The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-03-18
IlIB7IY N FRANCE WAS WARM LAST WINTER;
HALF Of PARIS RESTAURANTS ARE CLOSED
ere Mostly in Mourn
ing eYt Paris Turns Out
s AsUsual at Tea Hour
nv loAH MeGLoNE GIBSON.

By loAH MeeLoNE GIBSON.
Authof Of Confessions Of wife"
VtFo. Has Just Returned From q
Trip 70, the War Zone Under the
Au;piees OF the American RED
croSs and The west Virsinian.
Gcopuieat, 1918 by the Newspaper
Enterprise Association
Since I returned the first question
$50 everybody asks me IS, What
are the conditions over there anu
when ! ask IN return, What DO you
mean by conditions: IND they
SImost always mean food and bust-
ness conditions.
3HsR the splendid restaurants IN
Paris are closed
IN the home Of French pastry. you
cannot get a piece for love nor money
did not see any cream il All
France, and after nine O'Clock IN the
morning you are met with the words
ssnas du Iait'' when you ask for milk
This means that even IN the best ho-
te7s. such as the Ritz or the Crilon.
Won rnusc drink your coffee black al
Ter nine O'Clock One very small
niece Of sugar for coffee or tea. NO
granuIated or powdered sugar could
I find in all France.
The bonbon shops are closed. AT
ter the first Of January of this year,
It was Impossible to buy any candy
at all
No dessert except triut and cheese.
War bread-no rolls no buns. uotn-
ing but the loug or round rolls OF
war bread and only swo ounces At
No pork or ham or bacon: how.
ever, there seemed to be chicken or
beef or mutton enough for skinny
portion OF some one Of rnen for din
You can get fish for both lunch or
At the tea hour in the best hotels
you are served with only toasted war
bread. At the Mirabeau. which when
I left was the most popular tea place
m paris. they served potato chips
and dates and figs with the toasted
war bread; no butter.
And yet Paris turns out as usual
At the tea hour-the women are most
" in mourning. and the men, II IN
civilian dress. are likely to be minus
4 leg or. an armand drinks its tea
ana nibhIes its toasted war bread
without shadow Of sorrw on its
The French people consider it trea-
son to speak of their sacrifices. The
women walk through the streets OF
Paris behind their dead with heads
up and dry eyes. which say without
The need OF words. pour la patrie.
No one has been warm in France
Just before Christmas called all
the beautiful house which Mrs. Theo-
dore Roosevelt, Jr.. has rented for her
STAY IN France. There was brazier
az soft coal in the aute-room and one
IN Mrs. RooseveIt's bedroom, for she
vas suffering from very bad cold.
All the other rooms we're closed be-
cause they could not >be warmed.
At most OF the hotels, you put your
napkins In a linen pocket that is mar
ked with your name, as laundry must
be done in cold water with very lit
Changing bed linen once a week
= Psee r4+ boxes-no one sends mer-i
chaniise home in a box-are at a
premium. and matches very scarce
The Red Cross is now giving lunch
as to<the children il2 the pubic
schools, as it was found that many
Of them were underted and that the
children needed fats and sugar N
gretaer quantities than they were able
to get them at home.
The other day when arrived home
and happened to remark that I had
not been warm while in France, a
woman broke in querulousIy:
az have never suffered with the
cold as have this winter. think
something should be done so that
We could be comfortable with all the
coal that we have in this country
This woman was wearing gown
with GeorSette sleeves through which
her over-fat arms we're plainly T1sl-
ssThere were no women wearins
chiffon sleeves in Paris this winter.
Z tod her. and mentioned the tact
that for IS she could buy Ions sleeyec
iTnderwear which would probably
have kept her arms as warm as
hundred dollars worth OF heated
rooms.
The only places IN France where
Won can get white bread. bacon, ham,
sausage, syrup, plenty OF sugar, Ger.
eals. plenty Of butter. hot buns and
breakfast rolls. are in the barracks !
md officers mess OF the American !
soldier.
America has made no sacrifices yet |
to give them this.
WIN she make them when IT IS nee
Idah MeeIone Gibson,
n her Red Gross uniform.
n,am