New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-25
For Bewildered Knitters
What the Navy Needs and Where
Material Can Be Had
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: "A bewildered knitter who cries for
help" in The New York Tribune of May 10,
asks that some authoritative assurance
please be given us that our stuff will really
be used for the purpose intended, or at least
for some useful purpose"
1t is evident she did not read the statement
by the Navy League that "the bluejackets of
the American destroyers whose arrival in the
war zone has been announced by the British
Admiralty have to thank the women of the
United States for extra warm clothing which
they will wear on their hard war service in
tie North Sea and about the British Isles.
ut will be new experience for American
sailors, and they will need all the warm cloth
ing and extra protection they can get.
"To meet the emergency need. for service
in the war zone is cold and hard even now,
the women of the United States were called
upon to volunteer in knitting extra woollen
garments, sweaters, mttens, socks, helmet
caps with google eyes that can cover almost
the entire face. Thousands of these outfits
are being made in every city of the country
In face of this statement | cannot under
stand how Jack Tar straight from the
navy, condescendngly advises us not TO waste
our precious time on these things, because
they are not used in the navy at all lie says
that, of course, they will be bully for polish
ing the brasses."
| would suggest that some of "the well in
tentioned" women whom your correspondent
speaks Of "who are foundering about and
would really like to know" one location that
has "honest-to- goodness information on all
handwork for war purposes, and where one
could obtain absolutely every kind Of raw
material need" call at the Comfort Commit
tee OF the Navy League, 500 Fifth Avenue,
and they might be surprised at some of the
information they will receive.
The emergency call of the Navy League has
been responded to in remarkable degree.
Women who can't knit have bought wool for
women who can and want to do their bit"
but cannot afford to buy it themselves. One
woman has supplied the girls in one of our
large department stores with wool TO make
sets. Another has provided the crews of two
destroyers, consisting of ninety-seven men
on each, with sweaters, nufflers. etc.
We have personal calls for the garments,
telephone calls from navy yard and battle
ships. kilograms and letters from our ships
about TO sail for the war zone. We cannot
begin to satisfy the demands.
Tho committee was organized only five
weeks ago, and since that time we have
shipped three thousand articles
Here is emergency call that has just
been received which might help the bewil-
dered knitter:
MARINES NEED JACKETS
IAN emergency call has been received by
the Navy League at Washington for $500
sleeveless jackets, to be knit by the women
for the expeditionary force of United States
marines ordered to France. These jackets
must be ready by June l."
Here is something for the pretty little
hands" of the "bewildered knitter"
MAY TALMAGE MANGAM
Chairman Finished Garments Comforts Com
mittee.
New York, May "a, 1917.