The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-01-03
AMERICAN WOMEN
OPERATE RE0CR0SS
CANTEENS ABROAD
CARE OF v. 8. soLpleDs AND SAIL
oRs ORGANIZATIONS FIRST
AND SUPREME OBJECT.
MEAL COSTS ONLY 13 CENTS
Shower Baths, esrbsrs, Movie Thea.
ter Everything Free Except
Food--Work Near the
Firing Line.

First and supreme In the work OF
the American Red Cross, which will
launch q Christmas membership drive
for 100000 more members in the
Southwest Monday, Dec. II. continuing
until Christmas eve. 10 the care OF
Uncle Sans own army and navy.
The safety. health and comfort OF
the men who are fighting the coun-
try's battles 1000 miles from home
will at all times be the prime object
Of the organisations attention.
When French army officers were
asked what the American Red Cross
could best do to hearten the army and
give the soldiers q concrete token Of
American cooperation they said:
Give Us canteens and rest stations"
The Red Cross Is accordingly estab-
fishing canteens at II important rail-
way stations In France for the special
use Of soldiers on leave. who are con-
stantly passing on their way to and
from the front. The woman's bureau
undertook to recruit 100 women to
serve In canteens and rest rooms In
France. Only women Of robust health.
between the ages OF 30 and 80, were
considered, and applicants were re.
Quired to show that they had worked
for the American Red Cross or In res.
ulsr occupations requiring high or
Ger Of service and = capacity for self
sacrifice. Fifty-two Of these women
already are Id France.
serves 1000 Troops Daily.
The first OF these canteens was
opened in September and began i'm
mediate!y to serve large numbers Of
French soldiers and some American
troops. It has been used by an aver
age OF 1000 men daily. The first visi-
tors were q troop OF chasseurs who
had been instructing the American
troops. and ON the same evening a
large number Of American engineers,
leaving by train at o'clock In the
morning. were given warm welcome.
There are Is women who serve day
and night. The menu includes soup,
bread, meat. vegetables. salads,
cheese. eggs. coffee. chocolate and
tea.
Arrangements for announcing the
departure Of trains have enabled be-
tween 300 and 400 men to catch few
hours of muchneeded rest In COM
Portable, clean quarters. without fear
Of missing their trains. Six hundred
men can be so accommodated. Show
ers and wash basins also are provided.
Everything Free Except Food.
The picture presented by such can
teen when 1t is filled with soldiers ia
described In a cable from Junius b
Wood. American war correspondent
In part as follows:
Back Of . long porcsiain.tiisd osuntsr Amer
lean women In white caps and white aproni
out sandwiches a. fast ~ their arms eoult
work In front was an unending line Of sol
SOUP or essss In enc hand ssd sandwiches
sausages and tobacco In the ether. making theii
way gingeriy through the crowd from the
This csnteen seats 20 an hour In the dining
room, which is capable Of handling 5000 guesti
soss. sSS
movie theater. All 10 free except the food. fol
which there 10 q nominal charge. On the othei
side Of the railroad tracks = garden has beer
laid out whore. In ahissh, the French oevern
ment dispsnses wine to Its own troops. While
waiting FOR trains the soldiers relax and rest
Every thing 10 sold At cost. no allowance be
Ing made for the big overhesd expenses. Ia
addition. much 10 distributed free. bowl OF
soup. which 10 quite different from the usua
onion. .flavoured greasy hot water, costs cents
and other things are sold at proportionatel,
low prices. soup and coffee are both servea
In bowls
There are no spoons, cups. knives or forks
FOR these never return. For i8 cents get
q dinner consisting Of soup. beef or lamb, vege
chocolate or boullion. Tea Is brewed especiail,
for passing British troops.
Near the firing line the American
Red Cross is establishing field can
teens. Extending the work alread,
begun by branch OF the French Rec
Cross. It will provide one OF these can
teens for every corps of the French
army and later for the American arm.
as well.
A field kitchen is maintained there
from which the refreshing drinks arr
distributed along the front by wagons
and light motor trucks. Four thou
sand portions-coffee. tea. cocoa, boul
lion, lemonade, etc.-are sometimes
served from one canteen In singh
day.