New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-08
Existing on Bread and
Coffee for Weeks, She
Demands He Return.
SERVICE AUXILIARY
WILL EXTEND AID
Mrs. Alexander's Plan to Assist
Families Ready for
Application.

81 want the government TO send my
husband back TO me. just can't stand
it any longer. How soon do you think
he can get here?"
A young woman in a black dress,
with face that was pinched and hun
cry looking, appeared yesterday in the
headquarters of the Active Service Aux
iliary, demanding her husband, a
guardsman on the Mexican border. For
five weeks she had lived on bread and
coffee, seeing no one, not speaking to
any human being. but brooding on the
Injury that she thought had been done
her when her husband marched away.
'If he stays much longer | won't be
alive TO see him." she declared.
IL was explained to her that the
government could do nothing about
sending her husband home before the
troops were returned. She had no
children, she was not sick, except for
the lack of proper food, and there was
no possibility that he could be paroled:
Gle could come if | was sick, could
he?" she asked, with sudden resolution
on her face.
Tries to Pay Debts.
The firm that had employed her hus-
band pays her $3.50, half his weekly
wage. This would be enough for her
to live on, except for the fact that she
is determined 70 keep up his insurance
and to pay the instalments on the
piano, because "he likes music best of
anything" When both these bills and
the monthly rent OF tne apartment,
SIT, are paid she has often less than
81 a week left her for food. But the
thing that troubles her most is that
she has been left absolutely alone.
Haven't you any friends? ?" she was
asked.
Not when haven't any money" she
said.
She limited that she had been tempt
ed TO desperate action when she brood
ed upon her husbands absence.
81 have just had murder in my
heart" she said. And after a moment
she added: 81 do nothing but kill flies
all dav long. That helps little"
Officials at the Active Service Auxil-
iary Gained her and promised assist
ance. Pending a report from the ply
stefan to whom she was sent. no en-
ployment was offered her In her pres
ent nervous condition it is thought she
cannot possibly DO more than earn her
household expenses.
The matter Of her SIT rent is worry
ing the auxiliary. People have adopted
guardsmen's families 10 care for from
time TO time. Perhaps somebody would
like TO "adopt" rent bill. Any such
person Is asked to communicate with
the state branch of the Active Service
Auxiliary, at the State Armory, as
promptly as possible.
New Plan Ready.
Mrs. william Alexander's plan for
assisting the families of guardsmen by
arranging for the National Special Aid
Society to cooperate with the Active
Service Auxiliary in providing home
employment for guardsmen's wives and
daughters will go into effect at once.
The National Special Aid Society will
direct them in cutting and sewing gar
ments, and will pay for both the
materials and the sewing.
Because so many of the guardsmen's
wives have little children and home
work solves the problem of both
mother and babies, this is one of the
most practical plans that has yet been
devised, and Mrs. Alexander feels sure
the public will rally TO its support.
"The employment work carried on by
the Active Service Auxiliary Is finding
no difficulty in placing practically all
applicants for commercial and domes-
tic positions" said Josephy Maper,
general director of the Active Service
Auxiliary. But the young woman
Who after leaving school remained at
home until she was married presents
no qualifications for any Of the regular
openings. If she has baby or two
the situation is even more difficult.
Work TO do at home is the only solu-
tion of the problem, unless 1t IS made
a case for relief rather than employ
ment."