. He said how much he had enjoyed his trip to the United States in 1917, that it had necessarily been all too short and that “apres le guerre” he hoped to accept of American hospitality again and for a longer time. Butler again made a very nice response in French. From the War College, several of us went to see, what was to me an old story but still always interesting, Napoleon’s tomb. This is at present closed to the public but the Lieutenant who was with us succeeded in impressing the custodian with the supposed importance of his charges and we were specially conducted through. It is certainly a wonderful structure. Napoleon’s tomb itself cannot be seen, as it is covered by layer upon layer of sand-bags. Had luncheon at the Volney Club at The Cercle Artistique et Litteraire, 7 Rue Volney. They invited Bob also, which we both appreciated. A Mons. Boutroux, a very old man, Professor of Philosophy French Academy, made a most excellent address which was translated for us by a [written in margin] a mons. Tardieu seems to be head of French Ministry of Information.
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[page 115] Lieut Perigord. This Lieutenant speaks beautiful English and has been in almost every state in the United States on a speaking propoganda tour our immediate chaperons are Lieut. Alleg. & Lieut. Pinson. The latter proved to have been one of Bob’s Artillery instructors at [Fontainebleau]. He remembered Bob & Daly and they had a very nice visit together. Among the prominent men at these two French dinners were: Charpentier, one of the advisors of the Board of Trade, expert in all commercial questions and specially informed of the inter-allied agreements & councils. E. Dolleaus, Professor of Political Science and Social psychology. A writer in History and Labour association. H. Gerard, a scientific farmer carrying on the American methods and an official at the Board of Agriculture. Haardt (described before) Koszul, Professor at the Sorboune and the better known expert in France on Anglo-Saxon Literature. Oppenheim, a very well known engineer. Max Lazard, General secretary (Finance & War Purchase, Inter-allied Committee) An expert in Social & Labour questions. Puaux, Director of Public Information Department, Diplomatist, and an expert in all questions of International politics and foreign policy. Pinson, (mentioned before). Lieutenant d’Artillery. Since the war an artillery expert, and before, living in Mexico and organizer of Franco-Mexican social & commercial relations. Alleg, (mentioned before). Lieutenant d’Artillery. Military expert and dealing specially with the Franco-American exchange of students & masters.
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[page 116] Dr. Rist, one of the best physicians of the modern School. Verdieu, an export merchant, who has lived in the United States. Lafaurie, a writer and an artist. One of the most able newspaper men, acquainted with the greatest journalists of all countries (His acquaintance has now been greatly enlarged) The above descriptions are as furnished by the French. As most of the gentlemen spoke very broken English the inter-change of Ideas was naturally quite limited. They all however speak most complimentarily of America & Americans and seem equally as anxious as the British to have very close and cordial relations between the two nations in the future. After the luncheon we all went down to the Chambre des Deputes. A very handsome building & comfortable chamber. The seats of the members, who have died in the war, are appropriately decorated. Bob & I dined at the famous, or perhaps I should say infamous, Maxius, after dinner we were joined by Major Montagu and went to the Follies Bergere. The “promenade” is, as formerly, crowded with women attempting to effect assignations. Lieut. Perigord told us that 3 weeks ago the British were holding 77 miles of front. French 403, Americans 56, French have 1,400,000 dead, British over 1,000,000. If marched by spot in military formation French dead would take 12 days & nights to be reviewed. [November 1] A holiday, all stores closed. Bob & I, the previous afternoon had run into Harry Blackwell and Sid Bixby and had made an appointment to meet at 11 O’Clock at the King Edward VII Hotel. A most comfortable and attractive looking hotel by the way. They were there. I also ran into Captain Brett and several officers of the 5th Connaught Rangers, in Paris on leave. The
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[page 117] Captain had called on me at my hotel several days before. We sat around for an hour or so and their after lunch Bob & I went out in a taxi to Saint Cloud (I think that’s the way it is spelled) to see Elizabeth Edgar and Grace Gale. They are both located in the same suburb of Paris. Taxis are hard to get and you have to bribe them excessively to persuade one to take you on more than a very short trip. Elizabeth Edgar is at an American hospital as a voluntary nurse’s aid. Saw both of them. On way out saw Mr. Nelson Cromwell, the Campbell lawyer at a distance. Bob & I had dinner, with several other’s of our party, with Captain Lord Castlerosse, the owner of the Lakes of Killarney. He is one of the most unusual and entertaining chaps I have ever met. An Irish Catholic, thoroughly loyal to England & the Empire and thoroughly disgusted with the way the southern Irish have acted about conscription. Has been through some very hard fighting resulting in almost the total loss of use of his right arm. He still manages to play golf though. Formerly was quite a good player. He is attached to the Ministry of Information and one of it’s representatives at Paris. Some entertainer & seems to have an unlimited expense account. He met us at the station along with the French when we first arrived at Paris from the British Front. As he expressed it “My pleasure as well as duty is to see that you gentlemen are well taken care of and to supply any thing, if anything, over looked by the French, whose guests you now are”. He is always around inviting us to do various things. After sitting around
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[page 118] for a while, Bob went to the theatre. I couldn’t very well get away. I met a very interesting and at the same time unusual woman, a Mrs Waterman. She is a war correspondent of the London Times. Has been to many of the front battle fronts, including Serbia & Italy. Most frank in her conversation but extremely acute & well informed. Affects the English in everything, although an American and originally from Kansas City. [November 2] Piper & O’hara are back with the party here in Paris. Both have their sons here with them. I imagine that they both feel that there was some mead of alleviation for the suffering & inconvenience of their accident as their boys are the only people from the actual fighting forces that any of the party have seen. Piper has his head all bandaged up being hurt the worse of the two. O’hara isn’t badly off barring several scars which I think will gradually lessen. Can’t tell about Piper’s until the bandage comes off. He has the wound constantly dressed. He has gone with the rest of the party to the American front, his son’s leave having expired. O’hara is still here with his son. Lieutenant Count Le Marois took us in charge today on the trip to the French front. We took a train about eight A.M. for Noyon. An Associated Press Paris man named Morgan was also invited to come with us. The Lieutenant brought a delicious cold lunch consisting of pheasant patty, cold chicken, bread & butter & cheese with wine. Butter & cheese
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[page 119] are the height of luxury in France, both being almost unobtainable. En route the places of interest, besides the place along this rail-road line where the Boche rush for Paris in 1914 was stopped by General Joffre, somewhere near or between towns of Ecouen & Dammartin, are Chantilly, Compiegne, the forest of Compiegne & Ribecourt. Just before reaching Noyon we saw the trenches & entanglements and familiar battle scenes of destruction which mark the farthest German advance this year. There was a young French lieutenant in our compartment who had fought right through this country and he pointed out several places of peculiar interest to him & consequently to us, because of being shown by an actual participant. There was one hill in particular, to the left of the rail-road, where the fighting, he said, had been especially severe in taking it from the Boche. At Noyon we found three French Military limousines awaiting us. We were very glad they were limousines because it had been raining quite hard all morning. As subsequent events proved it was fortunate also as they drove so fast that the mud flew up to such an extent as to entirely obstruct our vision through the glass, a curtain could not have been more effective. It was better so, though, than all over us. Noyon is badly shot up. The house of Calvin’s birth on the Rue Calirn, is totally destroyed nothing remaining but a pile of bricks & mortar. The beautiful old 12th century cathedral is about half gone. The Hotel de Ville was burned by the Boche on evacuation. Another mute bit of evidence to the most terrible
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[page 120] curse of vandalism ever suffered by a country. Drove from Noyon to Chauny. Here the civilians had been moved to one part of the town and the balance of the place destroyed. Saw also a huge, or what was once a huge fertilizer factory, which had occupied a number of blocks, maliciously destroyed during the Hun retreat a year ago. Drove through Moy, & La Fere to St. Quentin. The roads around here haven’t been repaired much as yet and the mud added to their badness. Around Flavy-le-Martel, the scene was that of a typical battle-field. Road as muddy and rough as one can possible imagine, detours every few yards around shell-holes & mine-craters. A regiment of infantry plodding heavily through, accompanied by the necessary complement of supply & cook wagons. Artillery going one direction and ambulances going either direction. This is some distance back of the front now but the military activity extends for miles behind the lines. St. Quentin is quite a large town, badly shelled & now deserted of civilian population, A French division head-quarters. The Cathedral wasn’t so badly damaged as not to be subject to reconstruction. This is true of the whole town. A perfect specimen of Hun deviltry was shown by the holes which were made in the massive columns of this old cathedral and the lettering stating that it was preparred for the explosives necessary to destroy. They evidently had to retreat too quickly to
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[page 121] carry out this plan of wanton destruction. It’s hard to believe that any people, believed to be civilized, would do such things. A well laid plan to wreck a big Church, too, cannot be laid to unrully soldiery. It was a deliberate plan of competent authority. Here also we saw first hand evidence of the Huns lack of respect for religion and even death, generally a most sacred matter to civilized peoples. A former convent (Saint Sulpice) had been turned into a hospital by the Boche and is still so used by the French. In the cellars there is a crypt where the nuns have been buried ever since the founding of the convent. They were buried in rows each in her own little cubicle and the front being of stone & cement, several of there last resting places of the sisters had been broken into and one body even pulled out on to the floor in the endeavor to see if they were buried in copper coffins or if there was anything of value. After breaking into three or four they evidently determined the simple nuns in their last sleep were of no value. The body lying on the floor, where it has been temporarily left by the French, as a mute but striking example of Boche barbarity, is quite well preserved, although having been buried some sixty years. Ham, Nesles Chaulnes, Le Quesnoy & Roye all showed the heavy fighting that had gone on for several years. This section of France is part of that originally occupied by the Germans, then retaken by the Allies, reconstructed as far as possible and there re-taken by the Boche in last spring’s drive. This is a very sad part of the war’s history. The first terrific destruction, the splendid courage
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[page 122] and determination of the people to come back to their homes and start in all over again & then again the deluge. The continual sight of destruction every where is a most depressing influence. If more Americans could personally see it the Hun vandals would most certainly get nearer their just desserts in the final reckoning. Montdidier, of recent fame, came next and from a lofty look-out place we gazed down and over the plain to Cantigny in the distance. A place of great moment to Americans, marking a most heroic advance, at great cost. From Montdidier we drove in the dark to Clermont, where we were to take the train for Paris. Missed our train, in which there was a reserved compartment, by three minutes and had to wait about an hour and a half for the next. When this came in from Amiens it was full to over-flowing and we were obliged to stand up all the way, about an hour and three-quarters ride, bringing us to Paris about 8:30 P.M. As I didn’t know when we would be back I hadn’t arranged to see Bob today. We were all quite exhausted and glad to turn in shortly after dinner. We had thought the British and American Military drivers reckless, and as driving at too high speed, but they can not be compared to the French today. Despite the rough roads & the deep mud at places, & they never use chains over here, making skidding a common occurrence, we sometimes, I am positive, ran well over 50 miles an hour. I have several times in this trip
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[page 123] been extremely doubtful of ultimately coming through but never more so than several times this afternoon. At one place we were practically in a big mine-crater, going very rapidly, before our chauffeur, who was talking to Morgan on front seat, noticed it. He had only a fraction of a second to swing the machine around, which he fortunately was able to do, throwing O’hara and me off the back seat at the same time. I am stiff all over from sitting on a strain and being jolted for so many miles. Count Marois is quite a character. A scion of one of the oldest French families, quite wealthy, formerly kept two racing studs, he is most cordial and interesting. Quite short & not a day younger than 55, with florid complexion he looks very much like Doctor Bitting. He is full of energy, bustling around constantly to make his guests comfortable. [November 3] Sunday. Bob and I, I must confess, did not rise very early, it being a rainy, dark day. We took a walk or rather a paddle winding up at the Hotel Crillon to see Colonel McNeeley, of [St. Joseph] The Colonel represents the R.R. & C. at British head-quarters. Found several other Missourians with him, all connected with the accounting department here in Paris, Judge J.P. Page (Kansas City), Roy Cox (Springfield) and N.S. Macgruder (formerly with the St. Louis Union Trust Co.) Had lunch and sat around with them until almost supper time. Bob & I then went to what we thought would be a very live show. Found it was a light opera of most inferior quality in all respects girls, acting, singing, costumes & scenery. Left after two acts. Paris streets at night are all Dick Kennard said about them & then some
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[page 124] [November 4] a nice bright day. Took a long walk with Lafe young in the morning seeing many familiar things reminding me of past trips. Bob is working today. In afternoon Butler and I went with Lieut. Alleg to see the immense Citroen munitions plant. A most wonderful factory occupying many acres of city blocks on the banks of the Seine, a short distance from the Eifel Tower – Privately owned and operated but producing nothing but shells for the “French 75’s”, production over 40,000 per day. Never have I seen a cleaner and more perfectly systamatized institution, for a plant of this size is an institution in every sense of the word. It employs over 7000 women, who work in 10 hour shifts. It was intensely interesting to watch the various steps in the production of this most efficient shell, from the raw pig-iron to the finished engine of destruction. The lunch room accomodating thousands was so clean that one could literally eat off the floor. Andre Citroen, the genius of the plant, has installed many novel and I imagine very effective adjuncts. Every big plant we have inspected has had an emergency hospital perfectly equipped and immaculately clean, with corps of surgeons and nurses, and which I am afraid are quite frequently needed, but none have gone into the matter so thoroughly as Citroen. In the hospital department, in addition to the regular work, there are propholactic, dentistry and even manicuring departments to aid the employees by encouraging
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[page 125] cleanliness and healthy living. The nursery was most interesting. Married women employees can leave their babies here while they work. The maximum age is four. In order to encourage the Mothers to nurse their own children, the factory gives a bonus of 20 francs to each Mother nursing for 4 months and an additional 30 francs for the whole possible term. Two times off a day for nursing are allowed on company time as well, the other two out of the employees time. The nursery was as spic and span as can be imagined and in charge of a most wholesome looking woman. There were some sixty children there today but the total capacity is considerably larger. The children that spend the first four years of their lives here at least 10 hours of each day, are I feel seem very fortunate as their own home conditions cannot possibly at all equal this carefully planned and managed nursery, where they have the best of scientific care. We also went through a French reconstruction school, maintained by popular subscription, in which between three and four hundred maimed soldiers are taught useful trades and found positions after graduation. We saw men, with all sorts of appliances on arms and legs, making every conceivable article, and even learning barbering and women’s hair-dressing. The cheerfulness and optimism of the wounded of all nationalities, that we have seen, is most wonderful. I cannot help wondering if I could become reconciled to a similar situation. I am not attempting in this diary to note the daily war news as it is developing, that is public history
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[page 126] It is certainly getting more and more favorable and wonderful. Major Montagu, or “Monti” as we call him, is a most pleasant and capable man. As the manager of a party such as ours he could not be improved on, under his systamatic guidance everything runs like clock work. Bob and I had telephoned Elizabeth Edgar to come in and have dinner with us and then go to the theatre with Bob (I leave about 10 P.M. for Boulogne). She is due at about 7:30. It is now 8:30 & she hasn’t come, so I must get my dinner. Bob is going to wait for her. When I left the Grand Hotel for the station at nine O’clock she still hadn’t arrived. I imagine something turned up to prevent her coming and she wasn’t able to reach us by telephone. The telephones here are very demoralized. Bob saw us off. I was certainly sorry to leave him and I know he hated to see me go. We had a sleeper all to our-selves with the addition of Colonel, sir Campbell Stuart, Northcliffe’s aid, who is going over to London for several days, Northcliffe has been in Paris for several days on account of the conference going on between the Allies on the Armistice terms. Colonel [Edward] House, Admiral [William] Benson, and General [John] Pershing as well as General [Tasker] Bliss are here for the United States. [John] Pershing, I hear, has been laid up for several days, presumably with Influenza. [David] Lloyd-George, [Arthur] Balfour, [Andrew] Bonar Law and General [Douglas] Haig are among the British representatives. [Georges Clemenceau],
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[page 127] and [Ferdinand] Foch among the French. These big matters which have been coming to a head in the past week or so have prevented our seeing many of the most important International persons. Every one is wondering what the armistice terms will be and many seem to be. Worried with the idea that President [Woodrow] Wilson may want to be too easy on the Germans. Most people think Germany will have to accept whatever is offered. The military & internal situations are too serious for her. [November 5] After a very comfortable night ride, arrived at Boulogne about 8:15 A.M. Had breakfast at the hotel right down on the dock. In the three-quarters of an hour we had to kill before sailing, I stood in the rain watching two British hospital boats being loaded with wounded. There were hundreds, I might say literally, several thousand, of the poor devils. The ambulances drove up in streams and there were at least four stretches to each. The poor chaps looked very damp and cold, wrapped up in their blankets, as they were carried by. Some were cheerful, talking, lifting up their heads and even smoking. Others were motionless and seemed to be suffering greatly. One becomes used to scenes like this over here which in the course of normal, every day life would upset one for days. I have frequently wondered whether the hardening influence of four years of war on so many millions of people will have a very detrimental effect on future character. Right here I wish to pay a sincere tribute to tobacco and especially cigarettes. I really cannot conceive of conditions if there had
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[page 128] not been available for the boys, who are undergoing so much. The trip over to Folkestone was quite rough and there were scores of “mal de mer” victims. The lower docks were a veritable shambles, let’s pull the curtain here – “Nough said”. Hustled from boat to train, where our reservations were in the most comfortable dining car I have ever seen – Large luxurious arm chairs and a most delicious meal. Arrived London about 3:30 and went back to the Savoy Hotel. We were all glad to get back because this is by far the most comfortable hotel we have been in. The trip through France is quite hard and I think every one is a bit worse for wear. [November 6] Found a number of invitations for various functions next week awaiting us and Major Wrench told us the plan was to give us this week to ourselves. Ordinarily we would have greatly appreciated 5 or 6 free days in London, with expenses paid, but under present conditions both personal desires and business necessities made us all feel that we must “carry on”. It was finally arranged therefore that we start for Ireland early tomorrow morning. Working this out took all morning. In the afternoon Butler and I went with Col. Rook, under Captain Rawles guidance, to see Wormwood scrubs prison. Rook is on the Western Pennsylvania Penitentiary Board. Spent a very interesting two hours. Rook & I had dinner quietly and I did some writing afterwards. The chief difficulty with this is the chilliness of the hotel.
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[page 129] [November 7] Left London via London & Northwestern R.R. Route as far as Chester same as from Liverpool. Very good box lunches & ginger-ale served on train. Wales, from Chester to Holy head an attractive, well-kept up Country. The rail-road frequently ran along the sea shore and we passed a number of nice looking resorts. At 2:40 left on the Dublin Packet boat. It was an exceedingly rough trip and the scenes of trip from Boulogne to Folkestone were repeated, even exaggerated. Landed about 5:45 at Kingstown, six miles from Dublin. Papers told of taking of Sedan by the Americans and the signing of the Armistice. We were all very much excited. Unfortunately the Armistice signing on that day was a myth. It wasn’t possible for the German delegates to have even arrived at the meeting place. The Shelbourne Hotel at Dublin is very old-fashioned but quite comfortable. It only needs a little heat, besides the open fires down-stairs & a small heat plant for steam in the living rooms, to make it very comfortable. There is no heat in the bed-rooms except open fires & they cannot be had except for sickness at present. Very rainy cold night. Went to a vaudeville show which was unusually poor. They wouldn’t let Montogu enter because of the Influenza rule prohibiting any one in uniform going in a theatre. We left before half over. [November 8] cold, cloudy day with frost but no rain. Took train at 9 A.M. for Belfast. Our two reserved compartments were the coldest and dampest places I can remember. Sat for some time in sweaters & over-coats. Finally after starting we got some steam-heat from the engine & were fairly comfortable. The Great Northern Railway train we were on is by far the best we have seen in Europe. Wider cars than ever American,
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[page 130] I believe, and beautifully upholstered. The outside was a highly polished and varnished natural wood. Arrived Belfast at 11:45 A.M. Four of us were assigned to the Imperial Hotel and 8 to the Avenue Hotel. Both very crude. Understand a large and better one has been taken over by the government for government purposes. At 12 noon went through York Street Linen Mills. 1:15 P.M. given luncheon by Lord Mayor (Mr James Johnson) in parlors of City Hall. A most handsome and quite modern building. I sat next to Sir George Clark of Workman & Clark & Cos. immense ship-building plant. He is a Scotch-man, who has lived in Ireland a number of years. A very good luncheon attended by the most prominent men & journalists of Belfast. As our primary object in coming to Ireland was to study the Irish question, both speeches and private conversation was to a large extent on this absorbing topic. I am not going to include this in the chronological part of this diary but will file as an appendix with special articles on several other subjects. 2:15 left City Hall for Gallaher’s Tobacco Factory. A large well managed plant. 2:45 Workman & Clark Co’s. ship building plants. (Gallaher’s Tobacco factory production, 40 million Cigarettes & 200 tons smoking & Chewing tobacco a week) Several large boats now on stocks & several already launched. A most interesting feature of this visit was the interview we had with 7 or 8 labor leaders of various unions & associated groups of laborers employed in the yards. They all stated positively that they support Sir Edward Carson
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[page 131] and the Ulster position. Montagu invited several newspaper men in to dinner and we talked with them until about nine O’Clock, when, personally, being very tired I went to bed. Among the guests at the Lord Mayor’s luncheon were the Lord High Sheriff & the Lord High Chamberlain. I tried sleeping with a pig for the first time. It is certainly fine on a cold night. Before dinner several of us in walking around struck the best looking butcher shop I can remember ever having seen We went in & priced the various articles & found they were less than in many instances at home. There doesn’t seem to be much food shortage in Ireland _ Beef, butter & sugar, the three things so scare in England, Scotland & France, are easily obtainable. I forgot to mention that a gentleman named Sir Frederick Moneypeny met us on arrival, as the representative of the Lord Mayor. He made all the arrangements for our stay in Belfast. The Irish arrangements as a whole are under the direction of Lord Decies, the Chief Censor for Ireland better known in America as the husband of one of George Gould’s daughters. [November 9] Left Belfast at 10 A.M. for Dublin. The Lord Mayor, Sir Moneypeny and a Mr. Pollock, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, came down to the station to see us off. Arrived at Dublin at 1:30 P.M. & went back to the Shelbourne. We had announced Thursday evening on arrival that we would reserve this (Saturday) afternoon to see representatives of all elements of Irish opinion & contention that cared to see us. We first were waited upon by the representatives of
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[page 132] “The Irish Independent” of Dublin, who presented each one of us with a handsome blackthorn Cane. Some weapon, believe me. Sir Horace Plunkett then called. He was the chairman of the unsuccessful convention held this year to try to settle the Irish question. Then came the real thing, the representatives of the Sinn Fein organization. This organization which has offices openly at 25 Parnell Square has officers as follows: Eamon de Valera, President; Father Flanagan, V.P. ; Arthur Griffith, 2 V.P. ; & John T. O’Kelly, Gen. Secretary. The title of the organization is “The Gaelic League”. Eamon De Valera and many of the leaders are in prison. One of our callers is now “wanted by the police” he told us. Among the delegation were : John T. O’Kelley Roland P. Little, R. O. Breman & P. Sheepan & Mr. Knightly. They are very frank in their position; they now want entire independence & not home-rule, they expect to break with Dillon, O’Connor & the Nationalists & admit receiving aid from Germany for the recent riots & Sir Roger Casement’s expedition. They state that they are not pro-German but only anti-English. That they took arms & assistance from Germany the same as they would from any one else. I asked if they meant that “the end justifies the means” & they said “yes, if to beat England.” They say they were not opposed to conscription for Ireland but objected to having to fight for England, A Country they hate. They expect [Woodrow] Wilson to get them freedom at the final peace conferences and say
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[page 133] that if he does not at least make the attempt that he will be the greatest hypocrite of history. Enough of this now. Had several other unimportant callers, whom I cannot remember. One interesting one, though, was a Countess Plunkett, no relation of Sir Horace Plunkett. Her title, or rather right to it, seems to be more or less obscure. She is a radical through & through. One son has been executed for rebellion & her husband & another son are now in prison. It was interesting to learn that while she was in talking to us, a young English lawyer, Lord Decies’s assistant, was also in the room & while she does not know it, he was the prosecuting officer against his sons & husband. Lord Decies gave a very nice dinner in the evening at the Shelbourne. Among those present were Sir Horace Plunkett & Dr. R. H. Murray of Trinity College, Dublin, between whom I sat, Lord Chief Justice Molony, who told me that his father had been connected for years with D. Crawford of St. Louis & that he had always had the [St. Louis Globe-Democrat] sent to him, so that he, the son, was very familiar with the paper. A very cordial charming man. Lord Decies, in presiding, expressed the regret of his American Wife that she could not be present. Others present were the City High Sheriff (Mr. A. Beattie) and a number of prominent British Officers & Dublin Citizens. The nationalists are the only element of Irish situation that we haven’t talked to personally, but we have a mass of their literature to study. The Irish Question is some question. It will be very interesting to further study it.
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[page 134] [November 10] another Sunday. Very Cold & over-Cast, with drizzly rain; started out at 10 A.M. in machines to see a little of Dublin. In a two hour drive saw the Royal Bank of Ireland (formerly the Parliament building), Trinity College, Guiness’ Brewery (a tremendous group of buildings occupying blocks in the center of town) Wellington, Nelson, O’Connell & Parnell statues, Phoenix Park, a very pretty one, the vice-regal residence, the spot where Lord Cavendish was murdered, St. Patrick’s & Christ Churches, Dublin Castle & the places where the rioting took place in the recent rebellion. On sackville street, which must have been a beautiful one, the scene resembles some of those we left in France, except in a minor degree. A number of buildings, including the Post-Office, several banks, a hotel & stores were completely destroyed & some are now in course of reconstruction. It is hard to realize the extent of the fighting which took place in the streets of this large & quite beautiful City, artillery & machine guns being used and casualties aggregating over a thousand. Left Dublin for Kingstown at 1.10 in afternoon & sailed from the latter at 2:20. While waiting on the boat, we were amused and impressed by the great number of sea-gulls, large & small which flew so near as to almost make you think they would hit you in the face. I have never before had the opportunity to see birds fly at such close quarters and it is a beautiful thing.
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[page 135] another unusually rough passage. We are certainly getting more than our share of storms & wind. Many of the party were very nervous. It seemed at times as if the boat would roll completely over. Walking was impossible, several who tried it, were thrown across the decks and one chap had his ankle sprained. The only thing to do was to sit tight on the benches & hold on for dear life. It was rather uncomfortable as we were made to wear the life-preservers & these prevented leaning back. After three uncomfortable hours we reached Holy head again & got on our special sleeper about 5:45. Train moved off the dock to the main station, where it stayed until 8:10. We had a very good supper at the station hotel. Train arrived at London some time in night, but we were allowed to sleep until 7 A.M., when tea was brought into our state-rooms. [November 11] Our rooms at the Savoy hadn’t been vacated so we were assigned three temporary rooms. After breakfasting we wandered down-stairs about 10:30 entirely unaware of the momentous things that were to come. We of course knew that the Germans had been given until 11 O’Clock this morning to decide about the signing of the Armistice but had no idea it was already a matter of history. As I reached the strand, the story broke. [David] Lloyd George had just made the announcement in the House of Commons. The guns started to boom. British stolidity & calm were smashed to bits and the people rushed for the streets, literally poured on to them. Waiters, chamber-maids, bell-boys, guests, clerks, shop-keepers, bar-maids, every body was soon in the throng, which [written in margin] Heard today definitely settled sail Saturday the 16th on Balmoral Castle – thought 10 day trip & told good boat.
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[page 136] surged every where. One could not stand against it, but had to drift along with the human tide. It was a fight to buy the “extras” which soon appeared on the streets with only a small type, two or three line announcement under “stop Press News”. Everybody just quit what they were doing and started to celebrate. Windows were crowded with waving men & women, From every window in the Hotel Cecil, which had been used as a head quarters for the R.A.F. Thousands of the recruiting sheets & posters were thrown, looking like snow as the blew about in the air. Busses immediately became packed. The signs were town off & used to beat with on the sides. Trucks, taxis & horse-vehicles were commandeered and packed. The Taxis soon were covered, men & girls sitting on the hoods, side-steps, fenders, & on back halfs of tops which were thrown back. The front parts which stayed up had three or four on them and as for the drivers seats & the regular seats, it was only a question of the number of layers. It was a seething mass of humanity. Police authority was suspended. Military bands paraded the streets & thousands fell into line & followed. Flags appeared in every window. Hundreds of flag venders appeared on the streets almost instantaneously & did a thriving trade. Women laughed, screamed & sang & cried with joy. For four long years these women had borne the burden of the war & most had lost a husband, a sweet-heart, a son or a brother. Women in uniform,
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[page 137] [Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps] & similar organizations & nurses were a goodly part of the crowd. For several days people from all the surrounding country had been pouring into London in anticipation of this day. Every one seems to think that this really means the end. Thousands had no place to sleep & camped on the Thames embankment. People of every class & degree mixed in the crowd. One savoy chamber-maid ran out & jumped onto the running-board of a staff general’s car & hugged & kissed him. He seemed greatly pleased, and laughingly patted her on the back. British flags predominated, but there were many American & French too. Thousands of soldiers thronged the streets, British Tommies, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, & South Africans. There weren’t a great many Americans in London, but what there were were on the streets. up to 1 A.M., when I turned in, the game was going on full-blast. The street lights were cleaned up, window shades were up, for the first time in 4 long years, and there was as much brilliancy as stringent coal economy rules permitted. London may not have been as bright this night as in ordinary peace times, but in comparison with the preceeding nights it was fairly ablaze. Went back to the Savoy about one in the afternoon after having spent the morning in the streets & there found a scene of a some what different kind of confusion. The lobby and dining-rooms were jammed with people, most of whom, women included were “lit-up”. One girl with an American flag wrapped around her was up on a
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[page 138] table leading the cheering and people from surrounding tables were plying her with champagne and drinking every body’s health. I think I saw more drunken women in the savoy today than I have seen altogether before. This kind of celebration seems, however, to be confined to a large extent to the hotels as the crowds on the streets are apparently merely bursting with a natural enthusiasm. This evening we were the guests of Mr. Cecil Harmsworth for dinner at the old house of Dr. Samuel Johnson 17 Gough Square, almost immediately behind the Cheshire Cheese. Harmsworth has bought this house with the idea of making it an open house for devotees of English Literature. The house is very quaint and interesting. Mrs. Harmsworth received with her husband but did not attend the dinner, which was a stag affair. She was on hand, though, to say good by. The invited guests were a very literary and cultured group : Sir Forbes Robertson, Henry Irving, Henry Dickens, Augustine Birrell, E.V. Lucas, W.W. Jacobs, Irwin Laughlin, the Lord Mayor (just installed and wearing his regalia) the Lord High Sheriff (Banister Fletcher) & Lord [Rothermere]. The dinner was served from the Cheshire Cheese and was excellent. Among the pieces de resistance were “The Famous Rumpsteak, Kidney, Lark and Oyster Pudding”, “Mince Pies” “Old English Ale (from Messrs Barclay & Perkins, successors to Thrales Brewery) “which served ale to the Cheshire Cheese during Johnson’s time, and “Coffee & Tea from Twinnings
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[page 139] (the original members of this firm were friends of Dr. Johnson) “, Dickens, Forbes-Robertson & Irving were among the speakers, Mr. Cecil Harmsworth presided. Walked back to the hotel amid the jostling throng of celebrators. It was so lively that I walked around the streets until about 1 A.M. We all agreed that we celebrated the greatest day in the World’s history in a very sedate but pleasant way at this delightful dinner in the quaint old house so full of memories. [November 12] Colonel Rook and I took a long walk today from about 10 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon (up the Thames through the older part of London, to St. Paul’s and back to the hotel we wanted to get into St. Paul’s to see the crowd but were met with the sign “Full Inside”. The King and Queen passed us driving along the Thames. He was enthusiastically cheered by the crowds gathered to see him. These must be very satisfactory days for him, when so many other monarchs are losing their crowns and are abdicating and even fleeing their own countries for their lives. Finished lunch about four O’Clock. Almost impossible to get service in the hotels, Dinner this evening at the Savoy given by the British Newspaper Conference, of which Lord Burnham, the owner of the Daily Telegraph is Chairman. Lord Burnham presided Mr. Balfour was present as was admiral [William] Sims and both made speechs. The party of Trade Editors who have just arrived were also present among them is Mr. Allen W. Clark of St. Louis. He was awfully glad to see me and was anxious to get full details of our trip
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[page 140] as an indication of what is in store for them, sir Harry Brittain, the originator of the American Officers’ Club and Sir Campbell Stuart were among the guests, In the afternoon we had called, four of us, on sir Harry Brittain, at the officers club to express our appreciation of his extending it’s courtesies to us and to commend his Kindness to the American Officers. Celebrating still going on strenuously almost seems to be gaining in volume. [November 13] Yesterday was Major Montagu’s 34th birth day and the party presented him with a very handsome gold cigarette case for which he was very appreciative. We had decided to also remember about 9 of the other members of the Ministry of Information, who have been most attentive to us. Lafe Young & I agreed to attend to this while Butler went out to get the passports fixed up for the return home. They have to be approved by the American Military authorities and then vised by the American Consul-General, Lafe and I finally acquired the necessary gold card-cases and returned to the hotel in time to attend the luncheon at the Savoy given by Sir George Perley, the Canadian High Commission in England. Montagu’s former Chief, General Turner & a number of other prominent Canadians were present. In the evening we were given (both parties) a dinner at the Claridge Hotel by Lord Burnham. Among the guests were Winston Churchill, Sir Frederick Smith, the Attorney-General, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasurey [written in margin] Mr. Skinner, the American Consul-General was present at the Perley luncheon.
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[page 141] resident at present in London, Oscar Crosby, all of whom made addresses. Lord Burnham presided. The Lord Mayor, the Lord High Sheriff, and sir Arthur Pearson, the blind Publisher and benefactor of St. Dunstans were also there. It being impossible to get a taxi, we walked back to the Savoy, about two miles, through Regent & Oxford sts, Piccadily Circus & Leicester Square. All were jammed with celebrators. People would join hands in great circles in the streets & dance around. Only here and there would you see a distinctly noticeable drunken person. There has been a great deal of drinking however as evidenced by some acts of violent rowdy-isue, such as setting fire to some canons at the base of the Nelson Monument in Trafalgar Square, which resulted in the heat cracking a large chip off the base, and the seizing and burning of a huge omnibus. [November 14] After a long walk in the morning attended a luncheon at the Savoy given to our party by Mrs. Humphrey Ward to our party. This was given with the purpose of having us meet the leading and most prominent English women engaged in war, charitable and other prominent public works. Mrs. Ward presided and made a most admirable short address. The ladies present were: The Duchess of Atholl The Duchess of Marlborough Lady Sandhurst, husband controller of King’s Household Lady Ampthill Head of Red Cross Hon. Mrs. A. Lyttleton Mrs Randall Davidson, wife Archbishop Canterbury Dame Katherine [Furse], Head [Women’s Royal Air Force] Mrs. Burleigh Leach, Head Q.M.A.A.C.S. (W.A.A.C.S.) Miss Lillian Baker, Woolwich
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[page 142] Miss Tuke, Head Bedford College for Women Mrs Plumer, wife of Gen. Sir Herbert Plumer Mrs. Holland, Matron st. Dunstans. Mrs. Miford Phipps, and American Woman who said she has lived 42 years in England Went down to the House of Commons about four P.M. Nothing interesting in sight so left after seeing the method of procedure. Lt. General The Rt. Hon. J. T. Smuts gave both editorial parties a dinner in the evening at the Savoy. A most interesting man who made an unusually good address in presiding. Smuts was a former Boer leader in the war against England. Recently in present war first led the English & South African forces against Germans in German and subsequently has represented south Africa in London. Among other guests were Admiral [John] Jellicoe, Lord Inchcape, Chairman Board P. & O. S. S. Line & Arnold Bennett. Colonel Rook told the latter that all our party had read the “Pretty Lady” and that “is some book”. Bennett replied “They dont discuss that book much here in England”. We all rather thought he is just a trifle ashamed of his job. Celebrating still going on both in hotel & on streets. Very rough dancing in the former [November 15] Spent morning packing. We leave for Liverpool today at 5:20 in afternoon. Wrote short 200 word opinion, for Ministry for publication in Times, on general opinion of things seen and learned on trip. Went up in afternoon to see an advertising agent C. F. Higham, whom D’Arcy had written me to New York to be sure and see. I had misplaced this letter with Higham’s name
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[page 143] and address and only came across it while sorting out the accumulation of literature this morning. Sorry he wasn’t in. Bought a soldier’s kit-bag, which is packed chock full of pamphlets, war souvenirs and soiled linen, a very large and gratifying delegation came down to the station to say “au revoir”. Lord Northcliffe Ian Hay (Beath), Sir Campbell Stuart, and of the Ministry, Gen. [William] Sims, Major Wrench, Colonel Malone, Major Whitmore & Doidge. Captain Rawle and Lord Rothemere bad us adieu at the Savoy. Montagu is going with us to Liverpool. Arrived at Liverpool at 10:30 and went to Adelphi Hotel. Cunard Line representative was on hand to assign our rooms on the boat. This is one of the Union Castle Line steamers, which ordinarily sails to South Africa & the West Coast. Has recently been on transport service, is between 12000 & 13000 tons. Mr. Glass left us in London. He has a son-in-law buried near Brest & has arranged with Admiral [William] Sims to go over to Brest from Plymouth on a destroyer on Sunday, see the grave & sail from there. [November 16] I would like to record today’s big event in red letters. This is a very happy party this morning. Sent Mary following cable from London yesterday, “Love, congratulations to Zoe “. Understand we sail without convoy and that restrictions regarding ship news are now off, so gave Montagu another cable to send as soon as possible reading, “Balmoral Castle, Cunard, New York twenty-sixth”. Everybody figures a nine or ten day passage. The head of this Red Cross area is a Captain Kirckover of Buffalo, a friend of Butler. He and a Lieutenant Bump, of Binghampton took several
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[page 144] of us around in the morning to see the Army rest Camp at Knotty Ash & the Red Cross warehouse there and Base Hospital #4 at Moseley Hill. This rest camp is one of these where the soldiers are taken when they disembark. This one has a capacity of about fifteen thousand. Met the Lit. Colonel in command who was very curteous. The Red Cross ware-house here is very complete in its stock although not very large. I still haven’t got the exact “dope” figured out on the actual value of the Red Cross, Y.M.C.A. & Salvation Army. You meet Army men who commend, & those who “knock”. Have heard nothing but commendation of the Salvation Army, Base Hospital #4 was originally a Red Cross Hospital, subsequently taken over by the Army. It has a total capacity of between 800 & 900. They are still building additions. The Commandant Captain Van Worst of Brooklyn told us that orders are to still “Carry on”. This is also true of Red Cross orders. There are about 430 patients now. Mostly Influenza and surgical reconstruction cases awaiting transport back to the permanent reconstruction hospitals in the States. A most complete and creditable hospital, the best I have seen. Went on boat at 12:30. We are two in a room, in nice, large comfortable out-side rooms, on the main dining-room deck. I think the best rooms in the boat. Colonel Rook and I are still going it together. The Ministry of Information had ordered separate rooms but the pressure for space now that the Armistice has been signed was so great that the authorities felt we ought to double up. We are very comfortable. After a little delay &
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[page 145] confusion we got all our baggage into our state-room. We each have 4 pieces including our two trunks and still have plenty of room, so the spaciousness of the cabin is apparent. Very good lunch and dinner. This boat, which is to operate for a while, until the pressure of traffic is over, under Cunard management, is similiar to the Orontes by being so different in every respect. Has very spacious general living and smoking quarters. Although crowded really beyond capacity it hardly seems crowded. Became quite foggy about four O’Clock so that when we got under way about five O’Clock we were only able to pull out of the big docks and anchor out in the river. [November 17] Wrote Bob & Chad. Yesterday. We had appointed Barrett caterer and he has laid in a very complete supply of crackers, sardines, jams, pickles etc. Had three different representatives of the Cunard Company come down to look us up. Every body on the boat is instructed to see that we are well taken care of. It was extremely cold in the boat yesterday. Doors were open every where with people and baggage coming and going. Slept for first time of trip in my flannel pajamas, even using the foot attachments. Actually started home-ward at 6:35 this morning. By the time I got on deck we were well out of the Mersey River. A convoy coming from America was disappearing in the haze. It is reported that the Mauretania was among them having over 3500 American soldiers on her alone. I presume this convoy left the States before the signing of the Armistice. We were all ordered to report on deck at 10 this morning with life-preservers on. This turned out to be merely a precautionary measure to see that every one is provided for.
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[page 146] No one seems to think there is much submarine danger unless there possibly might be a stray one that hadn’t heard the news. The Chief danger, and that is slight, is a stray mine. Passed some mine-sweepers, hard at work early in the afternoon. An electrical engineer and submarine expert of the U.S. Navy Department is on board. He came over on the Orontes with us. He says they have accounted for all the German U-Boats, except a few in the Mediterranean that there is no record of having been notified as yet. Nice, warm, smooth day. Passed the narrows about 8 P.M. and shortly afterward headed west, Run to noon 60, knots [November 18] Colder and drizzly today with a little motion. Worked on diary all day. Sunset was directly in front of us showing we are headed due west, Run 385 knots, [November 19] Foggy & drizzly but only moderately cold. Ship record at noon showed 382 knots. for the proceeding 24 hours. [November 20] Clear and almost warm. Sea quite smooth. People were all out on top deck in sun. Beautiful moon-light. Reported to have passed the Olympic, eastward bound, with all lights showing. Our port-holes and windows still have the black paint on them. Run 354 knots. [November 21] Clear, sun-shiny & warm. Quite a little motion last night but very little now. Ship run 360 knots. Played bridge with Kent and two Philadelphia men, one a naval aviator (ground man) named Wetherald the other Rosentrater. Both play excellent bridge. Raining a little at bed-time.
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[page 147] There are a great many officers on board. About a dozen British regulars and many Canadians and Australians. Some of them have wives and children. There are also several Australian officers wives, whose husbands are either going home on transports with their men or else are still in England or France. Quite a number of American naval & naval aviation officers. Several of the latter had only been in England a few days, having gotten as far as London, when they were ordered to return home to the States. I think our boat, as far as I can learn, is probably the first to leave Europe since the signing of the Armistice, certainly it is the first to leave England. One of the men on board was on a boat due to sail from Glasgow about the time we landed at Liverpool. He says the storm which occasioned the collision of the [HMS Otranto] lasted three weeks and was so severe that his boat waited a number of days past it’s time of departure for it to moderate. There is an English Naval A.F.B. Carpenter V.C. Royal Navy who is the man that took the [HMS Vindictive] into [Zeebrugge] harbor and sank it. He is said to be the most noted & famous man in the British Navy, outside of Admiral [David] Beatty He is a most modest appearing & acting chap. I want to try and get a talk with him. Another interesting person is a Captain, who wears the stripes indicating service in the original battle of Mons. It now looks as if our original estimate of landing on the twenty-sixth will be correct. Some think we may make it late on Monday the twenty-fifth. [November 22] Run today 360 knots. Because very rough during the night with wind whistling outside. In morning we were
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[page 148] plowing into a very strong head wind, which we imagine will cut one run down considerably, as long as it lasts. Many people gave evidence of feeling very badly, Run today 334 knots. Have been playing bridge, rum & dominoes in spare moments. Last night we inaugurated “a Hearts” game and had a fine time. Got calmer toward evening. A very pitiful sight on board is an Australian officers, who is blind, and his wife, who is very faithful, walking with him or reading to him constantly. [November 23] Run today 334 knots Much warmer, quite smooth and wind back of us today. We also seem to be heading south, so we all feel as if we are actually getting in sight of the end of the long trail. About 3 O’Clock a very heavy storm came up very rapidly, about as hard rain, sleet & wind as I remember ever having seen. Lasted less than half hour. Just before dusk it was, beautiful, stars shining, & not a great deal of wind or sea. In the evening there was an amateur concert gotten up by some of the passengers. No one could sing, only one in fact had even a semblance of a voice. They all, I think, imagined they were excellent however, as the selected rather difficult sentimental ballads rather than light “close harmony stuff”. We all had a good time though, Captain Carpenter presided and made a speech soliciting a generous collection for the Aid of Seamen’s Charitee’s (Mercantile Marine). He also auctioned off two hat bands from the old [HMS Vindictive] and a large programme of the concert, drawn by some artist on board, who was to sketch the picture of the purchaser on it and then Carpenter was to sign his signature.
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[page 149] The hat bands brought about $35 and $50 each. The programme about $102. The total proceeds of the evening were about $500. An American Colonel named [Henry] Lindsley, a former Mayor of Dallas, paid the $50 for the second hat band. [Henry] Lindsley lives with Colonel Hall at Tours, is in the S.O.S. and knows Bob well. He is a nephew of former secretary of war [Jacob] Dickinson. Says Bob has done excellent work. Run today 350 knots, total at noon 2225, knots. [November 24] Heavy pitching started during the night. Ship is quite a creaker and full of mysterious sounds. Very rough today, although, on account of it being a pitching rather than a rolling motion, the racks have not been necessary. Cold, heavy wind hitting us on starboard, off bow. Very uncomfortable walking, wet, slippery & hard to keep footing. I managed to get in about half hour of brisk time before breakfast. Boat is very draughty. Have been getting wireless news every day. It is certainly much more satisfactory than being so completely isolated as we were coming over on the Orontes. Having the run posted each day also is very interesting. There have been several pools organized each day. I have as usual not won. Passed a number of boats today, eastward bound. We also have orchestra music every night. Regular peace time voyage except for painted windows. Run today 337 knots, total 2562 knots. [November 25] Two months ago today we sailed. We are ending up in good shape as to weather. Clear, warm (for the end of November) and smooth. Wrote up an interview on our trip which I finished this morning. Have been passed by ships doctor as physically fit. I was very doubtful as to this?? Have made the assessment on our party necessary to take care of outstanding expenses & joint tips & closed up the Treasurey. Run at noon today 356 knots, total 2918 knots.
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[page 150] [November 26] Arrived at New York about 10 O’Clock last night but had to anchor off the forts outside the narrow entrance to the outer harbor, where the chain used to be. Started off again about a quarter to eight this morning and went only a short distance when we stopped again and waited until about nine O’Clock, while immigration, Army, Navy, Health and Customs officials came on board and gave us the “once over”. I do not think there was a single case of serious sickness on board our boat. Docked about ten O’Clock and was delighted to find Mary waiting for me with Mr. Richards & Mrs Butler and Mrs. Young. Geoffrey Butler surprised us by being on hand. He arranged for the customs official to take our declarations and values and to make only a cursory examination, which facilitated matters greatly after the baggage finally got on the pier. This took about an hour and a half. It was an extremely cold morning & consequently very chilly and draughty on the pier. Got away about twelve noon. Drove to Pennsylvania station where I checked my trunk & kit bag to St. Louis and secured accomodations for the following afternoon, November 27th. Went up to Mrs Burklains where we had lunch. Spent afternoon with Mary down at [St. Louis Globe-Democrat] office. Took Mrs B. to see the “Girl Behind the Gun” in the evening. Very good musical show with Donald Brian. [November 27] Spent day down-town on business. Took train at 5:04 in afternoon. Jim & Mabel McCluney & Tom Bennett on board. Very heavy, crowded train with lots of extra cars.
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[page 151] [November 28] Very pleasant day’s trip arrived St. Louis about a quarter to eight, almost two hours late. Lansing, Mrs Benkham and Hill were waiting for us. Thanksgiving dinner of Aunt Fannie’s at Mother’s apartment. Belle & Frances Bunton down on visit. Very happy ending to trip. Finis.
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[Charles] Grasty. France & Great Britain jealous of Americans England wants the German Fleet & France wants the control of the Rhine to [Coblenz] Both Countries in their jealousies have already forgotten the service of A, American Soldiers & P. [John Pershing?] have made good. [John Pershing] is responsible for the counter offensive of July 18. French statesmen have tried to [ms illegible: 1 wd] [John Pershing] by making American’s fight in platoons. Whole situation has devoped into a quarrel over spoils. Peace adjustments will be more difficult than war. [Woodrow] Wilson is a great power in France & Europe. Statesmen of other Countries are jealous of his renown & standing, [Ferdinand] Foch is generalisimo in name only, & has to confer. cannot give orders alone to the exclusion of others. Europe does not want [Woodrow] Wilson’s exact justice. They hope to put him into a pocket. With a German success the solution would be most difficult. Germany is licked. The settlement is the difficulty.
Details
| Title | E. Lansing Ray Journal - September 21, 1918 - November 28, 1918 |
| Creator | Ray, Edward Lansing (1884 - 1955) |
| Source | Ray, Edward Lansing (1884 - 1955). E. Lansing Ray Journal. 21 September 1918 - 28 November 1918. Ray, E. Lansing (1884-1955), Journal, 1918. C2168. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. |
| Description | E. Lansing Ray, editor and publisher of the St. Louis Globe Democrat, wrote this journal about his experiences as a member of a delegation of American newspapermen invited to tour Europe in the fall of 1918. The delegation, invited to visit the Allied Western Front by the English and French governments, spent a total of three months in Europe. They toured different locations in England, Ireland and France. In this journal, Ray described in detail the events he witnessed and recorded observations of the conditions of the various countries he visited. Ray's experiences include dining with King George V, visiting tank and munitions factories in Europe, touring the Western Allied Front in France, and witnessing Armistice Day celebrations in London. |
| Subject LCSH | Airplanes; Airplanes--Maintenance and repair; Armistice Day; Boxing; Diphtheria; Influenza; Pneumonia; Saint-Mihiel, Battle of, Saint-Mihiel, France, 1918; Singing; Tanks; Tanks--Maintenance and repair; Tobacco; United States. Army. Division, 27th; United |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; Baltimore Sun; Base Hospital #116; Battle of Saint-Mihiel; Entertainment; HMS Audacious; HMS Canada; HMS Colossus; HMS Courageous; HMS Hood; HMS Lion; HMS Malaya; HMS Otranto; HMS Queen Elizabeth; HMS Raleigh; HMS Tiger; Irish Politics; |
| Site Accession Number | C2168 |
| Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
| 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 |