Evening journal., 1918-07-31
BOYS over There
THINKING OF Home
Mrs. I. c. du Pont Says
Soldiers Don't Want
Denials Made for Them
THRILLS RED CROSS
WITH WAR STORY


The national Red Cross announces
that every American soldier receives a
fun OUTFIT OF knitted garments and a
comfort bag when he embarks. The
state meeting Of the Delaware Chap
ter cheered this notice when 1t was
read at the afternoon session at the
New Century. Club yesterday.
The principal speaker of the after
noon was Mrs. r. Coleman dupont,
France, which she went overseas to
study as member of the national
board. Mrs. dupont told the mothers
that the American soldiers she saw
were in splendid health; even the boys
in the hospitals, looked happy and
comfortable except in the small num-
Der of severely wounded cases. She
said she was touched by the concern
Of the boys for the comfort Of the folks
back home. They told her they hoped
the people in America were not making
too great sacrifices and going without
things. She assured them no real de-
nial had yet been asked OF those al
home.
Mrs. dupont described a landing OF
American troops from a huge trans
port. which she witnessed from a Ford
by the roadside. The boys all smiled
and waved at the American women as
the troops passed.
Mrs dupont visited an old French
barracks built by Napoleon, where the
American boys were quartered. They
drilled in the central space Of the en-
closure. There was a high stone wall
around the barracks. on one side was
the Y. NJ. C. A. hut. In one corner Of
the hut. the secretaries handled a half
million dollars a month, for the boys.
In another corner the boys could buy
cakes, made by French bakers from
American flour and sugar. The sol
diers are the only people in France
who can have cake. The boys all told
her their food was excellent and abun-
dant.
The nurses presided In what had been |
Nspoleon's headquarters, and slept in /
cottages outside the wall
At the time Mrs. dupont was in |
Paris. the Germans were near that city |
and the Y w. C. A. officials were ex-
tremely anxious about the American |
women II the German invaders were .
TO enter Paris No provision had been 4
made for an emergency departure. Mrs
dupont placed this danger before the
army officers, and the Y. w. C.. A. was I
given the military permit without I
which nobody in France can buy gas
oline. Now the Y. w. C. A. has autos /
and gasoline, and their anxiety is re-
moved. No persons can have private /
autos in France she said.
Not even a woman likes TO be seen
travelling in civilian clothes in France,
said the speaker, because civilians are
not expected TO take up travelling ac-
The uniform is a ne
cessity to show they are travelling as
war workers. She said transports and
various kinds Of permits had to be OBJ
tanned and shown at every step taken.
and an overnight stay anywhere meant
filing out form with ones name. age,
business and other personal statistics
Speaking Of wOmen's work, Mrs di-
Pont said that it has grown so rapidly
L overwhelms the Y. w. C. A. They /
have recreation halls in Paris and all
over France, for mUnitiOn women work
srs, for nurses, for Amerisan telephone I
girls, and for The English "Waacs."
There are 5000 Of these English women
irving trucks and ambulances, scrub
ping and cooking for the American army
IN France.
The women in England are doing the
heaviest sort Of mems work. An Amer
can officer in charge of a munitions
factory, told her that the women did
more work and equally good work as
the men who had preceded them He
accounted for it by the fact that they
were in earnest. It has been found
she said, that women recover from the
shock Of an air raid in three days,
while it requires three weeks TO get
men back to, normal.
Everybody i'm France wants TO learn
English, said Mrs. dupont One thing
she found in France was that the Amer
lean army is raising green vegetables
for the soldiers. The officer in charge
showed ber over an army farm with
millions Of tiny plants to be transplanted
TO farms near camps. She was surprised
10 find all France under cultivation,
done by the women. They cannot
plough as deeply as men, and there is
no fertilizer, so the crops will not be
as large as in peace times.
Dancing is forbidden in France. as
to the soldiers, she said
Once in Paris, the Y. w. G.. A. hotel was |
tired war workers with a. !
few kindergarten games, when a police !
nan knocked and inquired about the ]
'evelry, saying they must not dance 7
Mrs. dupont said she visited more I
hospitals than she could remember. She '