Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-26
SOLDIERS HAIL SALVATION ARMY LASSLES
AS ANGELS, SAYS LETTER OF ONE OF THEM
Hungry for Sight of American
Woman, Writes Captain
Violet McAlLister
Are Greeted With Reverence
Everywhere and Make Many
Conversions, She Says

THE Salvation Army Industrial and
l. Social Center, 1924 Parrish street, is
the recipient of letter from the front
which is vivid proof of the devoted work
being carried on by American women in
France
The letter is from Captain Violet Nc
Allister. well known at the Parrish street
center. She left a few months ago for
Europe.
IT describes the keen joy with which
the trench-worn soldiers greet a real
American girl' and one who is giving
her utmost to care for their wants. Miss
McAllister says. in part:
L just wish you could spend one
day in our hut and hear how the fellows
talk of the Army and it's work. There
seems to be nothing too good for them
to say 1t is wonderful and certainly
speaks well for those who have been
here so long.
Alice cher sister, and I have been
with regiment where the Army has
never operated before, and the boys
nave nearly gone wild over our coming
and nothing has been too good for us
In fact, they have the habit of making
one have the uncomfortable feeling that
they consider Us angels dropped down
in their midst.
They reverence our hut the same as
they would a church. and I do believe
II fellow swore up here he would be
carried out and shot. The place is
lacked all the time and never saw so
many letters written in my life. In two
days they used up 10000 sheets of paper.
When they came here they hadn't had
an opportunity to write for six weeks.
and they surely availed themselves of
the opportunity
Many Conversions Reported
I'VE have had some wonderful enter
tainments and ran across some wonder
full talent. The regimental band has
been with us and they give us a concert
every evening between and l. We
picked out six of the fellows who could
play stringed intruments and horns and
recite and sing and took them over to
the next village. where Ensign Sheldon
and Captain Moung are stationed, and
gave their crowd an entertainment, and
they surely did enjoy it.
There are SO many professional en-
| tertainers In the crowd that we certainly
| considered 1t lucky and made the best
possible use of them Besides the enter
| tainments and evenings of childhood
| games. etc. we have had our meetings,
and, without stretching it one bit,
knew the meetings were enjoyed as
thoroughly as the entertainments and
we found the men thirsty for the word
of God
During the weeks we have been here
we have seen some fifty conversions and
| hundreds of hands for prayer. One
man was converted at the beginning of
our stay here and never failed there
after to bring his flute and help us In
the meetings. Many come up to the
service and ask us to tell them more
about 1t and explain how a fellow can
get saved. The ignorance along that
line Is appalling. 81 I have adopted a
plan of not trying to give them ser
mon, but just simply explaining, and
they fairly hang on the words. I think
it is the most wonderful thing ! have
ever known. ] have yet to see one man
make light of anything religious.
Soldiers Profuse In Thanks
when that regiment went up to the
front to relieve the other fellows my
arm ached from shaking hands They
came to bid us good-by, and wish you
could have heard the different ones ex-
pressing their thanks for all we had done