Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-12-20
AMERICAN WOMEN
OPERATE REOCR0ss
CANTEENs ABROAD
CARE OF v. s. soLpiEps AND SAIL.
oRS ORGANIZATIONS FIRST
AND SUPREME OBJECT.
MEAL COSTS ONLY 10 CENTS
Shower Baths, BARRIERS, Movie Thea
ter Everything Free Except
Food-Work Near the
Firing Line.

First and supreme in the work OF
the American HE'D Cross. which WILL
launch a Christmas membership drive
Tor 100000 o more members in the
Southwest Monday, Dec. II. continuing
until Christmas eve, Ia the care OF
Uncle SANS own army and navy.
The safety. health and comfort OF
the men who are fighting the coun-
;ry's battles 5000 miles from home
will at al. times be the prime object
Of the organizations attention.
When French army officers were
asked what the American Red Cross
could best do to hearlen the army n
give the soldiers a concrete oxen Of
American cooperation they said:
Give us canteens and rest stations
The Red Cross Is accordingly estab-
fishing canteens at II 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 10 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 Dr. In reg
ular occupations requiring a high or
der of service and a capacity for SELF
sacrifice. Fifty-two of these women
already are in France.
Serves 1000 Troops Daily.
The first of these canteens was
opened in September and began im-
mediately to serve large numbers OF
Nench soldiers and some American
troops. 1t has been used by an aver
age Of 1000 men daily. The first visi-
tors We're a troop Of chasseurs who
had been i%nstructing 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 amounting the
departure of trains have enabled be-
tween 300 and 400 men to catch a lew
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 4 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.tilsd counter Amer.
lean women in white caps and white aprons
were pouring coffee. laGl!ng soup and handing
on. ssndwiche. as last a. their arms could
dicrs. American and French. with bowls. Of
soup or coffee In eps hand and sandwiches,
sausuces and tobacco Ia the other, making their
counter to seats at the tables in the big room.
This canteen seats 90 Nh hour In the dining
room, which IL capable Of handling 5000 guests
daily. There are twenty.Cne shower baths. q
barber shop, a clothes stcriltzer and boinbproof
ao,ts theater. All on Is lree .h except the 10, iooa c,h tor
y Nlf1u kANkS &c "a bAAAAAes A~'oS os sAS SNsANe
side of the railroad tracks y garden has been
laid out where, in akiosk, the French Govern.
mcnt dislenses wine to Its own troops. While
waiting for trims the soldiers relax and rest.
Everything 10 sold at cost, no allowances BE-
Ing made for the big overhead expenses. In
addition, much 10 distributed free. A bowl Of
soup, which 10 quite different from the usual
onion. flavoured greasy hot water. costs . cent?.
and other things are sold at proportionateiy
low prices. Soup and coffee are b0th served
In bowls.
There are no spoons, cups, knives or fofke.
for these never return. For ID cents one geta
a dinner consisting Of soup. beef or lamb. vsse'
table salad, cheese, pudding or fruit, COFFEE,
chocolate or boullion. Tea 10 brewed especially
for passing British troops.
Near the firing line the American
Red Cross is establishing field can
teens. Extending the work alread,
begun by a branch of the French Red
Cross, it will provide n Of these can
teens for every corps of the French
army and later for the American army
as we'll.
A field kitchen Is maintained there
from which the >refreshing drinks arr
distributed along the front by wagon!
and light motor trucks. Four thou
sand portions-coffee, tea. cocoa. boul
lion, lemonade, etc.-are sometimes
served from one canteen in a singh