Evening star., 1918-04-07
u. S. BOYS IN FRANCE
ENJOYING LEAVE
Beautiful Places in Depart
ment of Savoie Selected for
Their Recreation.
Y.M.c.A: IS ACTIVE IN WORK

AK-LEs-BAINS, March Between
500 and 500 American soldiers are ar
riving or leaving hero each day on
special trains Smaller numbers are en-
tering and leaving the towns Of Cham
berry. Faux and other places
in the Department Of Savoie. which has
been selected as the FIRST great leave
center OF the American Army. These
soldiers are Americas nrst permits
sfonaires" on general leave. All OF the
first arrivals have been members of
the first expedition to reach France and
likewise the first to sec active service
In the trenches.
The question Of taking care Of men
on leave has been one of the most Inn
portant recreation problems with which
the U. 8. Army has had to deal. After
consulting with representatives OF the
7. M c. A. and other welfare organ
izations It was decided to experiment
with the plan Of selecting in turn va
rious interesting places In France to
which the man could be sent. Gen.
eral orders were then issued granting
each officer and man In France . leave
once every four months. Free trans
portation IL provided to mon who spend
their Leave in centers selected BY the
Army. Leave to Paris and other cities
In France. outside the leave area, ID
only provided in exceptional cases.
Rates at Hotels for Soldiers.
When the Army selected the Depart
ment Of Savoie as the first leave area
the 7. M. c. A. Immediately began to
make plans for. the reception OF the
men. Arrangements were first made
with hotel proprietors whereby they
would open their hotels earlier than
usual and reserve q certain percentage
OF their rooms for seldiers.
All hotels in the department, which
contracted with the z. N. C. A. to pro-
vide the necessary accommodations,
were divided into three classes. accord
ing to the rates to be charged Thess
rates were axed at H.. II and IL francs
a day for room and board. with the
Understanding that no tips were to be
given by the mon. Each hotel also
agreed to furnish the men with . hot
bath upon their arrival.
AT Aix-les-Bafns the Y. N. c. A. leased
the big casino for the exclusive use Of
the soldiers. This includes q large
billiard and game rooms. After.
noon and evening concerts and theatri-
calls are given in the theater, with both
professional and amateur talent as At
fractions.
SAeAA4AA10&xkV
The soldiers have made full use of
the handsome casino, which 10 in oper-
alton from 9 o'clock In the morning nm
also leased the casino at Charles-les
Faux and theaters in that town and
The famous thermal baths At Aix-les-
the soldiers for a nominal fee, md thsy
are! proving very popular. especially
among those who arrive In AK fresh
from the trenches Of northeastern
France. A number OF Fairgrounds and
fields have also been leased whore base
outdoor basket ball and tennis courts
are being laid out.
A small steam launch on Lake Bour-
get has been engaged for the season
sions about the lake. including visits
to the noted Hautecombe Abbey. where
forty-three princes Of the italian
reigning house of Savoy are buried.
Automobile drives have been begun
and each morning hiking parties start
Good use Is also being made
Of the mountain railway which climbs
to the summit OF Mont Reward; from
which one gets q splendid view Of the
famous Mont Blanc. &
Enjoy Many Liberties.
No attempt has been made to dictate
what the men should do on leave. They
have been given liberty Of action within
the necessary limitations Of military
rules and Regulations. French police
are cooperating with Amer
ican Army officers to protect the morals
of the men. Stringent orders have been
issued to hotel and cafe keepers about
the sale Of spirituous liquors to men on
leave. All suspicious resorts have been
closed or declared "out OF bounds" but
there have been very few places Of this
nature.
A committee Of woman 7. NJ C. A.
workers has undertaken tbs task Of
having the clothes of the soldiers ,laun-
dered and mended. This service is
highly appreciated because trenches are
hard on clothes, and but few Of the
soldiers are adept with needle and
thread.
The cosmopolitan nature Of Americas
army is indicated by the fact that
thirty states and twelve nationalfties
were represented in the first two con-
tingents of soldiers to arrive on leave.
All of the boys on leave are in good
spirits and confident that the allies can
defeat Germany.