Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-02
RED CROSS FEEDS
HUNGRY SAMMEES
Society Women Serve Sand
wiches and Coffee at
Base Canteen
WoRK no BE EXTENDED
Bv HENRI BAZIN

by HENRI bAAlN
s'e Ss 3seas e 1S r. sSs"'s e ss''
AArERIcAN FIELD HEADQUARTERS
IN FRANCE. Sept 81.
Upon tho ancient glass and age-stAined
Eargoyles of n thirteenth century church
the harvest moon threw weird shadows ts
two correspondents picked their way alons
a biackened street in a city within the army
zone. There was silence everywhere. NOW
and then faint light through the crack OF
shutter indicated life within the houses
PASSED upon the way IL was nearly nl,u1 ',,
nIeht. and after s o'clock, this city. as all
others and indeed villages throughout the
sone OF the army. was in darkness
Three times during an hours walk wo
passed poilus of France, their hobnaileu
shoes echoing upon the cobbled way
turn in the street revealed the outilne y,
n viaduct and beyond II railroad tracks ana
the vague form of a station. the street
here took a sharp down grade, and as we
descended we came upon French sentry
who mechanically saluted Entering the
wide door, through which we could see
smoking oil lamp hanging upon n grimy
wall we passed to a vast waiting room
where a similar light revealed hundreo
form huddled in sleeping postures upon
hard benches. They wehe soldiers IN horl'
zon blue, with few peasant women waiting
for early morning trains to take them 70
their destination. We passed out and to
the platform of the station, where atter
stumbling over piles of cinders and the
whole paraphernala OF battalion OF
French infantry, we saw an open door. IL
was wide and barred by a canvas curtain
weighted at the bottom with an iron rod,
thus permitting brilliant lighting within
and throwing but faint shadow without
Entering we found ourselves in the first
American Red Cross base canteen In
France. only recently opened, and which we
were told would never be closed at any hour
OF the day or night during the war, even
until the last American Sammee returns
from the trenches after final victory over
the Boche.
The room was crowded with Sammees,
several hundreds of them. Their kits lay
In bundles and heaps in varied corners
They were en- route from one point In the
zone TO another. and their train would pull
out in an hour Meanwhile they were FORM
ing in rows before a white tiled counter
with their mess kits in hand. Behind the
counter were gentle-faced American women
in white caps, embroidered with the cross
OF red, and great white aprons AS fast as
lightning they were pouring cofree and
handing out sandwiches of white bread and
sliced ham to the khaki clad. There was
the silent rumblng of many voices and the
steady munching of food with the oc-
casional touch Of cup to cup.
PoILUs INVITED IN
A French troop train passed and stopped
beyond the station for one OF the mex
plainable waits common TO the transfer OF
fighting men along the line. In few mo-
ments the poilu territorials from the train
looked within the canvas-covered door ana
were at once invited TO take part In the
refreshments offered. They entered In
silent wonder and mechanically took coffee
as It was handed them. But their eyes
opened wide when they saw that the sand
wiches given them were Of really, truly
white bread, for white bread In France
aside from the product of American army
Bakeries is a rarity indeed.
Presently the French troop train whistled
and the poilus departed with many thanks
expressed in many ways. And then the
Sammees were given order to fall in and
entrain. In thirty minutes the canteen was
deserted save for US two men and the white
garbed women.
InstInctively we saluted them as we heard
their tale and their names. Names are
taboo in connection with correspondence
from the army, but the rule applies only to
the brown-ciad be he private or colonel or
brigadier general. But these women from
home do not come under the ban. Also.
they have had their names in many paper
before, but always in the society columns.
Here, "somewhere in France" as simple
mattresses. II would seem to me their names
should stand out in bolder type and in
nobler connection than when associated with
teas or receptions or balls or any society
function.
For they have packed away their evening
gowns and left them at home in exchange
Tor the white uniform Of the American Red
Cross voluntarily exchanging comfort for
the hardships and inconvenience connected
with humbly serving food and drink to the
SamInee from over the sea- or the poilu from
the North and the Midi They are pa
triotically performing their share in the
great adventure and II goes without say
ing that their work Is appreciated to the
extreme by the American army, individually
and coliectiVely
All over the zone these canteens are to
be established. In every part of II, before
and during the days of fighting to come, the
I. American women, with others still to ar
rive, will be on the Job early and late, all
ways with the smile of welcome and the
word of cheer for the fighting man from
America.
NAMES FOR SOCIAL CALENDARS
In this canteen I found names known in
all society circles in the United States. From
Philadelphia there are Misses Sophy Norris,
Mary Scott Montgomery and Henrietta Ely (;
Misses Margery Mott, Anna Mitchell. Ruth
Carroll Mrs. Emma Sword and Mrs. John
Corbin come from New York. Miss Serena
CoEswell, from San Francisco. and Mrs.
Royd Herrick, from Minneapolis, to mem
tiOn a few.
1 was told that before the end OF the
year thirty Of these canteens will be in
operation, and that the Red Cross will
build and equip, in addition, a series OF
1 dormitories, where thousands OF men can
md canvas cots for the asking. There are
70 be also more shower baths than ever
France heard OF before, with barber shops.
clothes sterilizing plants and bombproof
movies Everything will be free, including
eoffee and sandwiches for troops coming OF
going to destinations.