The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-08-30
BATHS, GAMES AND DRINKS
Field "Canteens" Will Greet the Sol
dier as He Leaves the Trenches for
Little Hour Back Home-Will
Promote Unity.

KenCsha people who contribute to the
Red Cross fund hereafter will be doing
what they can to bring light to fighting
men ard to cement the friendship be-
tween France and the United States.
DESTROYS of putting their money where
ii would do the most good the Ameri-
can Association recently conferred with
the French government and discovered
that conditions behind the firing line
were anything but inviting for the sol
diers on their way back home. Accord
iugly the committee began at once to
meet the emergency in way revealed
by the following dispatches from ma
tional headquarters at Washington.
"Canteens and rest stations for the
French and American troops will be
established at once in France by the
American Red Cross.
"The War Council has been trying to
find out just what the Red Cross could
do most effectively to hearten the
French army and to give French sol
diers a token of the fact that America
IS with her ally with all her power
The French army officers have told
the Red Cross that canteens and rest
stations would do more for the imme-
date welfare and contentment of the
soldiers than anything else that could
be done, Therefore, the problem is go
ing to be met thoroughly and at once.
"The poilus come out of the trench
es to 90 home on leave, mud-stained,
vermin-coverd, reeking with infection
They are marched to the nearest rail
head in that condition, where, perhaps,
they find little station with scanty
accommodations for dozen passen-
gers.
FfThe Red Cross is going to put show
or baths there, and laundries and mend
ing and disinfecting rooms, which will
remove the menace of dirt and disease
which these men carry to their homes.
Then there will be rest rooms where
they can read and write and play games,
to make the transition to civilian life
easier. and small stores where they can
buy timed delicacies, tobacco, and odds
and ends
"Similar canteens will be opened at
the railroad functions where the men
must wait en-route. AT some of them
now these men, still trench stained,
have to lie on station platforms all
night. There will be dormitories at
such places, and lunch rooms at all of
them where hot meals can be bought
al price just above cost.
"Nearlv $4,000 soldiers are passing
day. They will have a convincing proof
Of American friendliness when they
find American women-the Women's
Bureau is now recruiting fifty of them
for such service-ready to help them
"Just behind the firing line the Red
Gross will put field canteens. Extend
ing the work already begun by the
French Red Cross, we shall see that ev-
cry corps of the French army, and ul
timately our own, has one of these
stations, which will supply hot and cold
drinks to the men who are fighting.
Many of them now have nothing to
relieve their thirst except their days
ration which they carry in containers
which may be smashed at any minute
f'The canteen is placed in or near the
second line and refreshing drinks are
carried right into the front trenches.
Each station can keep about 125 gal
Ions of hot drinks at the boiling point,
and has sew ,ral thermos containers
holding six to twelve gallons apiece.
Four thousand portions-eoffee, tea, CO.
Goa, bouillon, lemonade, mint-are some
times served from one canteen in sin
pie day.
t'Here, too, American workers will be
found. The convoyer" in charge of
the canteen will be Red Cross man,
with French soldiers to help him. Many
of the poilus will get their first glimpse
Of the American uniform in this way
Just the cup of coffee, or the cold
drink, may make all the difference be-
tween sagging morale and spirited fight
ing.
"To carry out these plans the War
Council has appropriated about 100000
which will serve to establish the can
teens and maintain them for about three
months. Much of the original equip
ment will be supplied by the French
army"