The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-06-12
STATION
FOR SOLDIERS
IT THE FRONT.
Letters Received From Abroad
Praise This Particular Fore
Thought of Red Cross.
REAL COMFORT FOR
T r. ED TROOPERS
New York Social Leader Adds
Personal Word of Praise to
Such Arrangement.

/ New York, June 11-Glimpses in,c
the railroad rest sstations for Ameri
j can troops in France established nv
the American Red Cross and a re-
Election of some of the happiness of
| the soldiers served in those stations
are given in letters received here from
the Red Cross agents In France.
Gee, this looks almost like home -
| Is the common expression of the
travel-wearied soldiers as they settle
down and relax In some pretty rest
station where they have obtained a
hot showsr~sath, and a good meal af-
ter hours of Journeying In crowded
| trains. These places seem more like
home to the soldiers because they are
waited upon by American girls Here
they often pause to write letter home
to mother or sweetheart as well as to
enjoy milk. butter, jams, puddings and
desserts "just like those mother used
to make
One OF the most interesting letters
comes to the Red Cross from Mrs
Belmont Tiffany, a New York social
leader who has been engaged In the
organization of these railway rest sta
tions. which is distinct from the Red
Cross work for civilian relief in
France.
Il started in a rest station at b.
which consists OF an infirmary of ten
beds, a canteen recreation room, res
tauranr and splendid hot shower baths
and funigating plant" wrote Mrs. Tiff
fany. THE men here were of the
Signal Corps. the Bell telephone men.
laying American telephone wires
through Franco. They were a splen-
did lot and. though they have dug post
holes till their backs were lame they
always come to play the piano and
sing and write their letters in the
evenings" Because they believe right
like. cheerful and restful, the construc-
ton department built charming little
brick building with we'll plastered walls
and ceilings and I was allowed to
decorate and furnish them as I thought
best
IF the women at home an dthe men
too could see how their boys appre-
ciate il ALL how they love the clean
liness and the color and the gaiety.
how glad they are for every pretty
thing you do for them. if you could
see their poor tired faces relax when
they settle down you would realize
what this side of it means. War 4
such an ugly thing, such dirty, sor !
did thing; at best there are so manl
hateful unaccustomed things our me >
here have to do that at least we cal
give them warmth and cleanliness and
color wherever we can.
picture to yourself fifty dirty. tired
men falling out of cattle train where
they have been cooped up two or three
days with a detachment of mules. eat
ing and sleeping with them. They have
a couple of hours to wait, so they take
a hot shower with plenty of soap and
towels given to them and then have a
good meal waited upon by such cheer
full, kindly American girls. play the
piano bit write letter home and
go. Those people who have given Us
the money to do this with would be
so very glad, so very grateful IL they
only could see.
"About the letter writing, by the
way. the lieutenant of the Signal Corps
came to me and said: Mrs. Tiffany.
I have a grudge against you. I have
to censor all our mail and the mems
letters home have more than trebled
since YOU opened the recreation room
/ believe IL do nothing else in France
shall be glad of that; you see. know
what il means when I see my boys
writing.
..The whole rest station when fur
nished is extremely efficient and mos:
attractive The inf1rmary Is so fresh
and clean with it's white enamel paint
and muslin curtains; the other rooms
are as gay and bright and full of color
as paint and curtains and plants and
flowers can make them There are
such good beds and mattresses in the
dormitory such warm fires on cold
davs. such quantities of electric lights.
and tables for writing with unlimited
stationery. games. playing cards and
newspapers and magazines Of all
kinds
In the canteen proper the girls in
their blue and white uniforms look SO
nice and the food is SO good. You
can't think what il means to them.
When they have money they pay a
nominal price, simply to keep them out
of mischief. really-four cents for a
huge cup of coffee or cocoa and CORE
spending prices for everything else.
at have arranged for an unlimited
supply of the best fresh milk. butter,
Jams. syrups, aad puddings and des-
serts and q must say they are more |
than popular. One big fair boy at
q drank four cups of milk one
after another and I may tell you that
three OF our cups make quart. and
when he was finished he benignly said. |
r wish mana could have seen me do |
that, ana I wished she could too.