Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1919-11-13
.CANTEEN SERVICE
FORMALLY CLOSED
Mrs. NJ. r. Wise Tells of Work l)on>
by Committee in Is Months
of Activity

:, After fifteen months of faithful ser.
= vice the Canteen Committee of the
; Mexico Branch of the Red Cross was
formally closed Tuesday night, the an
, niversary of the signing of the Arnis-
tice. The exercises were held in the
: new Community Hall over the First
National Bank, and at the same time
the ex-service men in Mexico were
given an entertainment.
About seventy-five men who had
seen service in the Army, Navy Or
Marine Corps were present, most Of
them wearing their uniforms. The
members of the Canteen Committee
were also in uniform.
| Mrs. M. R. Wise, who has untiringly
served as chairman of the committee,
made talk on 7"Our Canteen," sum-
ming up, very briefly, the work of the
women who have given their services
to this phase of war activities. More
than $4,000 have been spent in feeding
soldiers who have passed through Mex
leo on troop trains, and between fifty
five and sixty thousand boys have been
served with doughnuts, cookies, apples
oranges, magazines and stamped post
cards.
For five months according to Mrs.
Wise, the Mexico Canteen met every
troop train that went through this city
during the day The first of the year
the Wabash trains were given to Mob
erly, and since then only troops on the
C, & A. have been served here
Service has been rendered and cheer
given to boys from many countries and
in many conditions; even Czecho-Slo-
vacks from Russia, and tubercular boys
on their way west, Insane ones on
their way to Fulton--all these and
more have received administrations
from the Red Cross Canteen here.
Mrs. Wise closed her talk by ex-
pressing her thanks to the Railroad
men who helped at all times, to the
press for publicity given and to ".
w. Pollock, Mrs. A. P. Green, Ben Gra-
ham, J. H. Sallee and A T. Ancrom for
special services rendered. She made
strong appeal to the boys in Mexico
to join the American Legion
Following Mrs. Wise's talk John F.
Barclay and DR.. R. S. Williams spoke
briefly on the good work of the Red
Cross Canteen service in France, and
of the cheer it brought to them when
they were there.
Mrs. J. E. Durkee presented certi-
fcates, issued by Chas. P. Pettus, can
teen director of the southwestern div
ision of the Red Cross, for faithful ser
vice in the canteen, to thirty-one wo-
men.
Mrs. Durkee also read letter which
was sent to Mrs. Wise by Mr.. Pettus,
special delivery, complimenting her
highly for the work she has done for
the boys who have passed through
Mexico. The letter was warmly en-
thusiastic over the success Of the Cam
teen in Mexico and much credit was
given to Mrs. Wise. Mr.. PettuS clos
ed by saying Our Hats Are OFF TO
You"
DR.. J. F. Jolley, commander of the
local post of the American Legion,
spoke fewwords to the boys who were
present in behalf of the Legion; and
thanks to the Canteen Ser
vice for what it had done for men in
service.
Mrs. c. C. Hammond acted as chair
man of the meeting, in the absence OF
Mrs. j. T. Johnson, chairman of the
Mexico Branch of the Red Cross.
Christian College orchestra furnished
music. Ray Miller lead the commun-
ty sing. Rev. c. w. Cowart offered
he invocation and Rev. Richard Cen
Try pronounced the benediction.
When the program was completed
IN oyster supper was served, under
,he direction of the women of the Bap-
list church.