Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-29
ATTENDANCE AT CLUBS
KEPT DOWN BY WAR
Many Members Are With Colors
or Doing Other Work to
Help Uncle Sam

Things are very quiet these days in Phila-
delphas clubdom. Those clubs located in
the city proper are almost empty, save at
the luncheon hour, while even the country
clubs are like deserted villages except late
in the afternoons.
So many of the active members are en-
gagged in war work either serving with the
colors or in the ordnance. quartermasters,
medical and remount corps or in some closely
affiliated organization such as the Red Cross
or the Y. NJ. c. A.. that the number Of
regulars" has been cut almost to the zero
point.
Only the older men and the youths are
left and as most city clubs have a rule
barring any one from membership who is
not twenty-one years OF age they have no
such reserve to fall back on as have the
country clubs. The latter organizations per-
init boys to become playing members" and
these lads form pretty large proportion of
the attendance these days.
The Union League and the Manufacturers
Club, with their very large total member
ship and their large percentage OF older
men, have not been affected much as
'clubs like the Racquet, the Markham, the
Art and the Rttenhouse The Philadelphia
Clubs membership is also largely composed
of older men. but even there many familiar
faces are missing.
at the country clubs, but usually late in the
afternoons Saturdays and Sundays
Few men are taking days off in the middle
of the week in the past. They are too
busy for that peace-time relaxation now
When they find 1t possible to arrange their
affairs so as to get away from the office for
any length of time they head for seashore
or mountains in search of change of scene.
The weekend trip to the shore, always
favorite pastime at this season. has cut into
,l,c Of he nlaverS
and only a few courts will be found in use
where every one would have been occupied
two years ago.
Under the direction of the War Chest coun-
Gil the social clubs have undertaken no war
work as clubs. but have left it to their ndi-
vidual members to do their bit in their own
way. So many men belong to number of
clubs that it was felt there would be waste
of energy and money and much duplication OF
effort if each club started to do something
along some line Of its own.
Club employees have bought Liberty Bonds
and war-savings stamps in generous meas
ure. and every club through the house COM
mittee and the steward. has cut expenses to
the bone and has enforced every suggestion
of the food administration.
Some clubs have even gone further than
the food controller has advised, the Merton
Cricket Club for instance. deciding to elimi-
nate beef from its menu for the summer
and probably for the duration of the war.
Instead the club offers a large variety of
fish. chicken prepared in many ways. mutton
lamb and so on.
The dues of all members actively engaged
In the service of their country have been re-
n,itted by all the larger and most of the
smaller clubs. which made terrific cut in
the income of these particular organization
though IT should be emphasized: to the credit
of many men, that they refused to accept
the proffered favor and have insisted on
paying their dues as in the prewar days.
Virtually all the clubs have thrown open
their doors to officers and enlisted men of the
army and navy and have done everything
possible to make things pleasant for soldiers
and sailors leave