The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-12-18
CARE OF v. .. solplgos AND SAIL
oRs NOMINATIONS FIRST
AND SUPREME OBJECT.
MEAL COSTS ONLY ls CENTS
Shower Baths, earbers, Movie Thea
ter Everything Free Except
Food-Work Near the
Firing Line.

the American Red Cross. which will
launch a Christmas membership drive
for 100000 more members in the
Southwest Monday. Dec. II. continuias
until Christmas eve. is the care Of
Uncle Sans own army and navy.
The safety. health and comfort OF
the men who are fighting the coun-
try's battles 5000 miles from home
will at all times be the prime object
Of the organizations attention.
When French army officers were
asked what the American Red Cross
could best do to hearten the army and
give the soldiers q concrete token Of
American cooperation they said:
Give us canteens and rest stations"
The Red Cross is accordingly estab-
fishing canteens at IL important rail-
way stations in France for the special
use Of soldiers on leave. who are con-
stantly passing on their way to and
from the front. The woman's bureau
undertook to recruit 100 women to
serve in canteens and rest rooms in
France. Only women of robust health.
between the ages Of 80 and so, were
considered, and applicants were re.
CURED to show that they had worked
for the American Red Cross or in reg
ular occupations requiring high or
der Of service and a capacity for self
sacrifice. Ffty-two OF these women
already are in France.
Serves 1000 Troops Daily.
The first of these canteens was
opened in September and began i'm
mediately TO serve large numbers OF
French soldiers. and some American
troops. II has been used by an aver
age of 1000 men daily. The first visi-
tors were a troop of chasseurs who
had been instructing the American
troops, and on the same evening a
large number OF American engineers,
leaving by train at / O'Clock in the
morning, were given a warm welcome.
There are Is women who serve day
and night. The menu includes soup.
bread, meat, vegetables, salads,
cheese, eggs, coffee. chocolate and
tea.
Arrangements for announcing the
departure of trains have enabled be-
tween 800 and 400 men TO catch few
hours of much.needed rest in COM
Portable, clean quarters, without fear
of missing their trains. Six hundred
men can be so accommodated. Show
ers and wash basins also are provided.
Everything Free Except Food.
The picture presented by such can
teen when it is filled with soldiers is
described in a cable from Junius b.
Wood, American war correspondent,
in part as follows:
Back Of a long porcelain. tiled counter Amer
lean women in white caps and white aprons
were pouring coffee, ladling soup and handing
out sandwiches as fast a. their arms could
work. In front unending line Of sol
diers American and French. with bowls of
soup or coffee in hand and sandwiches,
Sausages and tobacco In the other, making their
way gingerly through the crowd from the
counter TO seats at the tables in the big room.
This canteen seats 30 an hour in the dining
room. which is capable Of handling 5,OOO guests
daily. There twenty shower baths,
barber shop, a clothes sterilizer and bombproof
movie thester. All Ii free except the food, for
which there In a nominal charge. On the other
side Of the railroad tracks garden has been
laid ont where, in akiosk, the French Govern
ment dispenses wine to It's own troops. While
waiting for trains the soldiers relax and rest.
Everything 10 sold at cost, no allowance be
ing made for the big overhead expenses. In
addition much 10 distributed free. bowl OF
soup, which is quite different from the usual
onion n lavourcd greasy hot water, costs cents.
and other things sold at proportionately
low prices Soup and coffee are both served
In bowls.
There are no spoons. cups, knives or forks.
for these never return. For l8 cents one gets
a dinner consisting Of soup, beef or lamb, vege-
table salad, cheese, pudding or fruit. coffee,
chocolate or boullion. Tea is brewed especially
for passing British troops.
Near the firing line the American
Red Cross is establishing field can
teens. Extending the work already
begun by a branch OF the French Red
Cross. it will provide one of these can
teens for every corps of the French
army and later for the American army
as well.
A field kitchen is maintained there,
from which the refreshing drinks are
distributed along the front by wagons
and light motor trucks. Four thou
sand portions-coffee. tea. cocoa, boul-
lion, lemonade, etc.-are sometimes
served from one canteen in a single
day.