New Britain herald., 1918-09-17

PalCrmO,-PalcrmO is one of 1talys chief refugee centers. One would sup pose that the great stress of a big at tack and subsequent Italian victory would be borne only in tho front line trenches. But, as matter of fact, the echo of the strife rings through ont Italy; every town has it's share of the work that brings success and glory. Palermo, like every other city ! in pathetic, united Italy offers facil- l ties to those victims of war who are compelled to leave the front when the heavy fighting makes the whole area 1 in the neighborhood of the lines un- safe. In the latter part of June, when 1 the Italian soldiers were resolutely drving the enemy across the Piaye, | Palermo was a gathering nd distribut- ing place for refugees. And in this work, the aid of the American Red Cross is indispensable and the activity i of it's representatives is ceaseless. When refugees going from one l place to another in Western Sicily pass through Palermo a message 1 comes from the Refugees Committee 1 to the Red Cross officers at Palermo.
 
 ways ready-with hot coffee from 1 their kitchens, bars of chocolate for 1 the women and children. cigarettes f for the men and the postal card dec l orated with Italian and American f1ahs 1 that all tho people of whatever age or 1 sex are glad to receive. For there 1 is some soldier member of each and every family, anxiously waiting in the tn Of fa+ l,; mother or sister or his aged father. An immense number of these brief messages of comfort are sent on 1 American Red Cross post cards. This service means being awakened at midnight and going out into the l night; 1t means that all those who serve at the canteen must stay on until late in the morning, thus mak- ing more than tWenty-fOur hours without sleep. But it is the sort of service which symboizes the Red 'Cross's work of friendship and aid in Italy.
 Coffee and bread were furnished from the Red Cross kitchens. Choco1- ate was ready in baskets with trays of cigarettes and post cards. And when the incoming train was announced the
 
 the women members in white aprons and veils went out from the canteen to the platform as 1t pulled into the station and walked down into black darkness, looking like spectres of light as they moved. Everything was still l a stiffness almost unbroken for q time, ! and 1t seemed mercifful thigh not to awaken anyone from sleep. Then head here and there, a mere outline, appeared at windows. The committee and the Red Cross representatives scattered to different parts of the train and began to ask, "quante bambini," "quante personne?' The answers came sometimes "quattro", "cinque", but oftener "undici'', "quindici". and even "seidici". One wondered how 1t was possible to crowd them all in. Eager hands reached down for choco- late'-old hands, young hands and even baby fingers. The night merci- fully hid tear-stained faces and tired ones. Then the train was shuntcd to another track and the workers went back to the canteen to wait until they could finish tho distribution. These people were going on to Ira pani. They were hungry, for war time -traw- el is full of delays and difficulties There are few places along the rail- road in Sicily now where anything can be bought for food. If was creeping into grey dawn when the American