One result was that they were unable to make their own arrangements for rationing, their food and comforts were stolen, a great amount of extra duty was thrown upon them, they were badly fed and generally ' neglected. Representations were made in various high quarters—I am told that the wife of one of the British privates even had an interview with Sir Edward Grey—and, at the desire of the British Government, the French General Staff made a general in: vestigation of the manner in which the troops at this part of the line were being supplied with food. It was too late to be of benefit to the Englishmen, as they have now, with one or two exceptions, been transferred to the British Army, subject, of course, to passing the medical tests. the Englishmen have done their duty to France, they will be far happier under the British flag and a source of irritation will be removed. There is no fault. to find with the French higher authorities. They took action as soon as the real state of affairs was brought to their notice, and they showed every disposition to act in harmony with allies. The mistake which caused all the trouble was in making Englishmen mix with the very undesirable characters of the Foreign Legion.
The Day of the Seventy-five.
To-morrow is to be the " journée clu 75"—which, being interpreted, means that little metal emblems representing the famous 75-millimetre French field gun are to be sold by volunteers all over Franco in support of a charity which looks after the necessitous wives and families of soldiers. Vast numbers of human beings are existing—one can hardly call it living—on the Government allowance of a shilling a day per wife and fivepence per child. How they do it, no one knows, though of course they are not paying rent and no landlord can expel a woman whose husband is fighting for his country. These women deserve all the assistance they can be given, and, judging by the vast quantities of emblems which have been ordered by the various local committees, a very substantial sum should be realized to-morrow. It is a way of showing gratitude for the field gun which has contributed so largely to the strength of the French
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.