Evening star., 1917-10-28


additional store offers canned goods.
chocolate. fruit. tobacco for mAo to
take for consumption on trains. - Well
as post cards and other small mafss
rails.
ITO see mon sitting comfortably.
swapping stories over Q cup Of co9eos.
struggling over a game or . pusxle Or
chatting over the counter with cur
workers. convinceB us that our nfse of~
fort to divert tho thoughts OF the Mon
from the excitement and horrors Of TIE
trenches into quiet relaxing channels
has been successful."
Taese canteens are being estaolhhed
at tho important railroad stops along
the line of communication from the
Whenever possible. buildings already
erected will be put to this use. but IL
necessary special buildings will be
built.
Canteens such as these have q broader
meaning than the canteen usually I'm
plies. At the canteen already opened In
France 400 men can be seated In the
dining room every hour. while in an On =
tire day of twenty-fouf hours 5000 mon
can be accommodated. The dormitorfes
which adjoin the dining room can CON-
fortably take care OF 1000 men. In
these have been installed shower batha,
necessary facilities to change the mud
caked man of the trenches into q clean
American again bomb-proof movie
theater is also included.
In conducting these canteens no at
tempt is made to defray the overhead
expenses by means of the meals served.
while in addition to the nominal fec
charged for food much La distributed
free An entire dinner consisting or
soup, meat. salad, dessert and something
to drink can be had for less than Is
cents. Use of the dormitorfes with their
facilities as well as other features OF
the canteen are free.
Another feature of the canteens il
their connection with the field canteens.
which carry hot and cold drinks to
within reaching distance of the men In
the f1rst line trenches. The French have
already well organized movable can
teen system. which will be adopted by
this country. The French movable can
teens are manned by French troops and
in the event of American movable can
teens will be in charge of Americana. In
the matter of actually carrying these
beverages to the men, the women OF
the Canteen Corps will have no part.
but the supply of coffee. soup or what
ever is served. will be obtained from
the base canteens.
The Red Cross refreshment units.
which have brought undying fame to the
huge coffee-pot. sandwich basket and
mail pouch. will play less important
role abroad than in the United States.
Refreshment units here have carried
their tempting burdens directly to the
trains. a plan which will be carried out
abroad only when necessity demands IL.
The canteens being established are at
such points where the changing OF
trains other necessity demands a
walt of few hours whole night
Under such circumstances the long
white counters inside the dining room
will rise to imperishable fame In the
memories OF the men. while the provfs-
ions made for their rest and recreation
will obviate the necessity of their re-
naming in inhospitable waiting rooms.
The first canteen opened was estab-
lished as quickly after the need for IL
became apparent as was possible, and
from the momept the first drink was
served, canteens for American troops.
although no allied uniform is excluded,
viii remain open until the last soldier
has left the trenches and is homeward
bound. AS long as there remains a man
fighting abroad for the ideals of democ-
racy there will be American women
waiting to cheer him up. look after his
well being and give visible proof that
the women of the United States are
standing shoulder TO shoulder with him
to win the war.