Dear Girls,

Things have certainly been happening to us since we last wrote to each other, and while the war history of 1903 is just begun, it looks as if she were establishing her reputation as a leader in anything worth while that is going on.

As I write, everyone is waiting expectantly and hopefully for our *** Senate to ratify the Peace Treaty. A general 'after the party' feeling seems to have seized everyone and especially those who were doing any kind of intensive work during the war. Everyone seems to feel a desire to relax after living so intensely for the last two years. At least the tendency is very evident here in Washington where so many wonderful and unusual events have occurred, and I imagine it is the same elsewhere. But from my small experience this seems to be the time to 'carry on.' With such magnificent organizations as have *** out of the war, and with such splendidly equipped workers all in readiness to take up the work, it seems a crime to allow ourselves to fall back into the role of private citizens. I am speaking particularly of the Red Cross because I worked with them and know more about their work. I am especially anxious that the 'Home Service' work of the organization be continued wherever it was started (this means all over the United States and in scattered spots all over the world. *** each one of you girls interest yourself in your local Home Services and see if its work may not be continued? This is the kind of welfare organization that we have been needing for years and now that we have it, let us not let it get rusty. Martha Enochs and some of the others who have been assisting with the Auxiliary Relief work of the Red Cross will know what wonderful work they have done.

I am so glad that the girls are not letting their usual 1903 modesty prevent them from giving an account of their war work. It certainly makes interesting reading and I am sure that this Round Robin will be one of the most valuable records in after years. It makes me prouder than ever to think that I belong to 1903 when I read what you all have done.

When the war first started, like everyone else I took Red Cross courses in surgical dressings, first aid, etc. Then the National Service School Camp was placed in Washington and I spent two terms there taking a Course in Agriculture with the purpose of doing extensive work with the farmer's land Army.

Shortly after I had completed this work a wonderful opportunity presented itself to go to Panama as a special representative of the Fourteenth (Foreign) Division of the A.R.C. in the Canal Zone. I was requested to organize the refugee garment knitting and surgical dressing work of the entire Zone, also to entrust all 'instructors' who were to carry on the work there for the period of the war.

I spent several weeks at Headquarters madly ***'Examming' what I was to impart to others. Mrs. Gorgas, who had been in Panama for years with Gen. Gorgas, and who was in charge of the unit here, was particularly helpful in reaquainting me with conditions to be met in Panama. Then the necessary preliminaries before getting a passport were to be gone through: Birth Certificate (luckily I had that), physical exam A special Life Extension physician who was looking for 'shams'. I passed that. Next my life history and the history of my family and *** took several generations were demanded by the Secret Service. As one of my 'references' I gave Milly Benson Bielaski, whose husband then happened to be on the board of the Department of Investigation in the Department of Justice. Finally, after agonies of doubt and suspense, I was notified that my boat would sail from New York and that I was to proceed there and *** my passport, *** the State Department was *** through with me. I was greatly relieved when the last inspector at the pier in New York said 'Well Mrs., I guess this is your passport and your picture, but it certainly does not resemble you in any feature.'

July 16, 1918 we *** quietly out of New York harbor. To me, not even an A.R.C. representative could come to see us off as the German submarine offensive was at its worst along the Atlantic coast. I can't attempt to describe the ***'Allianca' except to say that she has the reputation of being the most unseaworthy vessel that sails the seven seas. We had the same strange experiences that everyone had who went through the submarine zone in a totally dark ship. To *** allowed no keys in our staterooms, and it was an exciting game at night to creep down the passage and count the doors to be sure one got into one's own stateroom. We were delayed by frequent orders from the Coast Patrol boats and consequently ten days on the trip. (I was ill nine of the ten days and my morale was fearfully low when we *** into Colon harbor that July morning.)

I felt rather lonely and forlorn, but I soon found a friend in the quarantine doctor, who immediately *** me up and passed me ashore immediately where I was taken charge of by the Chairman of the ARC at Colon, Mrs. ***, a very wonderful woman.

The next day I took the train across the Isthmus at Balboa. Everything was exciting and wonderful to me, but I was disappointed because I could not see the Canal. At Balboa I was met by Mrs. *** the Chairman of the A.R.C. of the Canal Zone, who presented me to Mrs. Harding (the wife of Gov. Harding) who was in charge of the Balboa unit of the A.R.C. I found Mrs Harding a delightful and very effective woman, a graduate of Wellesley, and, like all the *** and busy women in the Zone, entirely devoted to war work. I have never seen anything like the spirit of the people of the Canal Zone. Everyone gave me per cent of his salary for the work, and many gave more. Mrs. Harding informed me that a mass meeting was to be held at the *** Hotel on Monday. I thought that was fine and was very interested until I learned that I was to be the speaker. As this was my first public appearance, I was too ignorant of the possibilities of failure to refuse, so managed to get through the performances.

In Panama I was *** with Lady ***, the wife of the British minister, who was Chairman of the British R.C. in the Canal Zone. The A.R.C. and the British RC frequently worked together when the English Corp ships came through on their way through the canal to New Zealand and Australia. If I had time and space, I would like to tell you of the wonderful *** and their beautiful spirit. Thousands of them, human wreckage, returning home after four years of terrible experiences at the front; some of them busily planning to return and 'carry on', but most unfit. But that is too sad a story. I remained in Panama three months, one at the ***, another at Balboa and one at the isthmuth *** at Colon. I felt fine, the work was so vital and satisfactory because so much needed.

In the fall of 1918 I left Panama on the American transport *** for New Orleans because the submarine offensive in the Atlantic was even worse. I helped the other workers upon my return to the States. I went in *** in the Department of Civilian Relief at the A.R.C. Headquarters and was there when the Armistice was signed in Nov. 1918.

I must tell you, however, before I stop that I had a most unusual and interesting experience at Colon. In the course of a talk with some of the young women in my class I happened to remark that I had gone to Goucher College and Mrs. Wilson replied 'Why, so did I.' Mrs. Wilson *** to be *** York who attended Goucher some time after we left. You can imagine I was surprised and delighted. And so the fame of Goucher spreads.

Now I must bring this long, long story to a close. I wish that I could find something so soul-satisfying to do now that the war is over. Perhaps that is too much to expect. It is very 'thrilling' to go adventuring but I just stay at home and do the necessary and day to day jobs required a real heroine. It seems to me that hidden under the very modest recital is some of these letters there is much that is truly heroic. With the sincerest admiration for these unassuming heroines, let me close,

Cordially yours,

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