The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-05-22

LOCAL NAVY LEAGUE
Organization to Aid American War
riors on the Sea.

"A local Drancn or the navy League
Comforts committee has been orga
nized with headquarters at the Re'
| Cross rooms, with Mrs. Chisholm il
| charge. The women of Bennington
are asked to knit for the sailors
Warm knitted articles for men in ac
| tive service have been officially asked
for by Admiral McGowen, paymastel
of the United States Navy. The mer
of our navy are in need of many com
forts. Every person can do some
thing for them What will you do
Do not delay. Your help is needed
for those who guard us on the seas
The navy has never failed US; we must
not fail the navy.
The wool for knitting can be OBJ
tanned from Mrs. Chisholm, 60 Main
street. or tel. 174-R
The Navy League at New York has
issued this statement tonight regard.
supplying men on these destroyers
with clothing.
"The bluejackets of the American
destroyers whose arrival in the war
zone has been announced by the Brit
ish Admiralty. have 10 thank the wo-
men of the United States for extra
warm clothing which they will wear
on their hard war service in the North
Sea and about the British Isles.
According to the cable dispatch
from Queenstown announcing the ar
rival of the American warships, the
blueiackets were thoroughly equipped
save that they did not have warm
enough clothing
at is only the first few destrOyers
to arrive which are not so outfitted.
They arrived at Queenstown on May
4. and their departure from American
ports was so hurriedly made that 1t
was impossible to reach them with the
extra warm wooden garments given to
the other crews However. such eX-
ira clothing has been sent them and
doubtless by this time has reached
them
The extra clothing was knitted by
thousands Of women all over the Unit
ed States. who have volunteered for
this work under the direction OF Il
Comforts Committee of the Navy
League Before any of the destroyers
left American ports, notice was given
to these volunteer workers TO hasten
their supply of extra clothing to Wash
ington. But II failed to reach the
first destroyers to leave.
But the service against submar
rines in the war zone will be under
particularly bad weather conditions,
cold and with heavy fog. Life in
destroyer at best is not very comfort
able, and in cold weather the thin
steel hulls of the boats offer little or
no protection. 1t will be new eX-
perience for American sailors, and
they will need all the warm clothing
and extra protection they can get.
But to meet the emergency need
meanwhile, for service in the war zone
s cold and hard even now, the women
cf the United States were called upon
to volunteer in knitting extra woolen
sweaters, mittens, socks,
and helmet caps, with google eyes,
that can cover almost the entire face.
of these outfits are being
made today in every city in the coun-
try
THE appreciation of the bluejackets
'or this service has been variously ex-
pressed Many of the women have
put their names on slips of paper in
he articles they have knitted, and the
sailors While waiting in port for the
,all to the war zone have written
hem their thanks. One young lady
'eceived the following:
"Some soX; some fit;
| use one for helmet
And one for a mitt:
| hope ] shall meet you
When I've done my Bit
But who in the devil
Taught you to knit"
But the response in other cases |
has been serious praise of this volun- |
eer work of the American women. |
)ne officer wrote: i
These garments will not only |
make the men more comfortable, but |
will render them more efficient in the |
performance of their duties. In pro
Tiding this clothing the donors have |
lided in the national Defense
This officer is now in command of |
ome of the destroyers in the war
.one.'