Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-03
AMERICAN WOUNDED


plies we have had for so long through your
generosity. Bed linen of all kinds for the
| hospitals, paiamas VERY necessary shirts
socks, underwear, (never have enough,
blankets, slippers, rubber goods fshectings
hot water bottles, ire bugs, tubing, aIr
| cushions, gloves, etc., pillows never
enough large onesl mosquito netting, fly
| paper, fans, surgical dressings, etc, etc.
For the dispenaaries we need children 3
night dresses (up to about II years old,
drawers, aprons, layettcs; in fact, any
thing that "A child needs to wear when IT IL
running about convalcscent for we often
send them to Red Cross hoeptals1.
We also need refugee clothes, such na
diapers for children needing them by
thousands ut the Care du Nord tins
spring., undcrclothes stockings for women
ms we'll AS children. wotnens coiored
aprons. shirts tordinary French patternl,
| etc, etc
am not more explicit about the exno
articles ms everything comes IN handy at
| these emergency moments The women
| come in after DAYS of travel, often ON foot,
| ofteniimcs with everything torn, and We
| found this year the things they needed
| most were drawers, stockings. chefnises,
! hlnuses. and Ing colorcd apron with
! which they cover MP their torn or solled
| skirt We also need croeheted scaris,
| which some of Won hid sent aud the
! refugee bags were Godscnd. Some com
mitteea had sent hand<erchiefs, which
were a little worn. and they we're clanored
| for Others had sent lavettcs, and ono
| night We had GOO children ranging from
babies to children of & wears | forgot
about the poor little bows We had to buy
quantities If bovs' TROUSERS and little
shirts. as we'll as stockings and clcan
shirt II Is better to buy the boots and
shoes here rs those you send from
America arr too nice and thin quality
In many cases the feet Of the older people
were in such . condition that We had To
provide large slippers
1t does not seem possible that the enemy
can gu ON advancing and driving more
homeless people into the arms of relief
workers but We must be prepared, and
oven # the offensive stops on tho part OF
the Germans, We must 70 on helping
these refugees until the VA stops
WORK Is sYsrENATi.Ep
We have now systematized our work
40 that il is very simple To think of
Hospital service, which Won all under
stand. and which IS our main object Tor
tho wounded man must come first Then
tffttlt% the ttlsItibSafAs NiAtit VT III III
connection with our hospital depots,
and last, but not least. IS orr emergency
work. which usually means helping tho
refugees 1T tho most unexpected moments
We do great dcnl Of work with tho
American Rcd Crnsa. although We remain
independent and arc still under tho III
rcction Of tic French government The
Red ross call upon na ~ We arc co~
operated with them for many activities
OF n retail nature THIS means that whore
IN organization Is AS larEe as theirs, there
are very often TIMES Whom they cannot
answer an appeal NJ "a moment $ notice.
In tho great emergencies where thousands
of lives are concerned thoy mr. perfectly
splendid, and the WY thry took hold Of
the situation during the offensive was
really magnificent Their eanlons were
sent to the front and thousands Of people
escaped through their energies They
established cantccns where people wcre
led. and every man among thci4 worked
night and day L Is IN the little things
where Ne can he If such service 70 them
and winch keep III occupied most Of the
time Ia other words re MI work In per-
feet harmony over here and are doing our
very best to carry out your wishes IN
these relief matters.
FOR AMERICAN WOUNDED
ONLY one more subject remains and
which IS OF paramount Importance TO all
of Us Americans Tins Is the unexpected
arrival 81 American wounded in the
French hospitals No one expected such
a turn of events, but we all realize that
Americas hour has come, and thank
heaven she il in the fighting line We
had 10 90 in however, amongst the
French troops. and when or they
are carried 10 the nearest place. As We AL
know from the papers, the casualties
during these last two months have been
very severe and il WIS impossible for the
French and English 10 pick out our men
when they happened to be lying next
their own II an American Is fighting
with the British troops he Is very often
carried to a British hospital Here. for
tunately, he finds the attendants speaking
his own language, and receives every com
tort, but il Is very different In the French
hospitals where oftcntimes our men have
died without being allie 10 say one word
winch could be understood.
For three wears the 4 + + " has
unuistered To the wants OF the French
wounded. ana now the generous mothers
Of American men Hho have worked for
the French thruuC our society are to be
repaid Their owl soils may he carried
to these wards and since the 4. / + "
has made real friends of officials and staff
IN these places, cur men are welcomedas
their own Ne have received letters
galore telling OF the pleasure that II Is
TO receive our wounded and the promise
that our men will receive every attention
III gratitude for all or organization has
done for /; he French wounded
OUR MIN y FRENCH HOSPITALS
When tins turn OF events tirst took
place ! went on a tour Of inspection. and
found IN one day POO Of our men within
the wards Of foreign hospital Can you
imagine their Joy when We walked into the
wards and talked with every man there,
promising him that hereafter he should
not feel lonely, for the people from our
various branch depots were to take this
work in hand and visit all French hos
pitfalls where our men are to be found The
result is wonderful, for tie men now look
for the A + + u and the Kreneh
wounded share all Their gifts with our
men. As you know, we work under the
direction OF the Service de Sante and
they arc giving "a every opportunity Of
locating our me n We are known IN
France as the largest organization which
helps the French in this work ait nov
our men reap the benefit OF our friendship
and experience
We are welcomed by the hospitals
harm etray1,rg AT44t{F.stfl xtsaD1a44 tE5st4lJ