Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-28
ROLLING CANTEEN
NEAR BATTLELINE
Y. M. C. A. Meets Soldiers at
Crossroads Going and
Coming From Fight


Looks like a circus wagon"
Gotta Y. M. c. A. sign on it."
|. Aw, thick! It's one of those Y. M.
rollin' canteens."
1t was a rolling canteen of the
latest type, making its trial trip up
behind the lines to serve soldiers
coming out
Only it didn't roll. 1t didn't keep
pace with the men on the march
It's crew kept going until they found
Ia nice, quiet spot adjacent to cross
roads where traffic was heavy and
and went to work.
This canteen represents an earn
est effort to furnish to combat units
some of the little luxuries of living.
Getting cigarets, cookies and
chocolate to the men on the firing
line is at best individual and spas
modic. Most of the work has to be
done by night. And even then, some
officers rightly consider it not only
too dangerous but also too distract
ing to be allowed.
But there is almost always oppor-
tunity to meet the men as they come
out of the lines to return to the
rear areas for rest To surprise them
at intermediate points on the way
is one of the absorbing ambitions of
the Y. M. c. A, and this new can
teen is a step toward the attain
ment of that ambition.
It's nothing more or less than a
big box on wheels, and only two
wheels at that. 1t hooks on behind
a truck which will carry between
three and five tons of stuff, and goes
bouncing over the battles-carred
roads to some place chosen in ad-
vance and approved by the military
authorities.
No One Has to Wait
In front is a fixed prop that pre-
vents the canteen from tumbling
over on its nose. In the rear is a
flight of steps which lets down and
keeps the wagon on even keel. On
either side, in the center, is a large
window with a projecting counter.
There is room inside for two
workers at each window so that
taking care of almost any number
of customers is easy. No one has to
wait long in line.
The whole front Of the canteen's
interior is divided into compart-
ments for the storing of supplies.
Each compartment is within quick
reach of every person at the coun-
ters. Efficient placing of things for
sale means little waste motion. With
help to keep the shelves always full,
four workers handle several
thousand soldiers a day.
Not the least important part of
the equipment is field stove and
boilers to fit. This stove may be
set up inside or carried outside. as
the captain of the canteen crew
thinks best. It's principal function
is to draw well wherever it is placed
and boil the chocolate which is
served free to the men. This hot
chocolate. by the way, is in danger
of becoming the American national
drink in France. Vim rouge and
vim blanc have no chance whatever
against it.
Thousands of quarts of it are
drunk daily. The supply seldom
equals the demand. [ have seen a
line of soldiers as long as a city
block waiting patiently to get up
to the hot chocolate spigot with
their canteen cups. And 1 have met
many man who, after getting one
drink. has begun at the foot of the
line again to have another. To draw
off a cupful at night for drinking
next morning at breakfast is a
faVorite pastime.
Don't make any difference if it is
cold" said a soldier who had been
in the line for ten days. 1T sure
goes better'n army coffee"
One its trial trip the rolling can
teen got rid of several thouand cups
of chocolate without the aid of q
barker to tell the passing troops to
step up and have some. And the
quantity would undoubtedly have
been doubled if the water supply
had been adequate All water had
to be carted a distance of five kilo-
with the result that John II.
of Minneapolis, Mimi,
official mixer with the party never
had enough to keep the boilers con-
full.
At the Cross Roads
The first stamping ground of the
new rolling canteen was under the
lee of a chateau which had been
turned int field hospital. Less
than q week before the Germans
had been quartered there. Within
a stones throw was a junction of
two roads, one marked, ito the
'front.'" and the other ito the rear"
The passing of the troops was al
most incessant.
They went by on foot, in trucks,
on motorcycles and in automobiles.
They represented every rank, from
4 brigadier general to raw private.
One of the brigadier generals spent
Ill the francs that he swas allowed