Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-12-24
Succeed in Transforming
Recreation Areas Into
Fairgrounds.
HAPPY DAYS FOR
BOYS FROM TRENCHES
Grumbiings Because OF Restrictions
= Suppiantsd by Expressions Of Pleas
urs-Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr,
Just Back From Long Service in
France, vividIy Describes Transfor.
nsation Of Scenes. Eyt

New York. Dec. 24.--How American
women Y. NJ. G. A. workers changed
unattractive recreation areas estab-
lished by the military authorities for
American soldiers on leave into popular
Fairgrounds was told today by Mrs.
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.. who has re-
turned from France after seventeen
months Of service there In charge II
the women of the leave areas.
Mrs. Roosevelt was the first woman
to enlist with the Y NJ. c. A. for over
seas duty. She went over in June.
1917, and took charge of the first cam
teen established in Paris.
when the authorities decided that
the soldiers must take their leave IN
certain restricted areas the men evinced
the greatest Indignation and disgust.
Mrs. Roosevelt declared. They chris
tened the first of the areas. which was
Alz-Ies- -Bains. aches and pains, ana
were surly even when they left the
tran0 there.
I'VE went ahead and took entire
charge of the place. We hired the
casino and installed canteen where
the bar had been. leaving the brass rail
and the marble counters there for old
time sake. The baccarat room was
turned into a place for religious gath
erings and other rooms were hxed up
as theaters and libraries. We arrans-
ed exclusions and picnics across the
lake and into the mountains. hikes ana
fishing trips for the daytime and
shows. movies, concerts and stunts tor
the evenings.
Men Are Impressed.
! "These first troops came direct from
fhe f,ant line trenches where they had
been fighting only the night before
and they werencaked with mud. Thev
looked casually about the town on tHeir
arrisal but when they saw what had
been arranged for them, they hurried
aWar to get cleaned up and refused 10
,come in their present attire.
"W;thin a day every man had en-
Itered into the spirit Of the place ana al
we're playing like children. They liked
the play at night best. These were
mate,r theatricals where the men
would act out movie scenarios or take
part in hurlesques.
Later during the big drive when
there were few men on leave the prop-
lens Of entertainments were more
difficult and we decided to institute
the playing of games. Thesc prove"
the greatest inspiration Of the areas
A group Of the most hardened artii'"rE
mer have ever seen would sit around
all evening waiting till the theater
| performance was over so they cAllld
n,ay. And it was one of the most
bizzare sights OF the war to sec
dipnified old first sergeants ronpini
about in a game OF Jerusalem Inc
! most popular of the games was swing
| ing a weight about circle OF people
who all have to jump over it or be put
on. of the game. This game developed
into a series OF tournaments.
"In all their playing. all or Which
women took part, the men exertcd the
greatest care for them. and no mattcr
how rough a game was have never
seen a woman jostled in it.
| "As a result Of the success Of these
lea eave.tYeas, the " established twenty
| fOllr nQuE TeCIeilioH N'''|'' ''"'''>'
lately hehind the lines where men
could get hot baths which yas the pr'n
cipal thing they wanted. Y
Just an Incident.
every woman in the organization
did everything that was necessary to
make the work 80. ...
Il think the best example OF what
the " girl has done is shown In IN
incident that occurred in Paris. \
soldier stopped one of the girls with
.the remark: 7 have vowed to speak to
everyone ! passed wearing the uni
form. You will understand when tel!
YOU that I went to AK expecting to
1 have d dull, leave and passed not only
the best week I have had IN France
but the best week in my llfe.'
Mrs. Roosevelt does not expect that
shc will be allowed to return to France
as she desires to do. because OF Lieu
tenant Colonel Roosevelt's presence.
she had seen but little of him during
her months In France. one time' not
seeing him for six months He Is now
acting cplonelin charge Of the Twenty :
ksixth infantry,-a regular army unit IN
tGermany s4s.t
He is still quite lame hut will even
tually recover completely from his
wounds, she said.
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