The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-13

at home are going ahead with the prep
aration of presents for the boys In khaki
and the military authorities have prom
ised that every effort will be made to
see that the gifts are delivered on Christ
mas morning. Half the women of Eng
land are knitting warm socks and gloves
and mufflers, and the other half are
mixing and boiling plum buildings and
baking cakes and other dainties that will
stand the rather rough and ready means
OF transport that are available.
Princess Mary, the Kings daughter,
has given the lead in providing Christ
mas gifts for the men. A few weeks ago
she made an appeal for $4,000 and she
has already received more than $500. 900 of
this amount. The money is to be spent
in giving every man at the front or in
camp a gift which will probably take
the form of chocolates and tobacco. with
perhaps a pair of warm gloves or nit
tens II the money runs to that. When
Princess Marys reat-grandmother. Queen
Victoria, sent gifts of chocolate to her
soldiers In South Africa a good deal of
ridicule resulted. but the people who
laughed didn't know Soldiers on active
duty. especially men who have been used
to fairly regular allowance of alco-
hol, simply crave for candy, and choco-
late containing as It does both the heat
forming sugar and the body building food,
is ideal in this respect. Tons of 1t are
being sent out every week now, both
by the war office and by the friends of
tho soldiers, but more Is always well
come and. of course. there is nothing so
comforting to the men in the trenches
as a smoke.
This particular gift will really be a
gift from Princess Mary as well as
from the British public which has sub
scribed the money, for the little prin
cess has worked hard to assure tho
success of the movement and Incl
dentally she has displayed a lot of her
mothers business ability and organic
ing power. She has had the assist
ance of the Duke of Bedford and OF
the household staff Mt Buckingham
palace. but she has supervised every
detail of the arrangements herself ana
has spent several hours every day
writing and signing letters in connec-
ton with the appeal for funds. Al her
suggestion personal letter was sent
to every householder in London and
In a number of the big provincial
cities appealing for subscriptions TO
the fund.
1t is likely. however, that Santa 8
sack will contain more tobacco than
anything else. Newspapers all over the
country are running tobacco funds for
the soldiers and In many towas Boy
Scouts and little girls are collecting
cigarettes. A number of cigar stores
contain a box like an ordinary penny
collecting box for tho hospitals. with
an appeal to customers to drop one
cigarette in before they leave.
A leading maker told me the other
day that he, in common with other
large manufacturers. had received an
inquiry from high quarter for all i'm
mense number of pipes. This seems to
Indicate that the King is arranging
to make o personal gift to the men in
the trenches II he does so his mon
ogram will probably be engraved on
each pipe. The queen also il making
inquiries about warm shirts and body
belts so that she also will probably
) be represented in Santa Claus bag on
Christmas morning.
The gifts that will be most appre-
ciated, however. will be those from the
wives ard mothers and swecthearts
and little ones at home and the war
office has risen to the occasion and
Is preparing to cut as much Of the
red tape as possible in order that tho
men may have real Christmas. OF
course 1t is obvious that ii would be
absurd to send perishable fruit and
pies and things of that sort to the
men In the trenches, and that jewelry
and articles of adornment would also
be superfluous. 1t must also be re-
membered that the question of trans
port Is an important one. and that
Santa Claus sleigh must not be over
loaded with bulky and useless articles.
Subject to these conditions, however,