The Washington times., 1918-12-25
WALTER REED BOYS
CHEER Times SANTA
CONTINUED from First Psse.l

hold some gifts for them. The boys
are especially pleased with the gener-
Gus gifts OF cigarettes"
Santa Claus workers were busy
early this morning in the big room
where the presents were stored In the
basement OF the Mupsey building.
! Quickly and silently they moved the
presents outside and onto automobile
trucks that were waiting to receive
their Christmas burden.
-Prssents DIstrisuted.
Out at Walter Reed. Hospital Red
Cross workers were waiting to take
up Santa Claus work where The
Times left OF. AS the gifts were
turned over to the Red Cross, uni
formed workers under direction OF
Mrs. Henry T.. Rea began the work OF
distributing them among the soldiers.
BY every bed where lay some
wounded Ysnk who had made the sac
rifice overseas for democracy, the Red
Cross worker left a package OF cheer.
the gifts OF the citizens OF the Ma
tional Capital. In some packages
there were books. candy, cigarettes.
cigars, and chewing gum. and in
others, designated for soldiers from
particular States, were, found tid-bits
and useful articles OF clothing that
the donors wished to be given to boys
from their home States.
Distribution of the more than 5000
individual gifts that Washington citi-
Gems contributed was completed in a
short time By a. BED Cross workers.
50 systematic was the plan Of dis
tribution they had devised.
Packages UnIOaded.
1t required more than an hour for
anxious, excited soldier helpers to un-
load the gifts at the hospital and de-
liver them to the Red Cross room.
Soldiers who got up early to wait for
the arrival OF the trucks Of presents
fell to" with a will and helped the
drivers unload the packages.
The first batch OF gifts were dis
tributed to boys In the sick room.
The more than 10000 cigarettes
that Washington donors gave made a
tremendous hit with the wounded
boys. Certainly no other kind of
gift made the boys feel happier.
detail OF soldiers was on hand
early this morning at the Red Cross
House to prepare the room for the
presents. About $50 men left the hos
pital last night on nine-day furioughs
to visit their families. and their gifts
will be held by the Red Cross until
they return. The athletic equipment.
which will be used for the benedt OF
all the soldiers at Walter Reed, was
turned over to Lieut.. Frederick Hall
Thomas. the Freddie Welsh Of the
prize ring. who Is athletic director
for the wounded boys at Walter Reed. |
The Joy the wounded boys felt on |
receiving the gifts this morning was
the culmination OF a Christmas cele- |
bration they long viii remember.
Every ward was decorated with a !
small tree, the gift of the Red Cross, |
The men who are convaleseing and |
were unable to leave their wards, ]
were guests of the Knights OF Colum-
bus and the Y. NJ c. A. at last nights \
celebrations.
The huts of the two organisations
also were crowded with soldfers from !
Z D. m until midnight.
At the X. OF c. hut. following an
-open house, from 4 until 1880, a /
midnight mzsS was celebrated. More
than 800 soldiers and $50 civilians at
tended this mass. Early this morn
ing two masses were held. After the /
masses breakfast was served to the
men. =,
v. VI. &. A. Hut Dedicated
inc feature AT the l. bl. u A. nut Il
last night was the dedication exer-
eises which lasted from to o o'clock. /
Formal presentation OF the hut to the /
hospital authorities was made by,
William Knowles Cooper. secretary
of the Y. N. c. A. War Council. Fol-
lowing the exercises each soldier was 4
presented with a gift. From o until |
IL 80 o'clock there was dancing. ]
Women members OF the Red Cross
last night visited all the hospital
wards and gave presents to each SOL
der.
A huge Christmas tree has been
put into the Red Cross Building at
the hospital
The program OF activities today Is
largely confined to the Knights of
Columbus hut, where a reception will
be held from . to B this afternoon
During this time gifts will be dis
tributed to the soldiers.
Buy War Savings Stamps todny aud ]
provide fer yOur future.