Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-13
TOBACCO IS ONE OF NEEDS
I0F men At WEsTHAMPTDN
Sick and Wounded Appreciate Weed
More Than Anything
- Else.
THEY RECEIVE ALL NECESSITIES
While Their Pay Is Past Due, Vet
Grams Arc Supplied With Essen
d tials-Rcd Cross Carries on Work
Which Is Wide in Scope.

,s ,nThe thing that the sick and
Samp,on Would ap '%re a, M more
Z man anything else is tobacco said
earkation hospital. in an interview yes
: ,erday. Eyery necessity is supplied
thEsRed Cross here. However, if the
3 people of l;ichmond are still anxious
70 DO something more than they have
sick who will he sent here from time
to time. the giving of tobacco in diff
ferent forms is the best thing that |
can. suggest. But il must be under
stood that this giving would be
prompted purely by spirit of gem
crosby and not from feeling that
tho men acr suffering from lack of
attention. They are not Tobacco is
a LUXURY that the men crave, and it
VIII always he ercatly appreciated and
) received with open arms"
& Anything which the people of Rich
4 mond might care 10 send to the hos
Z pital could be distributed through the
Held director of the camp, service OF
the Red Cross. Karl T. Johnson. who
is in charge OF all the Red Cross and
allied activities AT the hospital. and
The WORK of the Red Cross there is
wide in its scope and is deeply APP
preciated 1t has paid for kilograms
4 which the men wrote home, il has
given each man pair of heavy warm
socks it has collected telegraph money
for those physically unable to come
a
number of stout canes to those wound
ed in the leg or too weak TO walk
unatdcd.
BANKS CAN EXCHANGE
FOREIGN COIN FOR MEN
Mr.. Johnson stated that the banks
OF Richmond could help the men by
arranging to redeem their French and
English money for American currency.
Some OF the men are provided with
foreign currency. but have had diff
Guilty in exchanging it in order to
mako purchases here.
There are no dissatisfied patients at
Westhampton. This statement is sub
Stimulated by the oinccrs in command
and by talking with the men them
selves. Their praise Of Richmond and
. Richmond people is generous. They
!, have been admitted free OF charge to
Rtchmond motion picture theatcrs.
have dincd in Richmond homes. have
been entertained in various ways and
have had automobile rides galore. In
addition many parties have come out
the men cigarettes and candy and
fruit. y delegation OF co!ored folk
noon. and they We're generous alike to
the dozen or more colorcd patients and
the more numerous white patients.
'Richmond people have been fine 10
the men beyond II doubt" said Captain
Repp, in answer to a question on that
point. When man who had fought
from around Nerdun To the Argonne
Forest was asked how he liked the To-
,caiisn of the hospital and Richmond
his answer came quick as Il flash: I'D
like to live here the rest of my life
I've never seen people the equal Of
Southcrners in their hospitality. Why.
have been without pay to: ten
months. but have never lacked 10" a
thing that needed have been looh
ed after fine"
FIRST CONSIGNMENT
AWAY TO MUItROW
1T is true that the majority OF the
men nave not received any pay for
can be easily explained. They were
taken from the battle field wounded and
the other until finally put on :, hospital
ship and sent here In many cases the
company commander has no knowledge
of the location of the men, and con-
sequently can not send them their pay
checks. II has sometimes happened
That their service records have been
lost and 1t can not be determined how
much pay is due them.
But the matter of pay will he adj
equately attended To when the men are
sent here TO the hospitals. where they
will pass through the nnal s uu Of
reconstruction and be discharged from
the service. They will be paid there il
thelr service records are available and
the amount can be determined. If this
1s not possible. i certain amount OF
money will be :tdvanced TO them that
VIII tully satisfy their wants. We would
pay them III this manner here were
th1S permanent reconstruction hos
pita!. 1t is only used az a debarkation
station, however. and all of our er-
forts are bent on receiving and classify
ing the patients as quickly as possible
IN order GO send them Oh 10 permanent
West"
BY Tomorrow night the hospital will
pc cleared of its nrst cons gnmcnt OF
gu men and preparations will be made
Tor handling the next batch which is
expected some time next week. The
arrival Of new men from Newport News
is never known but a short time in
advance. The hospital is now operat-
ing with great efficiency and the work
of recei' ing. classifying and sending
on men to other hospitals can be done
quickly and we'll.