Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-05-17
AMERICAN WAR
KITCHEN GOES
INTO DISCARD
LAC K0F FUNDS CAUSES THE WORK
IN BERLIN TO Be FORCED
TO CLOSE.
WAS ONE OF MOST POPULAR PLACES
OF ITS KIND IN GERMAN
CAPITAL.

4 " ~ spur ~ - ~ f'f
Berlin. May l5.-By the first Of June
at latest the Amcrikanischc lIilfs ku-
che or American war Kitchens To 90
out Of commission. for want Of funds.
noiwi I h>tanding that il i one of the
most popular places Of it, kind IA the
city.
Ii came into existence October H..
1911. and up to the middle of April has
spent. for feeding alone. about 10000
marks. Fifty women from the .Amcri
can colony. in alternating groups. "f
eight have gladly given their time in
serving the war sufferers.
As the war has progressed. however.
the membership in the American colo
NY here has slowly hut steadily he
creased. aud funds for the Kitchen
have come in more and more slowly.
AMI their end is nov in sight.
The Americans set out Ia give away
a meal costing. exclusive of labor 81
any athcr item. "a pfcnnieS. Supplies
have gone mp in price. however, and
the same food that IN October cost 30
now costs - pfennigs-ar'othcr item
in Fastening the end.
With q big. light. airy building
placed rent free ~ their disposal. the
Americans tried 10 feed 900 persons a
day. with a meal that in MANY eases
has proved much better that that for
merlv cniovcd by the bcneficiarics in
their homes in times If peace.
IN selecting the per>oms-moStly
women deserving If help. the Kitchen
has had invaluable service from the
National Fraucndicnst" or association
for helping women. This organization
has taken over entirely the matter Of
issuing cards emitting persons 10 meals
and has exercised Scrupulnu> care a.
see that there was u" imposition.
The moment that 4 woman'S husband
gs,S work. or some other avenue of in.
come has opened up la her. the Fraucn-
dienst has shut on her privileges al
the Kitchen
Thu recently 4 woman who had been
coming 10 the Kitchen regularly for
three weeks entered on the Monday of
the fourth-without a card. Sobbing
and weeping she admitted that she had
been 10 the F~raucndicn>t and had been
refused 4 card and under pressure said
the reason for the refusal was that her
husband was again back al work and
earning money.
Somewhat surprised that she should
continue "a seek assistance under those
circumstances the m M the kitchen
pressed her for her reason and 30
it.
IL know m man * working again"
sobhcd the woman. "b-b-but YOU $
see. the meals are 20 good here"
The beneficiaric> of the kitchen ~
>cmble Al Schlcsi>chcStraSSc 70 prompr.
" 1T noon and are admitted on the
hour. They present their cards from
the Fraucndienst and are given a brass
check. which they turn over a. the
Young American women who act as
Mattresses
The! get in turn = meal. consisting
of soup. meal. potatoes and vegetables.
:" generous ~ IT. proportions that
nzrn> Of The women have fallen into
~ habit rf hringn. one ar TWO ~
.rir children along. with whom the,
haze the rEplc ration.
Penn Us unr third uI the .D served
'iLii, TAKE the mcli Ermc aud there
split u up with their families. The
J.ncr tSo thirds. almost invariably
acaily dressed and we'll manmrrc,i. III
at neat, MhiIccovcrcd individual tables
IN "a CHEEKY big room decorated with
the interwined American and German
flags. The tables arc decorated with
flowers.
The German women have taught
their children ii bid their hostcs>cS
iheir children 10 bid their businesses
sees a host of youngsters shaking hands
g~ravcly with funny little c"urtc-icS.
The guests almost invariably have their
favnritc> among The American women
and 20 straight - the tables where
they know they will bc served by the
on" they like best.
The assistance Of hhc Americans in
Berlin 10 war sufferers has not been
confined to giving AWAY meals. Scores.
II not hundreds ~ pairs of shoes aud
articles of clothing nave been dealt out
and at Christmas time there was a jol
~hhcation at which boxes were given out.
The money necessary t. carry on this
work has not If rrur>c come from Am
ericanS here exclusively. Berlin Amrri
"an> through friends IN the United
states have from time Ia time raised
considerable sums. and still are %geuiin.
a little. but not enough apparently t.
carry on the work.