Douglas Island news., 1919-08-08
MANY BRIDES
 COMING OVER
Story of How the Wives of Soldiers Are Taken Care of in Paris
 by Y. W. c. A.
lnr arnea aonlaerl

As lf n tune with iho roses in Paris gardens. and Che bridal gowna In ho modistcs shops Of One boulo- yard. One Y. w. c. A. added O "br.dal department to its headquarters dur- ing Juno. Brides began appearing
 from all corners of France from all ends Of Che Br.t.sh islcs cyon from Luxembourg and Italy They camc Co Paris and Che ports. twenty-five to Glty a day, asking for passage Go America Che country Co which they nnd sworn now citizenship s.m.- trncoualy with thcir marriage yows They were Che brides of American soldiers People had been talking about ho A. E. P. weddings But ao one had given them much thought
 aside from Che brides and bride srooms Suddenly th.s avalanche of brides descended iu Che late spring asking frcc passage Co their new homes. right Of an American sole licrs wives. investigation showed
 that upwards of 10000 soldiers had selected for themselves lifelong souvenirs of Che Great War .n Che shape of wives Military officials knew a great deal about moving troops but nothing about trans norfirr brides At cycry port Che brides began to cougrcgatc Lines of them sat in Ono official offices Of Paris waiting papers Many of them were very young They never had been away from their province homes before They wcrc frightened home sick. lost somc were in others ut- torIy helpless iu Che mystery of new experiences. They were tucked away in odd corners and moved from place to place. during Ono long de- lay before thcy could sail ln Bor- deaux. for example. they were housed on Che Gfth floor Of Che Rcd Gross building through Che hospitality of thc Rcd Cross officials. lt was che only available spot in that crowded port city, But horc was no wator connection up there and Che women had to go to Che oGIcc of thc build inr for every bit they used. Thus clerks and officials were kept from work by Che line of bridal water carriers.
 In Brcst they came Go thc Y. w. IC. A. Hostess Houses. They wcrc brought by thcIr husbands. who had long practice with tho Hostess House institution. They were brought by Che M. P.s miuory po- Iiccmonl. by army odic.aia. by Red Crom workers "Thoro H uo place n town for these women Won't you please okc bcm iu2" Tho ". Wv. c. A. did. It took thom in fin . Che middle oi Che night when they vorc sick and lonely and without money And pretty soon it dIscoy- crcd chat there was no room In Che Hostess House for Che American women for whom it was maintained
 Che brides wcro taking up an tho
 space At st Noniro lhe same thing happened. Something had to
 , done Tho Y. w. c. A. had gone | To France to be of service to hmcri- can women In war work The brides were American women. Their ciu- zcnship was direct result of tho war emergency. so tbc Y w. CA. added. forthwith. iis new dcpart- mcnt -its "br'dal department"
 Mrs 8. c Seymour of New York City was put In charge Tho army turned over barracks of i0oo co- n1city to thc Y. w. e. A. at Brost as "bridat camp Miss Edith Aykroyd Of 329 Brcckonr.deo St. Bu0alo. N. Y. was made camp conn maudcr At st Nazairo and at Bordeaux barracks chat had been sol- iicrs' quarters wcrc transformed sud- denly with gay colorod hmgIngs. easy chairs and flowers. into wo- mans camp. The army and the Red Cross furnished certain oQu.p- mont The v. w. c. A. rushed Co Che ports i.s most experienced and nature workers. An Che camps arc run ou military rules. with rcyc.llo and taps army schedules for meals and an Che rest There are "sottng- up" exercises. lessons In American geography. customs. cooking dress. laws. There arc classes m English for those wno do not speak che lan- guocc flor many couples cannot converse iu any articulatc tongue . tt Che request of Che army. thc bride service Of Che v W c. A. has been extended to transport duty workers being assigned wherever possible to
 Che transports carrying brides These transport workers report at Che ports several days in advance Of their sailing order to become ac- ouantcd with Che women They continue ou ship board Che iustruc- uons begun in Che ports
 Many Of Che girls are os iucNpcr- fenced In travel as they are deeply In lovc. Some. on Che other hand. arc older women who have been married before. Many Of tho latter have small children with them and