The Enormous Room | Page 3

such treatment aroused the resentment of only one of
his companions, and that even this manifestation of normal human
sympathy was regarded as "suspicious." If you are right in
characterizing B----'s condition as more or less hysterical, what shall
we say of the conditions which made possible the treatment which he
and his friend received? I am glad B---- wrote the very sensible and
manly letter to the Embassy, which you mention. After I have had an
opportunity to converse with him, I shall be in better position to reach a
conclusion in regard to certain matters about which I will not now
express an opinion.
I would only add that I do not in the least share your complacency in
regard to the treatment which my son received. The very fact that, as
you say, no charges were made and that he was detained on suspicion

for many weeks after the Commission passed on his case and reported
to the Minister of the Interior that he ought to be released, leads me to a
conclusion exactly opposite to that which you express. It seems to me
impossible to believe that any well-ordered government would fail to
acknowledge such action to have been unreasonable. Moreover,
"detention on suspicion" was a small part of what actually took place.
To take a single illustration, you will recall that after many weeks'
persistent effort to secure information, the Embassy was still kept so
much in the dark about the facts, that it cabled the report that my son
had embarked on The Antilles and was reported lost. And when
convinced of that error, the Embassy cabled that it was renewing efforts
to locate my son. Up to that moment, it would appear that the
authorities had not even condescended to tell the United States
Embassy where this innocent American citizen was confined; so that a
mistaken report of his death was regarded as an adequate explanation of
his disappearance. If I had accepted this report and taken no further
action, it is by no means certain that he would not be dead by this time.
I am free to say, that in my opinion no self-respecting government
could allow one of its own citizens, against whom there has been no
accusation brought, to be subjected to such prolonged indignities and
injuries by a friendly government without vigorous remonstrance. I
regard it as a patriotic duty, as well as a matter of personal self-respect,
to do what I can to see that such remonstrance is made. I still think too
highly both of my own government and of the government of France to
believe that such an untoward incident will fail to receive the serious
attention it deserves. If I am wrong, and American citizens must expect
to suffer such indignities and injuries at the hands of other governments
without any effort at remonstrance and redress by their own
government, I believe the public ought to know the humiliating truth. It
will make interesting reading. It remains for my son to determine what
action he will take.
I am glad to know your son is returning. I am looking forward with
great pleasure to conversing with him.
I cannot adequately express my gratitude to you and to other friends for

the sympathy and assistance I have received. If any expenses have been
incurred on my behalf or on behalf of my son, I beg you to give me the
pleasure of reimbursing you. At best, I must always remain your
debtor.
With best wishes,
Sincerely yours,
EDWARD CUMMINGS
I yield to no one in enthusiasm for the cause of France. Her cause was
our cause and the cause of civilization; and the tragedy is that it took us
so long to find it out. I would gladly have risked my life for her, as my
son risked his and would have risked it again had not the departure of
his regiment overseas been stopped by the armistice.
France was beset with enemies within as well as without. Some of the
"suspects" were members of her official household. Her Minister of
Interior was thrown into prison. She was distracted with fear. Her
existence was at stake. Under such circumstances excesses were sure to
be committed. But it is precisely at such times that American citizens
most need and are most entitled to the protection of their own
government.
EDWARD CUMMINGS
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THE ENORMOUS ROOM

I
I BEGIN A PILGRIMAGE
In October, 1917, we had succeeded, my friend B. and I, in dispensing
with almost three of our six months' engagement as Voluntary Drivers,

Sanitary Section 21, Ambulance Norton Harjes, American Red Cross,
and at the moment which subsequent experience served to capitalize,
had just finished the unlovely job of cleaning and greasing (nettoyer