The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-11-30
az L. D. HANNA.l

Some of the experiences that came
to me during the past three months
at one of the large base hospital
centers in France
AT this center the Red Cross had
charge of all of the activities. The
reading and writing rooms in the
hospital were entirely under the
Red Cross. The canteen was operat-
ed by it, the recreation hut and three
moving picture shows; in fact every
activity at this center were Rcd
Cross, and none of the kindred or
ganizations were present in any way
The soldiers sent to this place were
wounded and gassed men. Very few
Of them were suffering from any, dis
ease.
1t was the custom for the Red
Cross personnel to meet every train
Of wounded men coming in, day or
night, and during the summer
months; to serve the men with ice
cold lemonade, crackers and cigarets.
Since the weather has turned cold,
hot chocolate is served in place of
the lemonade.
Soldiers Grateful.
The soldiers are deeply grateful
for every little attention shown to
them. Some boys when a cigaret
would be given them, placed to their
mouth and lighted, and package
laid beside them on the stretcher,
would say, is that whole package
for uas?" and many OF them re-
marked at different times that they
never could get away from the Red
Cross and that they. did not want
to-"
The hospitals at this base center
axe all hotels that had been taken
over by the Americans. In nine of
these the Red Cross have esta blish-
ed reading. and writing rooms and
small libraries.
Get Many Papers.
At this center we received every day
$40 daily papers. Forty-fve hundred
magazines a month, being an aver
age OF about one magazine for ev-
ery patient in the hospitals Thir-
teen hundred and fifty STARS and
Stripes" every week. These were
distributed to the various hospitals,
according to the number of patients,
and the boys were crazy, to, get them.
Writing paper and envelopes were
furnished. and since the weather has
become colder and the soldiers are
inside more than formerly, there has
been an enormous increase in the
amount Of mail going back to the
states.
Boys Read Own Death Notice.
In four instances, boys have come
TO us, shown us newspapers citing
them as having been killed in ac-
ton, and in each case the Red Cross
have cabIed to their friends in
America the fact that they were alive
and recovering.
Most OF the boys coming from the.
front came simply in their pajamas
and rolled up in blankets, all of their
clothing and personal belongings
gone, SO the Red Cross furnished
them comfort bags, tooth brushes,
shaving soap, tooth powder and all
OF the little necessities so much
needed
All Day Job For Barber.
The Red Cross employ French
barber who speaks English quite
well. He is busy from o'clock in
the morning until z in the evening.
shaving the men who are confined
in bed and also those men who have
bad arms and cannot shave them
selves. He cuts hair for any OF them.
All this is done without charge and
without tips" and many a soldier
has said that the hair cut and shave
given him, so that he felt really clean
again, had done him as much good
as the doctors.
The Red Cross at this center have
three moving picture shows, showing
sfour evenings of the week Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Two
movies are held in large hospitals, !,
In the mess halls. The other is held
at the canteen, and at the canteefa
there are two shows given an even
Ing, so that at the four shows given,
four nights in the week, from $500
to $500 have an opportunity to seeI
the pictures.
Soldiers in Pajamas.
In the mess halls in the large hos