The Washington herald., 1918-09-29

accommodated. is taking the stand
''if they are going to insist on our
taking In people we don't know and
don't want to know, whether we like
Il or not, why not begin with those
big houses? Those people would not
be forced into close contact with any
stranger under their roof; they would
not have people Of unknown habits
messing UP the bath rooms that they
had to use themselves. II they didn't
like II they have other houses else-
where they can retire to, and no very
real business to keep them in Wash
ington. Why pick on us? Why take
our one eve lamb?'
OF course there's no answer-but
Just fancy the Indignation in those
mansions of wealth and loneliness. II
the loneliness should be Invaded. ana
Uncle Sam insist on quartering some
Of his war workers on them!
And really. no one knows where
the lightning is going to strike next
i really don't believe the Perry Eel
mont house has been commandeereo.
The Belmonts have been back ana
forth a dozen times this summer
having gone to Newport rather late.
Capt. Belmont was here for a Few
days only last week. He is COM
missioned in the Quartermaster De-
partment. and presumably has some
regular war Job on the dollar-a-year
basis-or perhaps the basis of a cap
tain's pay. which wouldn't keep him
in cigars. His house is utterly un-
suited for government workers-as
are most Of the others mentioned
but if it's a question of n roof over
their heads, or none, Uncle sam
must do the best he can by the peo-
pic he is bringing here TO do his
work.
There Is the sad case OF the Will
lam Carey SanEers; Mrs. Lane called
my attention to that. She had seen
an announcement that they had taken
1873 Massachusetts avenue, in the
papers one day. and the next an
announcement that Uncle Sam had
commandeered 1888 Massachusetts aV-
enue. Did anyone know what the
Sangers were going TO do?
Probably the Sangers themselves
don't know. Col William Carey San
ger is a war worker himself-right-
hand man to Henry White, chairman
OF the Potomac Division OF the Red
Cross. Last year the Sangers had
house on O street, and in the spring
took Mai. and Mrs. Charles l. Frai-
Iey's pretty house at Chevy Chase.
Lately they gave that up, and having
combed the town, they finally decided
upon the Newgardens' house which
the BurwelI Cutters had last year.
Then they went off for a little Taca-
tion, presumably to their country
home. Sangerfield, in New York State.
or course, the Chevy Chase house
was Immediately snapped up. Lieut.
and Mrs. Steuart Pittman moved in
as the Sangers moved out. Then
Uncle Sam decided that he needed
the Massachusetts, avenue house
more than the Sangers did-and
stuck his blue bel on it. And there
you are, But no one quite knows
where the Sangers are.
The gas masks" to keep out inhu-
enza are the latest thing in surgical
dressings. At least II is the surgical
dressing committee Of the local divi-
sion Of the Red Cross that is making
them. Mrs. Woodbury. Blair is at its
head. She only came home from New
port last week and she found her
work cut out for her-and her COM
tllAAAf- 4Ht EiAtcA VI NAAt a1PeAaAs'A-
influenza in the cantonments was
alarming. and the Army Medical
Corps wanted 500 masks" made OF
surgeons gauze. four layers of it,
right away, quick!
Washington. you know. IS fairly
ringed around with army camps. In
fact. there are several within the linn
its Of the District OF Columbia. and
with the entire city practically one
huge camp of war workers, the pros
pect of an epidemic is more than usu-
/ ally serious 1t might easily interfere
with the pace of Uncle Sans war
preparations. The Medical Corps. of
course, realizes that the camps could
easily become serious centers OF in
fection, and to guard against any
such catastrophe wants these gas
masks" for all the men. TO be worn
over the mouth and nose. and serve
as a filter of all that gets into the
system by those entrances. They are
simple. crude little affairs-but the
Surgeon Generals Office believes that
they will be effective.
But 5000 in two days is something
of a contract. 1t takes about five
minutes to make one, and within a
few hours of receiving the order Mrs.
Blair sent 100 out to Walter Reed
Hospital Mrs. Lansing undertook to
supply 1000 within IS hours, and Mrs.
McAdoo contracted for 800. each pre-
sumably on behalf of the Red Cross
workers of her husbands department.
Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Mason. both
wives Of rear admirals. are also hard
at it. Mrs. Daniels. who might be ex-
pected to go in for that sort Of thing.
either personally or through her de-