The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-13

"A " - VI lIe Ittu VI d NGll-
equipped public library in
Manila. properly supplied with books
! and magazines for the use of our SOL
diers in the Philippines, the great ma
jorty of whom have nothing in the
way of literature to occupy their leis-
ure hours; and of the effort which is
being made by the Woman's Army
and Navy league, an organization of
the wives of the American soldiers
and sailors. to supply this need.
The president of the league, Mrs. ].
c. Kelton, has since favored us with
a circular explaining the enterprise
more fully and including an interesting
letter on the subject from Mrs. c. r.
Greenleaf the chief Manila patron and
promoter of the library for soldiers.
| Mrs. Greenleaf writes:
I'VE need financial aid now as we'll
as books, for as you know General
| Otis did not feel he could give me a
| building or rooms for this purpose and
| so l was forced to rent at high rate
| and also to meet the salary of our able
and conscientious librarian, Mrs. Egg
| Dtll, lSI dSSlSldlll anu all lHt OlHeT
expenses incident to such work.
greatly hope the women of America
| will take up this work. which is in
tended as memorial to all our dead
who have given their lives for their
country's cause, and should therefore
| be a monument of which our country
should be proud. SO far after such
| I-t,-t IL
our rooms are opened with about four
thousand volumes on our shelves, many
of the books but poorly bound, ,soiled
and worn, but some are we'll worthy or
! being placed as a nucleus of future
greatness. Our reading room. with mag
azines and about ten papers sent regu-
larly from the states, are well pa
tronized, and from thirty to forty Off
GERS and men are daily enjoying the
privilege of quiet reading. To this
| room we ask the contribution of papers
from every city and a copy of all the
leading journals from the United
| States.
I'VE have distributed over twenty
thousand magazines and numberless
papers to the troops in the field and
hospitals, also about six hundred paper
covered novels. Grateful letters and
appeals for more come by every mail
This work, of course, needs money and
while books are most acceptable
money is more needed until we get
thoroughly established. l put a bill
before congress- but so far have heard
|
probably too small to appeal to them
only five thousand dollars-but it
would mean much to US here. for un-
less aid comes soon l cannot keep the
library open. MOST of the officers in
the Philippines, if married, are as you
know, supporting two establishments;
the family at home or here and the
officer in the field, hence we cannot
look for much aid from them and sure
! Ily those who stay at home ought to
be willing to afford this recreation of
mind to those who have the hardships
of war in foreign country. The citi-
zens, mostly foreigners, we will not
ask to help America place a memorial
for American heroes, so unless our
country supports us, we must acknowl-
edge to failure. l think l can with
great economy Keeps thinks going for
a couple of months or three at the
greatest, but not longer, but my faith
is strong that ere then help will come,
At least l have the satisfaction of
knowing that l have tried to do
work that l believe is more appreciated
than almost any that has been done"
Contributions should be made pay
able to Treasurer Memorial Library
Fund" and forwarded to Mrs. Marshall
!. Ludington, Vice President Womans
Army and Navy League, Quartermas-
ter General, War Department, Wash
ington, ID, c.