Evening journal., 1918-07-17
Red Cross Keeps Open
House Where Shells Are Flying

I machine for some minutes watching
the lines at the kitchen. then exclaim-
ed Wonderful effect, little thing Ike
thatl The men come IN droopy. and
they 80 Of with their tails in the airV"
But the little kitchen was not only
concerned with the military. II stood
alongside the platform where the trains
Of refugees were loaded, compartments
packed with a poultry, feather beds
and patient dogs. children and grand
parents. The Red Cross nurse and their
half-dozen aides hardly had chance to
catch breath. The friendly commits
sions were infinite. There were lost
children TO find and sick ones TO dose,
gaping boxes 10 re-pack. cripples TO
carry and dazed old people-torn be-
/ tween fear OF the Hun and sorrow in
leaving their homes-tO comfort. The
pitiful and the comic made a giddy
panorama. or the memories, none will
be more joyful than the scene Of a NOV
ing train. a weeping plump lady pulling
I the front end OF a goat through The
door, and a plump Red Cross person,
I trotting alongside, pushing on the rear
end OF the goat.
The personnel Installed In the Red
Cross hotel, was unique. It consisted
OF several executives and handymen, a
storekeeper, 2 doctors, and 30 nurses, =
men and 10 women canteen workers, i6
men and 4 women chauffeurs. Catho-
lies, Ouakers, and Freethinkers, Eng
llsh, French, Scotch, Irisn and Ameri-
cans, thrown together by the emergen-
cy, settled into a going organization
with amazing speed. All lived togeth-
er like a family, each doing what was
asked OF him without question. There
was the spirit OF a good-humored, az
fectlonate family. Probably such an
other group has not been In actual
working contact since the war began.
Under the direction OF the Red Cross,
were a unit OF English Friends War
Victims Relief Committee. unit OF the
Distribution Service Of Pennsylvania,
the DAILY Unit OF Nurses, and the Wo-
mans Emergency Canteen unit. Repre-
sentatives OF at least three Of the En-
tente Powers lived, worked and thought
In actual community Of action. lnciden-
tally, they learned 10 respect and like
one another immensely. The American
Red Cross never can express adequately
its gratitude for the spirit in which
Miss Rennie and her associates OF the
Women's Emergency Canteens, Joined
forces with the Americans.
And this unity Of effort and sympathy
among representatives Of many oreeds,
organizations and nations. under the
pressure Of the moment at C0mpiesne
is another symbol-of the good feeling
and mutual aid that is constantly in
cresslng among non-combstants Of the
Allies.
No time was wasted in formulating
plans. The needs were distinct and
clamoring TO be met.
Food and shelter were required. In
addition TO those fed at the Red Cross
hotel and at the street kitchen, a store
was opened in the garage Of the hotel.
A can OF milk, a tin OF beef, a chunk
OF bread and cheese were given all
civilians who asked IT, Also there was
sweet chocolate for the little things
who looked around their mother:
skirts. Il was possible TO meet the re.
quests OF the sous-prefects OF the
neighborhood for food for their
charges. For instance. the military
head Of the village telephoned that 80,
women and children had come by train