Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-14
Y. N. c. A. LEASES CASINO
. FOR AMERICAN SOLDIERS
Famous Thermal Baths There Also
Open to Men on Leave at
Nominal Fee.
STEAM LAUNCH ON LAKE
Mountain Climbing and AutomobiI.|
Ing Among Other Recrcations Pro-
Sidcd at Famous Resort in SAVOY.
Morals Arc Safcguarded.
IBy Associated pressl


A1N-LES- BAlNE. April 13.-Bc,vconI
800 and 500 American soldiers arc ar
irving or leaving hero each day ON
special trains. Smaller numbers are
entering and leaving the towns or
Chambery. Challcs-l les Faux and other
places In the Department Of Savoie.
which has been selected as the first
great leave center OF the American
army. These soldiers arc Americas
first "pcrmissionaires" on general laws
All of the first arrivals have been mem
bers OF the first expedition 10 reach
France and likewise the first to see
active service In the trenches
The question OF taking care OF men
on leave has been one OF the most i'm
portant recreation problems with
which the United States army has had
TO deal. After consulting with repre-
sentatives of the Y. NJ g. a. and o,hep
welfare organizations IL was decided
10 experiment with the plan OF Sc
Letting in turn various interesting
places in France to which the mon
could be sent General orders wers
then Issued granting each officer and
man in France a leave o. seven dav.
exclusive OF travei tlmc. once every
four months. Free transportation is
provided TO men who spend their leave
in ccnters selected by the army. Leave
TO Paris and other cities in France. out
side the leave area. is only provided IN
exceptional cases.
When the army selected the Depart
ment Of Savoie as the nrst leave area.
the y. VI. G. A. Immediately began TO
make plans for the reception OF The
men. Arrangements were nrst made
with hotel proprietors whereby they
would open their hotels earlier than
usual end reserve certain percentage
OF their rooms for soldiers. All hotels
IN tho department.. which contracted
with the y. II. G. 4. TO provide tho
necessary accom- N cd atoms. were divid-
ed into three classes according To the
rates to be charged. These rates were
fixed AZ II, II and IL francs a day for
room and board. with the underestimate
ing that no tips were to be given by
the men. Zach hotel also agreed to
furnish the men with no. bath upon
their arrival
Al Ai1-les- Bains the y. NJ c. A. icas-
cd the big casino for the exclusive
use OF the soldiers. This includes a
large thcater. assembly hall, and read
ing. writing. billiard and game rooms
Afternoon and evening concerts and
theatricals arc given in the ,heatcr
with both Professional and amateur
talent as attractions. The soldiers have
made full use % the handsome casino
which is in operation from o'clock in
the morning until late at night The
!. NJ {. \. has also leased the casino
at Char!cs-lcs FAUX and thcatcrs IN
that town and Chanbcry
The famous thermal baths az AK
les Rains have also been thrown open
TO the soldiers for a nominal fec and
they are proving very popular. especial
ly among those men who arrive in AK
fresh from the trenches Of northeastern
France. number OF Fairgrounds and
fields have also been leased where
baseball diamonds. football Eridirons
and outdoor basketball and tennis
courts arc being laid out
\ small steam launch on Lake Rour-
set has been engaged for tho season
and used TO AXE soldiers on cNcur-
s!ons about the lake, including visits
10 the noted lia utecombe Abbey. where
fcrty-threc princes OF the Italian
'eisning house OF Savoy are buried.
Automobile drives have been begun
and each morning hiking parties start
on trips to the submits OF neighborinE
mountains. Good use is also being
made OF the mountain railway which
climbs TO the summit OF Mont reward.
from which one gets a splendid view
OF the famous Mont Blanc
No attempt has been made to die
tate what the men should do on leave.
They have been given liberty OF action
within the necessary limitations OF
military rules and regulations. French
police authorities are cooperating with
American army officers TO protect tho
morals OF the men. Stringent orders
have been issued TO hotel and cafe
Keepers about the. sale OF spirituous
liquors to men on leave. All susrI-
c:ous resorts have been closed or de-
clared "out OF bounds" but there have
been very few places OF this nature
a committee OF women Y NJ c. a.
workers has undertaken the task OF
having the clothes OF the soldiers laun-
dered and mcndcd. This service Is
highly appreciated, because trenches
are hard on clothes. and but few of
the soldiers are adept with n needle and
thread.
The cosmopolitan nature Of Americas
army is Indicated by the fact that
thirty states and twelve nationalitics
arc represented in the first two con-
tingcnts OF soldiers to arrive on leave.
All OF the boys on leave arc in good
spirits and confident that the allies
can defeat Germany.