The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-02-25
FAR MORE COMFORT
ON THE VEST FRONT
Veteran of 1914 Is Apt to Make Ironic
Remarks About the "Featherbed
Soldier" Who Joins the
Army Now.

French Front, Feb. 25.--(C Correspond.
ence of the Associated Press The vet.
| eran of 1914 who has passed four win.
tiers at the battle front is apt to make
ironic remarks about "featherbed sol.
diers" when he hears newly joined com.
rades speak of the discomforts of cold
weather environments. AT the beginning
OF the war the fighting men were more
than pleased to discover comparative
| ly dry spot under the trees of forest
or in drafty stable or barn in which
! to pass their very rare and short periods
| OF repose.
Now all has been changed and every
thing possible is done TO provide some
sort of comfort and distraction for the
men when they come down from the
front line trenches. II must not be sup
posed that all the modern aids to hui
man comfort are furnished TO the sol.
dier, but his laot is luxurious compared
with that during the early months of
the war
In every village nthe immediate rear
of the fighting line it is his business to
know of every nook and corner where
men and horses can be housed When
battalion or a regiment marches in,
everything is in readiness for its re.
ception. Regimentsl workshops and of
fees, stables and kitchens already are
arranged, and billeting accommodations
for officers and men listed in such a way
that the soldiers have only TO 90 in and
occupy their quarters Sometimes they
are lodged in the cottages, but in general
it has been found more convenient to
place them in farm houses and barns. as
the hygienc facilities in the country
houses are far from modern.
Every available grange and barn has
been thoroughly gone over and made
watertight by having its roof covered
with tarred paper and its walls made
raft-proof by thick crenelated card
board. Electric light has been installed,
every building provided with stove
and washstands. Partitioned off is a com
partment where the men may take hot
and cold shower baths. In the near.
by kitchens every requisite is handy for
cooking.
As the mems personal comfort each !
OF them is given trestle bed, with |
straw mattress, known generally as six !
foot feathers" bolster, sleeping sack and |
blankets.
In this vicinity of the villages sports
grounds have been enclosed and marked
for football games, while numerous
plots of land are set apart for truck
gardening and generally cultivated by
old reservists who do not 90 into the
firing line. The produce is much appre-
,iated by the troops who, when at the
front, have to content themselves with
In each environment large hut has
been erected 10 serve as a recreation
md reading and writing room. 1t is pro-
'ided with fairly extensive library
md all kinds of indoor games. Every
week or so moving picture performance :
S given by the army theatre, which also
oranges dramatic shows.
Besides these official arrangements for
he troops other efforts are made by pri-
ate bodies to cheer the men between {
heir arduous and perious periods of :
rench work. In almost every canton
nent a canteen has been established I'M |
Ter the auspices of French American or {
British women, who serve the men with i
lot coffee tea and bouillon and little Il
God delicacies. c
During the chilly months from Sep I
ember to May each soldier is given ex- b
ra supplies of warm clothing compris- 8
ng three cotton shirts, two pairs of n
annellette under garments, two or i
hree pairs of wooden socks, three blank |,
Is, one sweater. one scarf and a pair of "a
Voolen gloves, and in the Vosges noun d
aims and other sectors where the cold is !
most severe still warmer clothing i
) placed at the disposal of the troops =
n case of need. ia