fe that I
formerly led, I actually thank God for the foolish whim that
brought me to Paris in the fall, and the equally whimsical decision
that led me to volunteer my services as an auto driver. The work
has stirred something inside of me that I didn't know existed, and,
if I come through this scrape (we're working in villages pretty
close to the front a good deal of the time), I'll come home
'poorer, but wiser.' Yes, they've touched my pocketbook as well as
my heart.

I suppose the papers give you some idea of conditions here; but no
verbal description can begin to do it justice; the need is simply
overwhelming and hourly growing greater. Think of it, old man,
there are thousands upon thousands of babies and little kiddies of
Belgium and northern France homeless, many of them orphaned, most
of them sick and all helpless and with their lives--which have
every right to be carefree and happy--filled with sorrow and
suffering.

France has been glorious in the way she has met the staggering,
almost insuperable difficulties which everywhere confront her, but
how could she be expected to meet this incidental problem when she
was so overburdened with the crushing pressure of the battle for
her very existence. It has been a mighty lucky thing for her that
the Red Cross was ready to take it off her shoulders, and she has
turned to _us_ (How does that sound? Can you imagine me doing
anything useful?) with tears of appeal and gratitude. That isn't a
figure of speech. I have actually seen the Prefect of this
Province, who would rank with the governor of one of our states,
and who is a brave, capable man, cry like a woman over the seeming
hopelessness of the ghastly problem. I have heard him say that
he--that France--was helpless, and beg us in the name of common
humanity to do what we could.

Believe me, we're doing it, and I'm proud of my countrymen and
women who have gone into this thing with the typical Yankee pep;
proud of the American Red Cross and just a bit proud of myself. You
used to make fun of my vaunted ability to stay up half the night,
and be fresh as a daisy the next morning. It's serving me in good
stead now. I can't begin to tell you about the work we have done
already and are doing; it is a task to overwhelm the courage, but