El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-03-16
Stage Women's War Relief
Supplies Clothing and
Funds to War Victims.

EW YORK March 16.-Not all
N the soldiers one sees along
Broadway are in khaki Neither
are all OF them Of the sterner sex.
For these are days when the player
folk have forgotten for the moment
their personal concerns and have. with
practically one accord. put their
shoulders to the wheel Of Uncle Sans
war chariot And they are pushing
with a viii
First OF all, it must be stated that
the efforts Of the actors gund 10 win
the war are not confined to standing
on the sideliues and helping soldiers
from other walks OF life It is impos-
sible 10 say just how many actors are
in service, but those in position TO
know say that several thousand
American actors are with the colors.
probably enough TO form a complete
regiment II they could all be mobiI-
lied into one unit.
Last April. when the United States
entered the war. Miss Rachel Croth-
ers. author OF "Old Lady 81" and sew
eral other successful PLAYS, conceived
the idea OF the Stage Women's War
Relief. She explained her idea to
number Of stage women whose repu-
tation for philanthropy was OF long
standing. and within two weeks an
organization had been perfected. with
headquarters at No. 366 Fifth avenue.
in a room donated by Acker. Nerrall
q Co, and was actively engaged in
work for Americas soldiers and. sail
ors. as wen as for destitute civilians
OF all ages in the war swept allied
countries Of Europe.
Give Clothing to the Destitute.
While the first concern Of the STAGE
Woman's War Relief is to care for
soldiers and sailors and their families.
they send out each week about 1000
garments for destitute civilians in.
Europe All these garments which
have been worn are cleaned and re-
paired before being sent over there.
while the babies layettes. etc. are
al new.
Miss Crothers is president OF the
organization. the other officers being
Louise Closer Hale. first vice Dresi-
dent: Dorothy DonneIIy. second vice
president; Mary Firkpatrick. secre-
tary; Mrs. Shelley Hull, treasurer. and
Minnie DuDree. assistant treasurer
Other members OF the board OF d.
recto-s are Frances Starr. Florence
Nash. Mrs. J. Stewart Blackton. who
is chairman OF the motion pictures
committee Gladys Hanson. Mrs
Chauncev Olcott, Hflda SDong. Mrs
Iose1h Grisr7er. Eleanor Gates. Mrs
Jacob Lit, May Buckley and Jessie
Bonstelle, who is the stock company
conservative
In addition 70 the main workroom
at the Fifth avenue headuuarters the
organization maintains two other
rooms, one donated by Vincent Aston.
AT No IS West Thirty-fourth street
and the other by Joseph FrankeI. at
No. 10 West Twenty-third street.
At the main headquarters at least
80 volunteer workers are busy every
day There is small office force,
. but the majority Of the workers de-
vote their time TO knitting. the prep
aFatiou Of trench candles. surgical
dressings. soldier kits. etc
Some idea Of the seriousness with
which these stage women have tackled
their jobs can be obtained from the
statement that they send out each
week 10 knitted outfits. each outfit
containing helmet, a pair Of wrist
lets. pair Of socks. a sweater and a
scarf
In addition they send out 5000 sur
gical dressings and packets Of hos
pital supplies each week.
Aston Gives Room for Clearing House.
The room donated by Vincent Aston.
at No Is West Thirtv-fourth street.
is called the clearing house. Here are
sent from all parts Of the country
slightly worn clothes which friends
Of the STAGE women wish TO donate
for war sufferers in Europe. Another
very important part OF the receipts
at this room is waste leather. such as
old pillow tops. gloves. etc.
All the material received at No. IS
West Thirty-fOurth street is sorted
and sent down 10 the wOrkrooms at
No 10 West Twenty third street.
where Mr.. Frankel has installed eight
electrically operated sewing machines
and woman instructor. Here a large
staff Of volunteer workers is busy
cleaning and repairing clothes and
also making WindDroof Jackets from
waste leather II has been found that
these leather jackets are much warm
er than knitted sweaters.
Mary Rehan is executive manager
Of the worSroOms and reports that
the women who volunteer for this
work are extremely faithful IN at
tendance and are of such a high aver
age Of intelligence that they get out
practically as much work as any
equal number OF women engaged in
the war relief anywhere in the coun-
try.
The soldiers kits have won high
praise from the boys already in the !
trenches, who say that they are