"I hope your mission will be successful and help France; I hope you can also help England, and when we have settled our little difficulties, help Germany. The world is big enough for us all."
"I hope your mission will be successful and help France; I hope you can also help England, and when we have settled our little difficulties, help Germany. The world is big enough for us all."
Mr. George spoke very kindly to me of both Hughes and Roosevelt, and at the close of the interview said with earnestness:
"We are fighting the battle for all civilization. We are fighting for you as well as for ourselves, and you are deeply interested."
I had the impression that the famous Englishman was of large stature, but was mistaken. He is a man about five feet, five inches tall, of slender build, with keen, penetrating eye and somewhat nervous manner; he is certainly one of the great men of the world.
In the afternoon with Dr. Mailloux, a member of the Commission, I paid a visit to General Gosselin, formerly chief of munitions, who had been in America on business for the French Government. He spoke very highly of the steel material furnished by the various American manufacturing plants, and said it would have been impossible for the French to succeed as they had without this help. He urged the shipping of steel on contracts with all possible dispatch. General Gosselin is an important personage, quiet and modest. I was told he had already been of great service to his country.
[Illustration: Lloyd George, Who Says "England is Fighting a Battle for Civilization."]
In the evening we visited "Le Phare de France," or "The Light House of France." This is one of the noblest of the many humane institutions being maintained in France by American means. It is under the management of Miss Winifred Holt, who represents the New York Association for the Blind, and is doing an angel's work among the men blinded in battle, of whom there are more in this war than in any other in history, owing to the many new methods employed and the manner in which battles are fought. Miss Holt is known as "Keeper of the Light House," and is much beloved in France. She is a most engaging young woman and deserves all the kind things said about her by the admiring French. Miss Holt is ably assisted by Miss Cleveland, the charming daughter of the late President Cleveland.
This institution is under the direct patronage of the President of France and a committee composed of the highest officials of that country, although the funds to support it are contributed by wealthy Americans, prominent among whom are the Crockers, of San Francisco. In it the men whose sight has been destroyed are being taught useful occupations and cheered with the hope that they will be able to earn a living. They are also taught to read letters for the blind and thus some of the everlasting darkness to which they had been condemned by the horrors of war is dispelled. It is said that many men who could with difficulty be kept from committing suicide in their despair have become cheerful since entering this institution.
[Illustration: Miss Winifred Holt, "Keeper of the Light House of France."]
On Monday we visited the famous china establishment Sevres. This is one of the oldest works of the kind in France and its product is known everywhere. The plant has now been taken over by the government and used for making gas containers and other accessories used by the army.
Following the visit to Sevres we were entertained in Paris at luncheon by the Circle Republican. On my right sat David Mennet, President of the Paris Chamber of Commerce; on my left sat Monsieur Laffere, Deputy Minister of Labor. Much valuable information was obtained from both of these gentlemen, but it was not of a nature to be recorded.
In the afternoon we visited the famous Renault automobile plant. This plant has been taken over by the government and is employed in making war materials, automobile trucks, automobiles for military use and munitions. The plant employs twelve thousand men and five thousand women. They are engaged twelve hours daily, with one hour off at noon for luncheon. This was our first visit to a munition plant and we were cautioned to be careful in what we might record concerning what we saw. I was struck by the earnestness of the workmen; the expression on their countenances could be universally interpreted, "We are working for France". After this visit to the Renault plant we inspected the plant of Andre Citroon, a Hollander, but a generalle in Paris. He manufactures munitions only, employing seven thousand, five hundred women and twenty-five hundred men. In both of these plants we saw piles of steel made in America and labeled "Youngstown", "Pittsburgh", "Harrisburg" or "Cleveland".
In the evening we were given a banquet by the American Chamber of Commerce at the Hotel Palais d'Orsay. On my right sat Consul General Thackara, whom I had known for a great many years. His wife was a daughter of the late General Sherman, who said, it will be remembered, "War is Hell". In view of what we saw later I think he was quite right. On my left was First Secretary of Legation, American Embassy, Arthur Hugh Frazier.
The Herald gives an account of this banquet as follows:
Between ninety and a hundred members of the American colony in Paris met at the Hotel Palais d'Orsay yesterday evening at a banquet given by the American Chamber of Commerce for the delegation of the American Manufacturers' Export Association, which has just arrived in France.The large dining-hall of the hotel was tastefully decorated with roses, carnations and dahlias, and hardly a seat was vacant when dinner was served, about eight o'clock.
Between ninety and a hundred members of the American colony in Paris met at the Hotel Palais d'Orsay yesterday evening at a banquet given by the American Chamber of Commerce for the delegation of the American Manufacturers' Export Association, which has just arrived in France.
The large dining-hall of the hotel was tastefully decorated with roses, carnations and dahlias, and hardly a seat was vacant when dinner was served, about eight o'clock.
After an excellent dinner, which began with "Tortue clair" and went on by easy stages from "Langouste muscovite" and an excellent "Baron de Pauillac" to the "Parfait glace Palais d'Orsay", and dessert, Judge Walter V. R. Berry, Vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce in Paris, and acting as chairman in the absence of the president, Mr. Percy Peixotto, addressed the company, as follows:
We have all heard so often about the caravels of Columbus and about the Mayflower that, perhaps a hundred years from now, in a brand-new Palais d'Orsay Hotel, an eloquent member of the Chamber of Commerce will refer to nineteen hundred and sixteen as the year in which the good ship Lafayette brought over for the first time a great American Industrial Commission to explore Darkest France.Anyone who views with a philosophic mind the tremendous cataclysm that is convulsing the world must reach this conclusion: that its results will be more profound, more far-reaching, more epoch-making than were the results of the Revolution of 1789.Where, under the new conditions, will the United States find itself?It is a difficult problem to solve; but if one cannot answer, it will be at least a step forward to put the right questions. Gentlemen of the Commission, it is for you, on your return to America, to formulate these questions.Heretofore it has been impossible to get together in Europe a delegation of Americans, each one of whom was ready to sink his private interests. This is the first time that an American Commission has come abroad, forgetting the individual, looking only to the welfare of the State.Gentlemen, I congratulate you on your public spirit and your patriotism. I congratulate you, too, on your opportunity, the magnificent opportunity of bringing home to the American people the urgent necessities that confront them.
We have all heard so often about the caravels of Columbus and about the Mayflower that, perhaps a hundred years from now, in a brand-new Palais d'Orsay Hotel, an eloquent member of the Chamber of Commerce will refer to nineteen hundred and sixteen as the year in which the good ship Lafayette brought over for the first time a great American Industrial Commission to explore Darkest France.
Anyone who views with a philosophic mind the tremendous cataclysm that is convulsing the world must reach this conclusion: that its results will be more profound, more far-reaching, more epoch-making than were the results of the Revolution of 1789.
Where, under the new conditions, will the United States find itself?
It is a difficult problem to solve; but if one cannot answer, it will be at least a step forward to put the right questions. Gentlemen of the Commission, it is for you, on your return to America, to formulate these questions.
Heretofore it has been impossible to get together in Europe a delegation of Americans, each one of whom was ready to sink his private interests. This is the first time that an American Commission has come abroad, forgetting the individual, looking only to the welfare of the State.
Gentlemen, I congratulate you on your public spirit and your patriotism. I congratulate you, too, on your opportunity, the magnificent opportunity of bringing home to the American people the urgent necessities that confront them.
After the sustained applause had subsided Mr. W. W. Nichols gave a brief account of the objects for which the American Industrial Commission came to France. He referred to the impetus which had been given to the whole idea by M. Damour, the French deputy and leader of the French Commission which recently visited the United States, and declared that the representatives of French and American manufacturers and industries might help mutually in solving the industrial problem which affected the sister republics. "Our aim," said Mr. Nichols, "is reciprocity in personal conduct and co-operation which will lead to the solution of many minor difficulties. Our possibilities are enormous."
Mr. Nichols concluded with an expression of thanks for the welcome which the Commission had received in France and an acknowledgment of the services which the American Chamber had rendered both to France and to the United States.
On Tuesday we visited the school for maimed soldiers in Paris. At this place the men who are unable to return to the front are taught all kinds of trades—barbering, soap-making, shoe making, etc.
On Wednesday, September 13th the Commission made a trip to Rouen.
Women in knitting mills there earn four francs daily, working eleven hours; in the webbing mills they earn five francs daily, working eleven hours. There are no unions. A great deal of the product had been marketed in Germany but this market was lost. At Rouen we saw a large British steamer loaded with soldiers enroute to the front. They saluted the American flag. The harbor was full of shipping. The boats draw twenty feet of water.
I met J. M. Belin, a manufacturer of tubes used in flying machines. I had a very interesting talk with Monsieur Belin. He told me there were ten thousand German soldiers being killed daily on all the fronts and that seventy per cent of the iron and coal formerly belonging to France was now in the hands of the Germans.
On Thursday, September 14th, we left Paris for Limoges, arriving there at five P.M. We were given a reception by the mayor of the town and the president of the Chamber of Commerce at the Chamber of Commerce Rooms. We were driven through the town, across the River Vienne. We saw an ancient Roman bridge, said to be more than two thousand years old.
[Illustration: Ancient Bridge at Limoges—Built by the Romans Two Thousand Years Ago and Still in Use.]
Also a very old cathedral. A very interesting sight, which I had seen in oil paintings, was that of women washing on the banks of the river. The river was lined for nearly a mile with women all occupied in this useful way.
Limoges is the center of the porcelain industry in France. Its exports to the United States are very large. The consul at Limoges was instructed to do all possible to aid the Commission, and, per contra, the Consul at Rouen was instructed not to accept any invitations or recognize the Commission in an official way.
We visited the Martin china works and saw a veritable "Bull in a china shop", that is to say, there was a pair of bullocks hitched to a wagon going through the warehouse while we were there.
We visited the celebrated Haviland plant at Limoges, and met Geo. Haviland, who is well known in America. With him we had quite a discussion regarding the manufacturers at Limoges increasing their output of low grade wares.
At noon on this day we had a conference with the Chamber of Commerce of Limoges. At this conference I was permitted to say a few words, which were translated for the audience as follows:
Gentlemen, I have been criticised by my fellow Commissioners for not taking part in the discussions. I speak English only, and have hesitated to enter these arguments. It seems to me, though, that instead of trying to enter on the increase of your common product, such as any china manufacturer in the United States can make, you should increase the production of your high grade product. There are high grade porcelains made in Austria and a lot of this comes to us from Germany. Your product is known all over the world—the name "Haviland" is a household word. In my opinion if your manufacturers here at Limoges went into the production of the common qualities of porcelain, it would lower your reputation.My recommendation, therefore, is that if possible you increase the production of the artistic porcelains.
Gentlemen, I have been criticised by my fellow Commissioners for not taking part in the discussions. I speak English only, and have hesitated to enter these arguments. It seems to me, though, that instead of trying to enter on the increase of your common product, such as any china manufacturer in the United States can make, you should increase the production of your high grade product. There are high grade porcelains made in Austria and a lot of this comes to us from Germany. Your product is known all over the world—the name "Haviland" is a household word. In my opinion if your manufacturers here at Limoges went into the production of the common qualities of porcelain, it would lower your reputation.
My recommendation, therefore, is that if possible you increase the production of the artistic porcelains.
In the evening a banquet was given us at the Hotel Rue de Lu Paix. On my right was Eugene L. Belisle, American Consul, and on my left was Leon Pinton, Vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce.
The banquet table was a beautiful sight. French and American flags were entwined. Speeches were made by members of the Chamber of Commerce and responses by Mr. Nichols in broken French. I had a most interesting talk with Consul Belisle. He said that one year ago the French would have made a much better settlement of the war than today. They are now better prepared and would demand the return of territory, including Alsace Lorraine, the French people being educated up to this point. He said also that he had come in contact with German prisoners and they were discouraged and would be glad to surrender.
We met at this banquet General Comby, district commander of the twelfth regiment.
Dr. Mailloux and Mr. MacArthur had a very interesting talk with General Comby, Thursday night after the banquet was over. General Comby was in active service at the front after the opening of the war. He described to us particularly what he had seen of warfare at the time of the battle of the Marne. He said it was called the battle of the Marne because of the lack of any other name to give it, but the battle took place over a period of some thirty odd days and covered a considerable region, much of which was far away from the Marne. He informed us that the fresh troops who have not before experienced the severity of battle go into a desperate fight with the greatest valor and heroism; that after troops have seen a long session of fighting, and have been through the hardships of many engagements they lose, and he thinks it is natural they should lose, much of the spirit that accompanies them in their first engagements.
He told us of the very severe losses that were suffered in these first actions of the war; greater than at any other time. Mr. MacArthur understood him to regard this so-called Battle of the Marne as perhaps the bloodiest and most terrible of all battles in history. He informed us that it was not one single battle, but a succession of almost continuous struggles, day and night, over a period of three or four weeks.
General Comby had under his immediate command 18,000 troops, of whom he lost 13,500 in these engagements. He said, however, that in spite of all these losses, he had never found himself nor his troops in the position of defeat; that defeat is largely a matter of sentiment and valor. An army with comparatively slight losses might consider itself defeated if it chose to do so. An army of troops like some of those he had could be cut almost to pieces, and yet, if there was a remnant sufficient and disposed to come together again, they formed a still undefeated and effective body.
The general spoke particularly of a battalion of zouaves that he had, numbering about 1,000, and which was cut down until there were only 280 left. Yet they came together undefeated and effective troops. He said that since the Battle of the Marne the war has taken on a different character. He considered the German defeat as taking place at and by reason of this battle. Had they not been checked then, and turned, there is no telling what the Germans might have done. But they were checked and turned, which constituted their defeat, and all operations that have and are now taking place are simply operations to follow up the victory that was realized at the Marne.
On Saturday, September 16th, we arrived at Aubusson, the centre of the tapestry industry of France, as it has been for the past five centuries.
Aubusson is located in a beautiful country. On our way to that city we noticed women attending sheep, just as we had seen in pictures by Millet and other painters. These women, with only a dog as companion, knit as they tend their flocks.
We arrived in Aubusson at 10:30 A.M. We were first taken to the town hall, where there was a general exhibit of the products of the district on view. I was greatly impressed with a portrait, in tapestry, of General Joffre, the great French commander, idolized by the French people and hero of the Battle of the Marne. It did not occur to me at the moment of examining this tapestry portrait that it might be purchased; but afterwards, while we were at luncheon, I thought possibly it might be bought, and asked Monsieur Damour, who sat next to me, what he thought about it. He expressed the belief that it was not for sale and would not be permitted to go out of France. He said, however, that he would make an investigation, and sent his secretary, who came back in a very short time with the information that the portrait would be sold to an American only. The price was named and without any further negotiations I accepted the offer, making only one condition, that it was not to be duplicated. I had the portrait taken from its frame and brought it with me, having it retrained upon my arrival home. It is certainly a beautiful piece of work, as well as unique; no one but an expert could tell at first glance that it is not a portrait done in oil. It was copied by one of the greatest tapestry artists in France from the oil painting made of General Joffre by a noted French artist.
[Illustration: Tapestry Workers at Aubusson.]
We visited a number of the manufactories owned by different corporations and individuals. I was personally impressed by one piece of tapestry which had been in the making for a period of four years and would require at least one year longer to complete. It depicted the marriage of Napoleon and Josephine. This piece is about thirty feet by twenty feet in size, and contains forty thousand shades of color. It was not for sale, and we were told it was to be held to take part in a celebration of the Allied victory in the Champs Elysees. The French people are so confident of victory that the windows facing the Arc de Triomphe have already been engaged to view the event.
We noticed there in the textile factories old women winding yarn, many of them eighty years of age, but still vigorous and hard at work. A photograph of a group of young girls was taken by one of the Commissioners and is reproduced in these pages.
A little incident occurred at the luncheon before mentioned which is worthy of record.
I noticed a coarse looking American flag suspended in the dining room. I made inquiry of the woman who waited upon us at the table and she said that she had never seen an American flag, but had read about it and had reproduced what she thought was a copy from memory. It was made from a piece of awning containing stripes, with blue stars sewn in. This waitress said she had worked at night on it and got as near as possible to her idea of an American flag. While it was not a work of art, it was a homely representation of the Stars and Stripes and a tribute from an humble citizen of France to America.
In our wanderings about Aubusson we came across an old man who said he was so old that he had forgotten his age. However, in a broken way, he told of having taken part in the Franco-Prussian war, and remembered having seen the great Napoleon. Inquiry made of some of the citizens revealed the fact that his age was supposed to be upwards of one hundred years.
We visited a very old church with the distinction of having two bells which ring simultaneously.
As we left this historic place it was an inspiring sight. Nearly the entirely populace was present and gave us any number of cheers as the military automobiles took their departure.
At seven P. M. we arrived at Bourboule and had dinner at the Palace Hotel. We met here Col. Cosby, military attache of the American Embassy in Paris. This is a watering place and contains a very large convalescent hospital where soldiers, largely officers, are sent to finally recuperate before going back to the front. The waters contain arsenic, are highly medicinal, and known the world over.
We saw at this place the adopted child of Helen Gould. We also met another bright youth about eleven years of age, who spoke some English. He asked one very pertinent question, "Why don't you Americans send your navy over here to help France?"
We were served at dinner by an Amazon waitress. Without measuring her stature, I should say that she was six feet, four inches in height and formed in proportion. Nevertheless she was very alert and active on her feet. She waited on the entire Commission without help, quickly and efficiently.
The chief decoration was a large American flag in the center of the table. This was made of flowers and was unique and beautiful. Bourboule is in a mountainous country and early the next day we were taken to the top of a mountain, a distance of nearly a mile, on what was termed the "Funicular Railroad". We were served luncheon at the Hotel de Funicular, on the top of the mountain, back of the town. The view from this elevation was wonderful and worth the trip to France. When the war is over this locality will no doubt be a leading watering place.
In the afternoon we motored to Clermont-Farrand. We stopped at Mont Dore and at Royal to see the baths, which are noted for their cure for asthmatic affections. We were given a reception at both places, and waited upon by very handsome waitresses wearing most artistic hats. I tried to secure one of these as a souvenir, but without avail, as I was told they were made especially for this institution and were of a special design.
On this journey we saw many interesting sights. Carts with donkeys attached, resembled somewhat the jaunting car in Ireland. Wild flowers were in great abundance and we stopped many times by the wayside to purchase them from the little girls. We stopped at Salvador Rock and listened to an echo which was remarkable; standing on the crest of the rock, tones almost a whisper could be heard reverberating for some time. The rock was surrounded by trees resembling very much the pine in Arizona and the Lake Superior region.
Next we visited a fine old castle, Chateau Miral, and arrived at Clermont-Farrand at seven P. M. Here we were given a banquet at the Grand Hotel by the Chamber of Commerce. We met a number of prominent people, among others Ferdinand Ferryrolles, who manages several hotels at Monte Carlo. We also met Emmanuel Cheneau, Henri Roche, editor of the Paris Temps, Etienne Morel and Leon Bernardaud.
We left Clermont-Farrand early on Monday, in military automobiles for St. Etienne.
THE question of visiting the birthplace of the immortal Lafayette came up at this time, and some of the members insisted on a trip to this historic spot. The majority carried and we made a detour of nearly one hundred miles to reach St. George's D'Aurac, near which stands the stately Chateau Chavagnac, object of our reverent curiosity. At the time of our visit it was owned by Mr. de Sahame, son of the niece of Lafayette, bearing the title of Marquis of Lafayette, and residing at Neuilly, near Paris. We were met by the mayor of the small village, quite near, and the caretaker of the Chateau, which was in a very good state of preservation, but not at that time occupied. The prefect of the district appeared soon and the Commission presented to the ownership of the Chateau two very beautiful flags, one an American and the other French, together with a large bouquet of palms and roses. These flags and the floral offering were placed in the bed where Lafayette was born. Mr. Nichols, our Chairman, then made the following address:
In a large sense, this auspicious occasion is the most appropriate event of our trip, because it brings us closer to that which has been a constant bond of sympathy between the French and American people. We are more than happy to stand here in the home of our Washington's intimate friend, where he spent his days of peace, and whither he retired when cares of state weighed too heavily upon him. It is not hard to believe that here also was the birthplace of his greatest thoughts, the beginnings of his noblest aspirations.Lafayette, the apostle of liberty, came to struggling America at the opportune time, and in ways that every school child at home knows, cast his lot with ours in that perfect sympathy which constituted Washington's greatest support. History's record, complete as it is, cannot account for the countless things Lafayette did for us, which many times perhaps changed the course of events in our favor and brought us that freedom of thought, that liberty of action, which he ever craved.When we stop to reflect that it all began here, our souls may well be moved beyond the mere expression of words. After a century and a quarter we treasure Lafayette's memory and it grows with an increasing realization of the merit of the assistance he rendered us. Our two nations today are the embodiment of the principles he stood for, perhaps was a great factor in inculcating in the minds of our ancestors, to be transmitted by inheritance to us. We rejoice that he lived; that a land like France gave him birth; that the friendship he began continues to make the world better.May we realize the dream ever present with him, to judge from his actions, which speak more insistent than words, of a mutuality of our national interests; that hand in hand the two great republics may together work out their great destinies, together set an example for the world worthy of its emulation, an example of a fraternity of purpose and attempt which by its very strength will compel the better things of life.[Illustration: Lafayette's Deathbed, with Commission's Flag and Flowers.]Gentlemen: In reverence to the memory of our great compatriot, let us devote a moment to silent contemplation of the great thoughts that inspired the great deeds of our great brother, Lafayette.
In a large sense, this auspicious occasion is the most appropriate event of our trip, because it brings us closer to that which has been a constant bond of sympathy between the French and American people. We are more than happy to stand here in the home of our Washington's intimate friend, where he spent his days of peace, and whither he retired when cares of state weighed too heavily upon him. It is not hard to believe that here also was the birthplace of his greatest thoughts, the beginnings of his noblest aspirations.
Lafayette, the apostle of liberty, came to struggling America at the opportune time, and in ways that every school child at home knows, cast his lot with ours in that perfect sympathy which constituted Washington's greatest support. History's record, complete as it is, cannot account for the countless things Lafayette did for us, which many times perhaps changed the course of events in our favor and brought us that freedom of thought, that liberty of action, which he ever craved.
When we stop to reflect that it all began here, our souls may well be moved beyond the mere expression of words. After a century and a quarter we treasure Lafayette's memory and it grows with an increasing realization of the merit of the assistance he rendered us. Our two nations today are the embodiment of the principles he stood for, perhaps was a great factor in inculcating in the minds of our ancestors, to be transmitted by inheritance to us. We rejoice that he lived; that a land like France gave him birth; that the friendship he began continues to make the world better.
May we realize the dream ever present with him, to judge from his actions, which speak more insistent than words, of a mutuality of our national interests; that hand in hand the two great republics may together work out their great destinies, together set an example for the world worthy of its emulation, an example of a fraternity of purpose and attempt which by its very strength will compel the better things of life.
[Illustration: Lafayette's Deathbed, with Commission's Flag and Flowers.]
Gentlemen: In reverence to the memory of our great compatriot, let us devote a moment to silent contemplation of the great thoughts that inspired the great deeds of our great brother, Lafayette.
There was a response by the prefect and the mayor of the nearby village.
This visit was an historical event. I had made up my mind, and so talked with another member of the Commission, that it would be a fine thing to purchase this property, endow it with a fund which would keep it always open as a museum and present it to the French Government. Since our return to America the property has been acquired by a group of prominent American men and women, headed by Mrs. William Astor Chanler, for the same purpose that some of the members of our Commission had in mind, a most worthy project. This birthplace is known as The Chateau de Chavagnac-Lafayette. It is the hope of the purchasers to make it "A French Mount Vernon".
The Marquis Gilbert de Lafayette was born at the Chateau de Chavagnac, in the French province of Auvergne, on September 6th, 1757. It is some four hundred miles from Paris, in southern France. The crowning architectural feature of this little settlement of some five hundred souls, it stands, sentinel-like, among the sixty red-tiled roofs of the village. The little church at which Lafayette worshipped is only a step from the Chateau gates.
The original Chateau de Chavagnac dates from the fourteenth century. It was destroyed by fire in 1701, but was very soon afterward rebuilt from the original plans.
It is the purpose of the French Heroes' Fund to make this Chateau in France a complement to Mount Vernon. In it are to be kept records of Colonial days, as well as those of the present war. There is to be a room dedicated to the British; one to the Legion; another to the American Ambulance and still another to aviation. It is also to be made a home for orphans and for soldiers who have been disabled.
After a collation, we visited the reception room, which contains a number of old-time engravings, facsimiles of the Declaration of Independence, a bronze bust of Lafayette, a marble bust of Lafayette and a bronze bust of Franklin. Overhanging the bed in which Lafayette was born is a fine portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Although Lafayette died in Paris, the bed in which he died was brought to the Chateau, and we were shown this also.
Among other things in the reception room was a large placard with the heading "North American United States Constitution Explained". There was also a billiard table which looked as if it had seen much service.
I have alluded to this visit to the birthplace of Lafayette in a little address which I made at Besancon, and which will appear later.
Some photographs of the Commission were taken before leaving. Quite a large sum was raised among the Commissioners and given to the mayor to be distributed among the poor of the village.
Our next objective was LePuy, where we arrived at 4:30 P.M. and had breakfast, so-called, although the detour to the birthplace of Lafayette made us about ten hours late. We were met by the prefect, the mayor and the president of the Chamber of Commerce. We visited a church built on the top of a rock, the ascent to which was by three hundred perpendicular steps, two feet wide. It was said that these steps were built in this way as an opportunity for penance, it being a very hard operation to climb to the top. Some of our people made the ascent, myself among the number. When we reached the top we were rewarded by a magnificent view of the surrounding country. At the highest point is a statue of the Virgin Mary, made of Russian cannon, recast after capture by Napoleon.
While at LePuy we were shown the only spot where the immortal Caesar was defeated; otherwise his reign was triumphant.
Leaving LePuy we arrived at St. Etienne at midnight, after a most perilous ride. A banquet had been planned at St. Etienne, but had been postponed. On the following day we visited the establishment of the Giron Brothers, ribbon manufacturers. This establishment dates back to the very early part of the Nineteenth century, and at present has two thousand employees, nearly all women. Its trade is largely with the United States. On account of the labor situation the factory is working only half time. The men are at war, the women in the munition plants and factories. Wage earners make four, and not to exceed five, francs per day and consider themselves well paid.
[Illustration: Monastery of St. Michael at Le Puy.]
We also visited the silk manufacturing plant of P. Staron, Jr. We saw here the most beautiful silks and brocades. Among other fine things were ribbons in the Fleur de Lis design, the national flower of France. On account of the war the employees at work were few.
Here we met Mr. Wm. H. Hunt, American consul and the last appointee of President McKinley before his untimely death.
At St. Etienne I went into a barbershop to get a shave, sat down in the chair, and a youth not over twelve years of age started to lather me. I supposed, of course, that he was getting me ready for the barber, who would soon appear; instead of that he proceeded with the work himself. He spoke a little English, telling me his father was in the army and he was running the business. He gave me one of the best shaves I received in France.
My next experience with the youth of France was with a boy chauffeur. Our military automobiles had disappeared for the time being and I engaged a taxicab.
[Illustration: Silk Tapestry Menu Used at Dinner to the Commission at St. Etienne.]
The boy who ran this was not over eleven or twelve years of age, but he did the work well.
On the evening of September 19th, we were given a banquet by the Chamber of Commerce at St. Etienne. It was a very successful affair. I met here Theodore Laurent, a prominent steel manufacturer whom I had met at Brussels in 1911, when the American Iron and Steel Institute made its famous visit to England and the continent. At this banquet we met also the prefect and other notables.
WEDNESDAY, September 20th, we left St. Etienne for St. Charmond to visit the plant at which Mr. Laurent is director general. His company owns several plants, this being the most important and one of the oldest manufactories of cannons and munitions in France. We met here Colonel Rimialho, who is the inventor of the seventy-five-millimeter gun and has general charge of the artillery and munitions manufactured in France. The plant at the present time makes only cannon and munitions. There are no blast furnaces at the works. They use the Siemens-Martin process and melt about seventy-five to eighty per cent. scrap. They also use a quantity of vanadium steel imported from America and furnished by the American Vanadium Company. We were told that France produces five hundred thousand shells or projectiles daily. This plant turns out twenty-eight thousand of this number, besides one hundred and twenty thousand fuses, or detonators. Before the war the works produced one hundred and twenty thousand annually; they now make this number daily. They have sixteen thousand employees, five thousand of whom are women. We saw here a number of Amazonian Junos doing men's work while wearing leather aprons, and were informed that they were fully as efficient as men and are paid the same wages.
We saw at these works a number of the now famous "caterpillars", an armored car moving on a broad track which it lays down as it goes. This machine was invented by an American, and I have seen it at work on the Pacific coast.
After an examination of the works, we were taken to the suburbs of the town and a special test of the big guns was made for our benefit, the firing going to the hill. We were instructed to put cotton in our ears and keep our mouths open, and faithfully observed this injunction. The seventy-five millimeter fired twelve shots in thirty-six seconds, by my watch. The target was brought to us afterwards and we were shown that the projectiles went straight through without a side dent. We were also treated to the firing of some of the very large guns, and by the time this was over I was ready to visit an ear doctor, if there had been one convenient.
When this interesting exhibition was ended we were entertained for the first time in a real French home. Mr. Laurent took us to his home and gave us a luncheon. We met Mrs. Laurent and two daughters, but the four sons had joined the colors. Two of them had already lost their lives in battle.
We met at this luncheon Sir Thomas Barclay, of London, who has taken an active part in the humanitarian work of England, with headquarters in Paris.
[Illustration: Col. Rimailho with 155-mm. Gun (upper) and Famous 75-mm. Gun (lower) Perfected by Him.]
The party reached Lyons at 6:20 P.M. by military automobiles and at once had a conference with Mayor Heriot. It appeared that there was some discussion between this official and the president of the Chamber of Commerce as to who should head the entertaining. We were greatly impressed with M. Heriot, but he took a night train for Paris and we were left in the hands of the Chamber of Commerce. We were given a reception by this body, and spent the night at Lyons.
On the afternoon of the following day we visited the textile museum. We also visited the government munitions plant, which was formerly the Lyons fair, but had been taken over by the government, stripped of everything and made the most efficient munitions plant in all France. We met Thadee Natanson, Director General. He is a wonderful character. Our impression of him was very good and he later addressed us in strong but broken English and said he hoped he would learn something from us, and, if we had, in visiting the plant, any suggestions to make, he wanted to hear them. The plant employs twelve thousand, one-half women and the remainder men. The product is shells, cartridges, fuses, and detonators. We were told that this is the only place in France where a projectile is entirely completed, ready to fire. We met Andre Foulcher, engineer of the plant. The production of this plant is twenty-eight thousand shells and twenty-five thousand fuses daily. We were told that here the women were more efficient than the men. At these works we were taken into the most dangerous part of the plant, where frequent explosions have occurred.
We met here George Martin, editor of the Paris "Progress", and also Capt. J. Barret, who had recently lost in the army his only son.
Our tour of Lyons included the Lyons electric light and gas plant. On this side trip we met an entire regiment of Algerian soldiers, black as the traditional ace of spades, but fine specimens of manhood. Their uniforms were almost identical with the uniform worn by our soldiers in the Civil War. They wore light blue overcoats, such as Governor Tod furnished the first company which marched from Youngstown.
Over the door of the gas plant were the words "Defense D'Entrer", with skull and cross bones underneath and with the further words, "Danger de Mort".
At this place we received our first home letters, which were very welcome.
In the evening we were given a banquet by the Chamber of Commerce. The invitation received from the Lyons Chamber, translated, is as follows:
Lyon, Chamber of Commerce.The Lyons Chamber of Commerce beg you to be so kind as to accept a private invitation at dinner which it will give to the members of the Commission of the United States on Thursday, September 21st, 7 o'clock P. M. at Berrier and Millet, 31 Bellecour Square. Business dress.R.S.V.P.
Lyon, Chamber of Commerce.
The Lyons Chamber of Commerce beg you to be so kind as to accept a private invitation at dinner which it will give to the members of the Commission of the United States on Thursday, September 21st, 7 o'clock P. M. at Berrier and Millet, 31 Bellecour Square. Business dress.
R.S.V.P.
We were welcomed in English by the vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, and discussed the following menu:
Supreme of Lobster A l'amiralTenderloin a la bearnaiseArtichoke HeartsChantilly styleRoast Truffled Bresse ChickenScotch SaladHavana IceDesertWinesFleurie (Beaujolais) in DecanterPouilly (Maconnais) in DecanterWhite Hermitage 1904Chateau Vaudieu 1904Saint-Peray frappe
On my right was General d'Armade, one of the noted generals of the French army, who had seen service all through the present war. On my left was M. Farrand. My talk with General d'Armade was most interesting. He said the best soldiers of both the French and the German armies were gone; that they had been destroyed in the early part of the war and that the soldiers now fighting were civilians who had been trained for two years. He declared that a French soldier was always a French soldier. He had no doubt of the ultimate victory of the Allies. In addition to General d'Armade's experience in the present war, he had been in Morocco and the Sudan with important commands.
On Friday, the day following, we were entertained by the directors of the Lyons Fair. On my left was Charles Cabaud, Russian Consul General. On my right sat Dr. Jules Courmont, who in time of peace is Professor of the faculty of medicine and physician to the hospitals of Lyons, but who now, in time of war, is in the War Department, has the rank of general, and is charged with the hygiene of the army.
We found him a very competent and interesting gentleman. He accompanied us in the private car which the railroad furnished us, and went south with us some distance to where there is a large government garrison, and where he had an inspection to make.
During the trip on the train Dr. Courmont told us many interesting things about the hygiene of the army. He said that the warfare of today is very different from the warfare of former times in respect to the hygiene; that contrary to what was commonly supposed, the hygiene of the trenches is excellent; that the soldiers are in better condition, most of them, than they are in time of peace. They are more regularly and better fed, and are strong, well nourished and hearty. The experience has been the regeneration of very many of them physically. This is due, he says, to the fact that they have their food served to them regularly and abundantly; whereas in former wars it was a matter of the greatest difficulty for troops to be provisioned.
We asked him whether or not the water in the trenches was harmful to the soldiers and he replied that they had very little rheumatism, and the men did not seem to suffer from it. He said there was almost, or in fact, no smallpox, and there was comparatively no typhoid. All of the soldiers are innoculated against typhoid, receiving on the first innoculation three or four injections, and subsequently being innoculated about once in every six months, receiving then two injections. This is for soldiers, whereas civilians are usually innoculated about once every three years, if it is desired that they should be kept immune from typhoid. He says they use with best results the system of Dr. Vidal, of Paris, employing a serum in which the bacteria have been destroyed by heat rather than by boiling. They find the effect of this serum much better than that of others. He says that tuberculosis does, of course, exist, because tuberculosis exists among most civilized peoples. There is even more tuberculosis now among the troops than at the beginning of the war; but this is not due to an increase of tuberculosis, but is due to the fact that the later levies of troops have included many soldiers who at the beginning would not have been accepted, because they either had the disease or had a tendency toward it.
He then spoke about the effect of various weapons in use. He was asked whether the modern rifle wound was serious. He said it was either so serious as to kill the soldier by passing-through the brain, the heart, or some other vital part, or else it was a matter of more or less indifference. If a rifle ball went through the fleshy part of the body, you could pretty safely say it was not a grave wound, because the bullets passing through the air are so cleansed and heated that when they go through the fleshy part of the body they leave no germs and do little harm unless they fracture a bone. We asked if they did not carry into the wound infected pieces of the soldiers' clothing, and he said no, that they did not find that to be the case; that the bullet went through so quickly that it separated the clothing, and went through the flesh clean. He even stated that a bullet could pass through the lungs; that the wounded soldier would spit up blood, but that when attended to at once, and the wound dressed, it would be a matter of only eight or ten days when he would be again in fairly good condition. He said, however, that wounds from fragments of shrapnel were of quite a different character; that they were ragged, unclean and usually gave much concern. He said, also, as a matter of fact, that the gun or rifle was performing a less and less important function in warfare. That many were even in favor of abandoning the rifle entirely as a weapon. That the war, as carried on today, is carried on in personal assaults mainly through the effectiveness of the grenades, handknives, revolvers and similar weapons; that the trenches and trench warfare are not suited to close hand-to-hand encounters, as there is not usually room enough to manipulate a gun and bayonet. (This agrees with what was told us by our Negro friend, Bob Scanlon, whom we met at Clermond, and who said all he wanted and carried in an assault or a fight were grenades, a knife and a good club, preferably of iron.)
The doctor said that for the warfare of today reliance is mainly upon the mitrailleuse, which fires 300 shots a minute. He says that nothing living within the range of these guns, and exposed to them, can possibly stand. This is the small arm which had such great effect for the French in the first days of the war. The Germans had very few guns of this kind in the beginning, but they have since provided themselves with them. He said that outside of these guns the most effective are the famous 75 mm. and the 155 mm. rifles. He asked us to recall the fact that both of these guns were fired for our benefit at St. Charmond, under the direction of Col. Rimailho, whom we had the pleasure of meeting there, and who was one of the important men co-operating in building the "75", and who was, himself, the inventor and author of the "155". These are the guns of lighter caliber which do such effective work in the field. Of course, in addition, the French are also using guns of very large caliber, for instance the 350 mm. These, of course, are for the reduction of forts, and the enemy's line prior to assault.
[Illustration: Women Employed in Munitions Factories.]
Dr. Courmont wanted to know whether we had seen the new armored caterpillar cars which they were preparing, and we told him we had seen them at St. Charmond. He said they were to be equipped with one "75" gun and with two or three mitrailleuses (the rapid fire gun), and that an equipment like this, armored against the shrapnel of the enemy, would doubtless be most effective for the French, as a similar caterpillar had been for the English.
WE left Lyons for Arles, in the military automobiles, passing through and stopping for a brief time at Tarascon, made famous by Daude in his novel, "Tartarin of Tarascon". Here we were given the usual reception and pretty much the entire population of the town turned out to greet us. The following leaflet by the Arles Chamber of Commerce outlines the program:
Reception of the Economical Commission of the United States
At the evening banquet at the Hotel Du Nord, on my right was J. E. Agate, an English army officer. He had been in the quartermaster's department, engaged in purchasing supplies for the English army. On my left was M. Bonnet Guillaume, vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, and who lives at Tarascon. We met at this banquet Henri Brenier, advance agent of the Marseilles Chamber of Commerce. He distributed a handsome booklet prepared by the Marseilles Chamber.
[Illustration: Arlesiennes—Types of Southern France.]
Mr. Geo. B. Ford, of the Commission, delivered the following address before the Arles Chamber of Commerce: