Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-12-22
'M,' SAID SERGEANT OClM,
. IN SANTA FOR men IN TRENCHES"
Sent by the British Soldiers at the Front With Money to
Buy Presents For Their Children at Home-Hun-
dreds of Thousands of Persons Flood the Christmas
Mails For the Fighters.

would not commit himself to q defin-
lite statement.
I'm war" said he, its i'll tellin'
what may happen"
That one unimportant talk told the
story OF Christmas with the battling
nations. Germany and England and
France will alike remember the little
ones. They are not to be cheated out
of their one great day of all the year.
The men at the front are to be cheer
ed by loving messages from those at
home. The Englishmen will have
their plum puddings and the Germans
their roast geese and the French their
sweetmeats and pates. Those at home
will keep Christmas day in sorrow.
There Is no semblance of Christmas
merriment anywhere. But there Is an
abundance of courage.
Perhaps this one fact may make
clear the feelings OF the homekeep-
ers to those In a happier country. In
all England / did not see one merry
Christmas card exposed for sale
But there is no giving way to dejec-
ton. The cards one sees in the WIN
dows express the national attitude
an unalterable determination, a GER
tainty that in the end all things will
come right. One OF these cards may
be taken as typical of the rest. The
other side carries the translation:
I'VE will meet the future full of
faith and hope"
been in both Germany and France.
The same spirit was observable there
also. The little ones those too
young to know--are to be made hap
py. The fighting men at the front are
to be cheered. Those who wait be-
hind can only hope.
AL Remember the Soldiers.
The three nations have taken al
most identical measures to- insure
that the gifts will reach the men ON
time. Two months ago Germany's
war postottice created department
to handle the Christmas business A
tremendous business sprang up In.
cardboard containers. which will pro-
tcct almost anything brcakable
against ruin England's war post
service has been excellent from the
outset. Many Sergeant Ogilvys will
take charge of wagons filled with gifts
on the day before Christmas at many
points in the field. Distribution will
be made on Christmas day itself, so
far as that is possible. So many gifts
were poured in upon the French SOL
diers that by the middle of Decem-
Der the French war post Office threw
up their hands.
I'VE cannot handle any more
Christmas gifts" said they. I'VE be-
lieve that every man in the field has
been remembered twice or three
times over"
National characteristics appear in
the Christmas gifts offered for sale
IN the windows. Every great bakery
IN england has specialized In two
and-six" plum puddings, each in it's
stone jar-one pudding to a soldier
They need but to be steamed in
camp kettle--which for the most part
began life as an oil can-and then
eaten with what sauce the soldier may
md Ogilvy says there isn't u pri-
assured Of a bit Of brandy to set blaz-
ing over his sweetmeat
Not said he. judicially, "but
brendy" . -"
Germany seems--so far as the Ber-
lin windows showed-to run to roast
geese and sausages. Those viands
seem to be particularly adapted to the
nermah digestion. Wounded men
convalesce on wurst. Very large,
very rich. cakes were also being bak.
ca for the delectation of the military
tooth. In France dainties seem to be
favored for the fighters, together with
most excellent pates. Tho French
stay-at-homes may live, day in and
Gay out, on soup and coarse bread.
but each French man and French
woman has been able to send some
dencacy to a friend at the front. Nor
nave the other practical needs of tho
men been forgotten.
one would think that the exposed
scotch knee is in need of protection.
But 1t Is in Berlin that one flnds
,na, kn'e warmers" for sale-a stock
met ns cohtr1vance which may be pull
ea over the middle joint of tho leg.
berlin. too. seems to have a fancy for
very heavy woollen socks and sleen-
Ing Ing helmets of prodigious thickness.
france runs to underclothinr. ner.
maps because the variety furnished NV
the war Office is said to be rather
more cheap than warm. England spe-
eaaiixes Gu In heavy Jerseys, and believes
IN blankets rather than in the sieen.
ing bags which German eift-eivep,
have pinned their faith to.