The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1917-07-25
HOW The NAVY
WILL GET THEIR
READING MATTER

Washington, July 25.-"Clip as well
as knit for the sailor and Martinez is
now the slogan of the Comforts COM
nlittee of the Navy league of the Unit
ed States.
The League is going to keep the
sailor and marine, sent over the seas
to battle for civilization, in touch with
his Town home town." or at least as
far as possible in touch with events in
the U. S. A, by sending him regularly
clippings Of every sort and description
from magazines and newspapers. Ev-
erything from Mutt and Jeff to Leader
editorials will be included in the Jack
les literary menu.
This work was initiated and is now
under the direct supervision of Cap
tain c. H. Harlow, U. S. N, who has
his office. with the Comforts commit
tee headquarters of the Navy league
of the United States, in this city. His
idea is to supplement the comfort out
fits knit by patriotic women of the
country, through the comforts COM
mittee of the Navy league, with clip
pings from newspapers and magazines
arranged in booklet form, which would
be of interest to the men on board
ship.
To reduce postage cost, and because
space in shipping is at a premium, it
has been recommended that the stories
be cut out separately from the book,
stitched together with heavy thread
and, if possible, bound with brown pa
per further to protect it. The idea of
this to to divide a single magazine
which may contain several stories
among all the men on board destroy
er, so that while one man is reading q
story several of his shipmates may be
doing the same from the same book
In this way man can easily thrust
such a booklet into his pocket, wher
suddenly called to quarters, or it car
be passed around the ship in short
time, while more bulky magazine
would have to be thrown aside. As
these torpedo boats and destroyers
are so numerous there is naturally {
scarcity Of magazines for distribution
when one considers that each small
boat may contain from eighty to one
hundred men in its crew.
A glimpse into the shop of the com.
forts committee headaus@tess of-the
Navy league finds several girls hare
at work, clipping articles on current
topics, religious, scientific and sport.
ing subjects, as we'll as pictures from
comic sheets which they paste to a
sheet OF heavy paper and place in an
envelope in file arranged according
to these subjects. Others are busy
separating bindings from magazines
and stitching the stories together fo1
the folders. Attractive pictures cut
from magazine covers and illustra-
tions Of stories to add to the appear
ance of the cover are cut out and past
ed on these folders. These little book
let's are then placed carefully in envel-
opes which are sent to the various de-
stroyers, torpedo boats and cruisers of
the United States to be distributed
amongst their respective crews.
As naval officer, Captain Harlow
thoroughly understands the need for
this form of entertainment for the
men. at is surprising" says Capt.
Harlow, show the people Of the coun-
try are taking hold Of this work and
the great amount Of enthusiasm man
Tested. 1t is so encouraging. in fact
that the Navy league hopes that
enough material may be prepared tc
furnish not only the torpedo bo0@3 ar
destroyers Of the Navy, but also the
battleships with their crews of 1000
men,"
Clubs for this kind of work are be-
ing formed throughout the country t
work in cooperation with the head
quarters of the comforts committe,
in Washington, the work being sen
there when completed for distribution
by the navy league to the postmaste
at New York city who is advised b,
the navy department as to what ship
can he reached and their whereabouts