The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-25
SOLDIERS OYERFED,
SAYS WAR WORKER
Mrs. Trowbridge Suggests
Surplus Food Be Given to )
Poor Children.
BREAD Is THROWN AWAY
Urges Women to Help HOspi-
tails and Show Honor to
Nurses in Service.
Special Despatch TO THE SuS.

ALBANY, July 24.-Mrs. Alexander
Trowbridge. chief or the woman's divi-
sion Of the State Defence Council. be-
!ieves that patriotic American women
are overlooking Uncle Sans husky SOL
der lads on their way to and from
training and embarkation camps. Mrs
Trowbridge suggested casually this after
noon that the food the soldiers neither re-
1ure nor want might well be utilized
by undernourished children in the cities
where the soldiers are receiving II.
At the same time Mrs. Trowbridge
called the attention OF women war
workers to the fact that they may be
of extraordinary service to hospitals
throughout the country which have been
hard hit by the labor scarcity and
which are sadly In need not only of
| supplies. but also OF workers as order
lies, ambulance drivers, dish washers
and scrubwomen.
Just there" Mrs. Trowbridge said in
letter which she sent to the women
war workers In every part Of the state.
as where we ought to volunteer strong
~. as English and Canadian women
have, and then we will surely be doing
something unselfish.
Some Things Needed sim.
II feel to-day that we women Of
New York State must be still more clear
sighted and unselfish. For instance. we
! must be clear sighted in seeing that
what may have been necessary for our
| troops In the early hurry OF mobiliza-
| ton may not be necessary now. l think
| that providing knitted clothing, comfort
bags and certain forms OF friendly hos
ptality are still necessary. but ! think
| that our enlisted men are often overfed
| by Well intentoned women, while many
! of our children in the cities are starv-
| ins.
"On my way to the West by train a
few weeks ago I passed many long
| troop trains full OF boys in superb
| condition. apparently perfectly nour-
| shed. and yet they were all munching
something as boys always can. But
when my car stopped beside one OF the
soldier filled trains l saw that the boys
were not really hungry, or else did not
enjoy the Liberty Bread sandwiches re-
| Gently presented to them by kindly
| women. for they were throwing the
food out OF the windows at all kinds
of targets. The ground beside their cars
was Uttered with bread. or course we
must feed the troops and greet the en-
| listed boys whenever their officers or
! the Red Croos request such service. But
| Il we were to ask those boys to share
their surplus food with undernour!shed
! city children can we doubt their reply
Hospitals short of Help.
Another opportunity for clear vision
| will occur to US now that we are TO try
to enlist 5000 student nurses and more
In the State to replace those going over
seas. While We are getting the girls TO
enlist. are we also going to try TO help
the hospitals secure proper equipment
for those Students Many hospitals are
so short OF supplies in gauze and other
dressings that paper is being used The
best equipped hospital in one OF our big
cities was ahead only enough material
| for twenty-five operations. One OF my
| friends. whose husband died in another
| hospital, had to buy gauze and hot
water bottle for him. as the hospital was
short OF those things. A trustee said
that only one-ffth OF the hospitals usua,
| income had been received. owing 10 war
| time demands upon its contributors
| Orderlies and ambulance drivers are
| very hard TO get. The hospitals also
need women to scrub floors and wash
| dishes.
| And while 7 am speaking OF the
nurses, I want to report that 7 noticed
that these brave women have sometimes
been overlooked whereas their brothers
| who enlist receive every honor. Will
| YOU not, II any unit OF nurses is mobl-
| l'zng in your vicinity, see that they
| have at least as much attention as the
| soldiers and sailors" 7 have known Of
groups of young women, strangers In
| the citv. but stationed in New York
awaiting, equipment, 10 be absolutely
without any apparent appreciation OF
| their presence by New York women
When the attention OF organizations was
called TO this condition. 1t was remedied
somewhat, but I feel we must always
show our nurses the same honor that we
| show TO our men"