El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-15
AMERICAN WAR
KITCHEN FEEDS
MANY GERMANS
Philanthropic Work Must
End June l, as Money
Is Exhausted.
AMERICANS GIVE
SHOES AND CLOTHES

~ ERIN, Germany, May 15.-By tbs
IL first Of June at latest the Amer
ikanische Hilfs Kuche. or Amer
lean war kitchens to go out Of CON-
mission. for want OF funds, notwith-
standing that it is one Of the most
popular places Of its kind in the city
It came into existence October 1s
1914. and up to the middle of April has
spent for feeding alone, about $1,000
marks. Fifty women from the Amer
lean colony. in alternating groups OF
eight have given their time in serving
the war sufferers
As the war has progressed, however,
the membership in the American colony
here has slowly but steadily decreased,
and funds for the kitchen have come
in more and more slowly, and their
end is now in sight
The Americans set out to give away
. meal costing, exclusive Of labor or
any other item, 30 pfennigs. supplies
have gone up in price. however, and
the same food that in October cost 30
now costs IS pfennigs-anOther item in
Tried to reed 200 Daily.
With a big, light, airy building
placed rent free at their disposal, the
Americans tried to feed 200 persons
day with a meal that in many cases
has proved to be much better than that
formerly enjoyed by the beneficiaries
in their homes in times Of peace
In selecting the persons-mostly
wOmen-deservinE Of help. the kitchen
has had invaluable service from the
National Frauendienst. or association
for helping women This organization
has taken over entirely the matter OF
issuing cards emitting persons to
meals. and has exercised scrupulous
care to see that there was no lmposi-
ton
The moment that wOman's husband
gets work. or some other avenue OF in
come has been opened up to her, the
Frauendienst has shut off her priv
ileges at the kitchen
Better Than Home Meals"
Thus recently woman who had been
coming to 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 to the FraUendienst and had been
refused a card, and under pressure said
the reason for the refusal was that her
husband was again back at work and /
earning money
Somewhat surprised that she should \
continue to seek assistance under those !
the women at the kitch- I
en- pressed her for her reason-and 4
IL know my man is working /
again" sObbed the woman. "b-b-but /
you s-see. the means are so good here"
The beneficiaries Of the kitchen as 1
semble at Schlesisch estrasse % prompt Z
~ at noon and are admitted on the /
hour. They present their cards from 4
the Frauendienst and are given a brass j
check, which they turn over to the |
young American women who act as 4
Mattresses
They get in return a meal consist
Ing OF soup, meat, potatoes and vege- I
tables. so generous in its proportions /!
that dozens Of the women have fallen 4
Into the habit Of bringing one or two I
OF their children along, with whom 4
they share the ample ration
Many Garry Meals Home.
Perhaps One-third Of the 200 served 1
daily take the meal home and there i
split It up with their families. The l
other tWo-thirds. almost Invariably 4
neatly dressed and well-mannered, sit J.
II neat White-coyered individual tables
in a CHEEKY big room decorated with ]
the fntertwined American and German {
Tags. The tables are decorated with 4
flowers
The German women have taught /
their children to bid their hostesses /
adieu, and the conclusion Of each meal
sees a host Of youngsters shaking
hands gravely with funny little cour-
-esies- The guests almost invariably I
nave their faTorites among the Amer
can women and go straight to tables
. mere Lu6E Know LuGF VIII De served
~ the one they like best
Give Shoes and Clothing.
The assistance Of the Americans in Z
Berlin to war sufferers has not been ;
confined TO giving away meals. Scores
I not hundreds Of pairs Of shoes ana
articles OF clothing have been dealt
1ut, and at Christmas time there was
JollifcatiOn at which boxes were
given out
The money necessary to carry On this
york has not, of course, come from
Americans here exclusively. Berlin
americans through friends in the
nited states have from time to time
alsed eonsidera bic SUES, and still are
5etting a little. but not enough annar-
ntly to carry on the work