The sun., 1918-08-11

lnouSn Inc Tears gathered 10 MS eyes ne
smiled and clasped bundle Of faded gar
ments 10 his breast. He was over six
feet tall, dressed in the uniform OF Il,
gunner on a French boat, and if ven can
keep the l;unp out of your throat when
You see such things. then your stlsibili
ties must indeed be rather dulled.
Little clothes, faded and worn, that in
the average American household would be,
used for rags, meant so much to this big
fellow-through such as he one Is brought
close to the needs created on the other side
through the war. These clothes were being
taken to little French girl whose mother
had been killed during an air raid.
This was in the rooms of Americas
Allies Cooperative Committee. where in
the last six weeks LOLA garments have
been supplied to the men OF the French
merchant marine and 600 suits of under
clothing and 300 pairs of shoes have been
given out When the National Surgical
Dressing Committee was absorbed by the
Red Cross a number of women belonging
TO it considered what they could do. As
result Americas Allies Cooperative Com
mittee was formed TO help the Allies
through their own eountrymen. and at IS
West Thirty-ninth street is the branch
caring for the men of the French mer-
chant marine who come to the United
States.
Looks Like Old Clothes Shop.
Entering these rooms one first finds
women engaged in making up trench COM
fort packages, but behind partition of
packing eases you come to what might at
first be thought an old clothes shop, for
here it is that donated new and cast off
garments are sorted and distributed that
they may be worn again by those Of
France who are destitute of clothing.
Mrs. Mary Hatch Willard, chairman of
the committee, was busy giving a CHEEKY
word here and a coat there and with
others creating general air of bright
less about the place. Toward the front
sat a young woman filing mems names
and looking up their cards. In front of
her, on a long bench, sat men patiently
waiting. Not all these were grown men,
among them were many boys. Practically
all of the men have been at the front,
numbers are victims of shell shock suffi-
GENTLY recovered to help man the boats,
others carry the sears of battle.
"The Frenehman is proud said Mrs.
Willard. 'He does not want pity but is
most grateful for any aid that is rendered
He does not whine If he did do YOU
suppose these faces would be So cheerful?
You sec we found out that many of III,
men coming over on the ships were net
sufficiently clothed. The French Govern
ment cannot do everything. and this is a
branch in which we can help. Clothes
for short leave among the men are scarce;
that Is why You see in the streets so many
of these sailors clad in the blue cotton
coats and trousers in which they work on
shipboard, and YOU can see that MANY of
felt hospital slippers. The reason is that
these are men who have fought at the front.
been wounded, sent TO the hospital and
from there have joined a ship with moth
ing 10 wear but light working clothes.
Many Without Undertaking.
Numbers of the men are without
underclothing. All this we try to supply.
1t is a large order. Aside from it the
men have wives, friends and children in
France who have practically no clothing,
and so We give them things to take home
These bundles are slowed away in hunks.
take up little room, do not require freight
charge or space, call for no distributing
centre in France and go directly from the
man on the boat TO his home people
AS for shoes. they are in great de-
mand for, think Of this. the French gun