The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-10-15
LIEUT.. MELTON WRITES
FROM new YORK
THAT CITY ABLAZE WITH PA
TRIOTISM. WOMEN WORKING
FOR LIBERTY LOAN.

ing letter recently received by Mrs.
W. B. Melton from her son, Lieuten-
ant Will P. Melton:
Down home, although you and ev-
cry one else are doing your bit, and
just as patriotic as ever people were
in the world, you have no idea how
wild with enthusiasm the people of
New York are. Just magnify all the
community spirit by several thousand
and you can imagine how these peo-
pie are about the war. They have
organized a club among the ladies to
meet the returning transports with
wounded soldiers, carry them to a
good hotel in private cars, care for
them until they can get started on
their way home, entertain them and
just do everything for them.
Ladies of the "400," all many
times million-heiresses, can be seen
at most any hour of the night on
street corners, in terminals and in
every public place, seated in booths
just to give a soldier information
tell him where to eat, sleep and what
to do and see while in New York.
The hotels have special rates for
men in uniform, numbers of thea$ers
have signs: "Your uniform is your
ticket" all the soldier pays is war
tax. These people are liberty loan
crazy; in every theater you go into
there is a force of ladies to take
charge of the house. One gets on
the stage and tells of the needs, quail
tiles, etc., of the bonds and it's Just
like a patent medicine show or auc-
ton.
Women Hard at Work.
At the Hudson l saw the ladies
raise $4,000 just in nickel and
dime contributions, just what change
the people had to give to the club
that met wounded soldiers. Louis
Mann and Sam Burnard were playing
in new war play; during the inter
mission Mr. Mann made talk telling
the people Of the organization among
the ladies and wound up by saying
he would give whatever the audience
gave, Mr.. Bernard said he couldn't
go over and had no one to send, but
would help by giving the same
amount. The audience gave $4,000
and the two actors $4,000 each.
Twenty-four hundred dollars wasn't
at all bad for few minutes work.
At a theater where l saw "Fid-
dlers Three" a lady took charge of
the few minutes intermission, and
when she finished the government
was something over $4,000 nearer
success with this issue of bonds. One
man said he would give 81 900 worth :;
four others and that woman was al
most equal to the woman whose say
ing was Little boy got it" in her
effort to get the other four, but she
went lover the top" with the fourth.
At the Hippodrome last night they
raised over twenty thousand. Nc
COrmack sang, the seating capacity
was $500, every seat was taken and
the stage was packed, just leaving
room for the piano and place for
the singer. How in the world can
people who do things like this ever
get beat at anything they go after?
1t is the same everywhere, but it just
shows up palmer here because there
are more people and more money.
See the Cripples Come Back.
They see for themselves the Grip
pies coming back; the stream is pour
ing into our country small stream
perhaps, but it grows as each load
comes back and it's a sad reminder
that they are lover there" | saw a
half dozen touring cars unload at a
hotel Saturday. All marines, and l
guess maybe they were among the
ones who started the "old ball roll
ing at Chateau Thierry. Some were
blind, some were on crutches and
others on canes, some had lost an
arm, but they smiled when they
stepped from the car. 1t was grim
kind of a smile, but it was a smile.
All traffic stopped at the order of a
uniformed woman who was in charge
of the cars-each car was driven by
a woman in unifOrm-and nobody
cheered they just looked, and it was
a peculiar sensation, | must admit,
to see great big husky men helpless
as babies, but seemingly perfectly
contented. | won't say satisfied, be-
cause one of them was questioned /;
this is his description: The only way
you could tell he was a man was
from the fact his hair was short and
that he wore a uniform; his face and
features were so disfigured that it
was impossible to recognize that he
was a man, much less his identity.
Both hands were bundles of band
ages, he had been cut and patched
until nearly half his body was gone,
and when asked if he was glad to get
back he frowned and said: Hell,
no! want to hurry and get back on
the firing linep How's that for spir-
it?
This hasn't been much of letter;
it has been more of a bond boost.
/ am in a writing mood and that is
the only time l can write. l really
intended saying something of my To-
cation but have taken up long time
at other things. My cold is about
broken and I am feeling o. k. John
is all right; he and l went in town
Saturday on the same train and came
back together Sunday He is about
three minutes walk from me, so you
see we are still in close touch. Must
stop now, my hand is tired but my
mind is not. All I've skipped will
keep till | see you.
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