Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-05

its early closing hour. and was much
06ieter after that time than any big
American city. And in war time Lon
don after midnight is like . city Of the
dead. If 1t were not for the NJ. T. ".
the incoming Tommy could cross Lon
don just about as easily as he could
cross the Grand Canyon.
The Motor Transport Volunteers meet
all incoming trains. Their uniformed
officials are the only ones permitted in
fed through the office of every empty
bed at the disposal of the new arrivals.
Quickly and free of charge the fur
Laughed men are carried to their trans
steet or Victoria, as the case may be
or to one Of the hotels supervised by
the government for their use.
Has Moved Half Million Men.
Since this work began the M. T. v.
has moved half a million men across
London in the night. And the work is
have the greatest difficulty in taking
care of it. During the autumn months
of 1916 only $500 men arrived on
leave as compared with 1886 last
year. This year the number will be
much larger. for the American Army
will have to be counted with as we'll as
our own.
In the early days we depended on
the use of volunteered motor cars, but
this system soon proved inadequate.
Private owners met our requests with
the greatest generosity, but the num-
Der failed to meet with the growing re-
Quirements. So the corps bought large
motor lorries. some holding as many as
fifty or sixty men. and put these into
the service.
Each station is patrolled by members
Of the staff from midnight to dawn.
Each incoming train is met, and as
sistance and information given to the
arriving soldiers. As soon as one train
load is safely disposed Of the buses
hurry to meet q train due at another
station. Each lorry covers from so to
100 miles every night. During the past
year they have saved poor Tommy's
tired feet 100000 miles of night wan
dering through the streets Of London.
The work Is entirely a patriotic one.
Nobody is paid for his services. The
500 people who are giving their sleep
and their time do it for the Joy of
them are over military age or are
otherwise incapacitated from going to
the trenches. A good many of the
workers are commercial drivers who
gratuitously add this labor to the work
of the day for the sake Of the cause.
"while London Sleeps"
Our motto is. while London Sleeps"
All through the long night our men
wait upon the boys who are returning
from the trenches for their little vaca-
ton. 1t is one of the few things we
can do for them. and you do not know
how glad we are to be able to do it.
But 1t costs great deal Of money.
The maintenance of a motor bus for a
year runs to $500. Since we have so
many hundred of them you can under
stand we have to ask for help from
the good friends who are SO willing to
give when they know the need. By
reason of this great necessity I am
appealing to my American compa-
triots to share the burden.
Already some of the cities and states
in this country have furnished the
means to buy buses. Among cities
toned New York. Washington and
New Orleans, among states California
and Virginia.
This is the mutual work of England
and America From now on 1t will
bear a more and more vital relation
to America, since 1t will be continually
serving our troops. 1t may be your
own particular boy we are helping to-
morrow or next week.
Feeling certain that the work will
strongly appeal to you-that you will
appreciate its real value to the friend
less boys who come up to the great
city at night, may I not call upon
your generosity for help? Contribu-
lions may be sent to the Motor Trans
port Volunteers. care Of the National
Allied Relief Committee, $50 Madison
avenue, New York city.