Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-10
|CER4AN-MADE CUPS
STIR SAMMEES' IRE
Otherwise Y. M. c. A. Com
fort Bags Made Real
& Hit in Camp
NEGRO TIRES OF JOB
Recruits Pick Up French Language,
but Have Accent of
Their Own
By HENRI BAZIN

10Th the American Army ~ France
AMERICAN FIELD HE&DoUARTERs,
Nov Z.
1t may have been a good cup, but the
man who selected II showed question
able taste. To each and every Sammee
In certain regiment CT infantry quar-
tered in a certain town in France the
Y. NJ. c. A. recently gave comfort
bag" These bags were made of brown
canvas, and contained = mlnlNure shop
There was a comb and a piece Of soap,
. tube of tooth paste. pair of woolen
wristlets, Turkish towel, pocket
mirror, a pipe and a bag of Bull Dur
ham, two handkerchiefs. some chocolate
and folding cup-one OF the kind that
collapses into third OF opened length.
These cups were of aluminium and had
a tiny folding handle that made their
use more practical They made big
hit with the Sammees because of their
size and enduring quality But one
Sammee whom l met today was In the
act Of heaving his across the muddy
country road near his billet.
whats the idea?' / asked: thought
you fellows liked those cups"
I'VE sure did" replied the brown
clad youth, but I amt got no more
use for mine. And here's why"
With the words he hustled across the
read and picked up his cup, and bring
ing 1t back pointed TO the following
words stamped on its bottom: Made
in Germany"
"Can you beat that?" he said in in
dignation. What do you think of them
Y. NJ. c. A. guys? Can you beat itP'
And with repetition of the words he
heaved the cup as far away as his
strength permitted.
There is a very ccal black gentleman
attached in the capacity of civilian
servant to a certain officer in certain
outfit. in this camp He is not an en-
listed man, but he's here just the same.
The other day he made his way to a
base hospital nearby and asked to see
one of the doctors When ushered into
the medical presence he said:
Doctor. Use come over to see you
cause J'se sure they's sompin wrong
with my haid."
what seems to be the trouble" asked
the doctor whom I happened to be visit
ing.
''It's JUS like this. Doc. I was livin'
down In Brunswick, Ga. botherin' no.
body and earning dollar and quarter
0ay. 1 dlun neeu notIht oHe udy
4 man came and said he wanted me
to go away with him. He told me all
about furrin parts and all that, and
after he showed paper at me. and 4
made me mark on IL. re took me way
to this town here called France. And
now Use been here long 'nough to satisfy
me there's sure sumpn wrong with my
haid else | sure would he back there
in Brunswick right nIw."
Some philanthropist whose name is
hidden beneath his or her modesty, has
recently opened near these quarters a
comfort barracks for Sammee. It's much
on the lines of the Y. M. c. A. and SAL
walton Army booths, but has the distinc-
tion Of being a separate and individual
affair Permission for its installation
was given by General Sibert. and inquiry
at his headquarters as to who is financ-
ing the outfit brings nothing more in
the way of information than can be
secured at the barracks itself. where
the attendants merely reply In answer
to questions: "Oh. just some people at
home who don't care to have their
names made public"
There are tables and chairs and
games. with books and magazines loaned
to any man in khaki. and plenty Of free
writing material. Also. signs. One di-
rectly in front Of a rack full OF pen
holders and pens reads:
THE pen Is mightier than the sword,
but not to the man who has no pen.
Please. therefore. golden rule yours back
to- this rack"