Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-12
Red Cross Rest
Stations Haven
For Tired Soldiers

New York. June lZ.-IillhpseS nv
the railroad rest stations for American
troops in France, established by the
American Red Cross, and a rehection
OF some of the happiness of the SOL
diers served In those stations are gwen
in letters received here from the heu
Cross agents in France. =.
Gee. this looks almost like home,
is the common expression OF the traN-
el-wearied soldiers as they settle DOWN
and relax in some pretty rest stalioh
where they have obtained a hot snow
er bath and a good meal after hours
of iourneying in crowded trains. Ihese
places seem more like home to the SOL
diers because they are waited upon by
American girls. n, re they often pause
to write a letter home to mother or
sweetheart as well as to enjoy MILK
butter, jams. buildings and deserts.
lust like those mother use to make.
One Of the most interesting letters
comes to the Red Cross from Mrs. Bel
mont Tiffany, New York social leader,
who has been engaged in organization
of these railway rest stations, which is
CiSlillCI lIOil tilO 49, ~ 49, "
civilian relief I'M France.
II started in a rest station at b,
which consists of an infirmary OF ten
beds, canteen recreation room, res
taurant and splendid hot shower baths
and fumigating plant" wrote Mrs. TIFF
fany. 1.-The men here were of the sig
nal corps. the Bell Telephone men, lay
ing American telephone wires through
France. They were a splendid lot and,
though they have dug post holes TIL
their backs were lame. they always
come to play the piano and sing and
write their letters in the evenings. Be-
cause they beheves rightly that rest
station must be home like. cheerful and
restful the construction department
built charming brick buildings with
well plastered walls and ceilings and
l was allowed to decorate and furnish
them as l thought best.
IF the women at home and the men
too could see how their boys appre-
ciate 1t all, how they love the cleanli-
ness and the co.c- ard the geietv. how
glad they are for every pretty thing
you do for them, II you could see their
poor tired faces relax when they settle
down you would realize what this side
of 1t means War is such an ugly
thing, such dirty, sordid thing; at
best there are 80 many hateful unac-
customed things our men here have to
do that at least we can give them
warmth and cleanliness and color
wherever we can.
picture to yourself fifty dirty. tired
men falling out OF a cattle train whore
they have been cooped up two or three
days with a detachment Of mules. eat
| ing and sleeping with them. They have
couple of hours to wait, 80 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 a bit, write letter home and 60.
Those people who have given US the
money to do this with would be 80 very
glad. so very grateful If 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. have to
| censor all our mail and the mems let
ters home have more than trebled since
you opened the recreation room | be-
Iieve If I do nothing else in France !
shall be glad of that; you see, know
what it means when l see my boys
writing.
| 1.-THE whole rest station when fur
nished is extremely efficient and most
attractive. The infirnary 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 colo
days. such quantities Of electric lights
| and tables for writing with unlimited
stationary, games playing cards ant
newspapers and magazines Of all kinds
In the canteen proper the girls ir
their blue and white uniforms look Sc
nice and the food is so good. You cam
think what it means to them. Wher
they have money they pay nomina
price: simply n keep them ont Of mis-.
CHIEF really-four cents for huge cul
OF coffee or cocoa and corresponding
prices for everything else.
II have arranged for an unlinitet
supply Of the best fresh milk, butter
jams, syrups and puddings and 'deS
serts and must say they are NOR,
than popular. One big fair boy a
B. drank four cups OF milk one at
ter the other. and / may tell you tina
three OF our cups make a quart, an,
when he was finished he beEuilingl,
l. l.s II. a -