The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-02
CITY OPENS ARMS
TO FIGHTING MEN
Thousands of Soldiers and
Sailors Entertained Mt Clubs
and in Homes.
GRAMERCY PARK Is GAY
pcrshin@.lIOusc u Centre of
Cheer for Wounded
Heroes.
GRAMERCY PARK Is GAY

Little Miss 1919, despite low hanging
clouds and depressing tears which fell at
intervals, did her utmost to bring Chez
TO the city on New Years Day, centrirg
her efforts at entertainment upon thoi-
sands of soldiers and sailors who found
themselves in the metropolis with an
abundance OF time and some money, nut
many miles from home and with no par
ticular programme. Dozens of organza-
tions kept open house for service men
and hundreds of private homes open>d
their doors Hospitality.
As n result, there was no real reason
why any one in blue or Khaki should
have been lonesome And Private Gus
Edwards, from Waco. Tex. VINO CANE
up to town from the hospital at Ellis
Island with only an empty sleeve wnere
there had once been an arm, ana limp
ing from a recent operation on ms Knee
is authority for the statement that no
one was-least of all any wounded
man who was well enough to leave ms
hospital and enter any one of the score
of private motor cars available ana DE
whirled away to Creamery Park. wHiea
was the special and particular fountain
OF New Years cheer for the WOUNDED
seen Private Bill Biddlc, also from
Waco, since they had both been struck
down by German fire in the Argonhe
Forest on the same day. So. when ne
walked into pershng House, the New
York War Camp Community service
headquarters in Gramercy Park, am
saw Bill propped up in big leather
chair before an open fire with no less
than four perfect pippins bending over
him and chattering animatedly. he Just
naturally let oout a whoop. ana there
wa. Waco, Tex Old Home Week cele-
bration right then and there.
Many Private Houses Open.
Gus and Bill were by no means the
only wounded soldier lads over whom
pippins bent in Gramercy Park Nester-
dsy, There must have been between
400 and 500 Guses and Bills from erety
army hospital in the metropolitan area
and between 200 and 300 young women
who seemed to have no other purpose IT
life than to make them feel AT nome.
And no conscientious chronioler coulu
neglect TO state that the young women
succeeded admirably.
In addition to the dinner at PershinG
House which was followed by con'inH-
Gus dancing and music all the atte"-
noon and evening. many or the soclaIlN
prominent residents OF the park also
0Dpned their doors 10 the WOuIuth 1i't'
Mrs Schuyler Schieffeiin. for instance
not only served dinner to table full
but gave a motion picture show and
dance in her drawing room during the
afternoon. Dinners and dances and teas
were also given by Mrs. Walstron HiiI
Brown and Mrs. Peter Cooper Hewitt
on the south side OF the park the
National Arts club also threw open it,
doors to the wounded. WHO arrived at
regular intervals in the private auto
mobiles sent to the hospitals for them
There were more pretty girls here
more perhaps. than Gramercy Park
has seen in any one New Years Day
for years and years. At least this Is
what Blond Henry. the cop. who
watched them critically as they arrived
SAYS he thinks and ne has been on duty
in the park since shortly after the
evacuation of the city by Lord Howe 5
defeated army.
Too Wet for StrolIs In Park.
As mark of especial appreciation
for the service rendered the country by
the wounded. it had been intended TO
open the gates in the iron fence sur
rounding the stretch of greensward and
permit the soldiers to roam at will IN
side The rain and the attTactiveneSs
OF the young women indoors, however
combined 10 make this unusual privilege
seem nothing whatever in the lives of
the soldiers and. somewhat to the
astonishment Of members OF the Gram
ercy Park Association, not one Of them
could be induced to avail himself of t.
ut was simply that these young men
live far from New York city and tina.
they did not understand. fancy" was
the way the matter was explained last
night by one park resident.
Convalescents from the army hos
a1s ait,al laN
at the Seabury Hostess House. So East
Twenty7fifth street Madison square.
There were a dance and entertainment
in the evening. and refreshments were
served. The hostesses We're women from
the North Presbyterian Church and the
Mount Morris Baptist Church. and they
were assisted by a delegation of men
from the Lambs Club
Soldiers, sailors and marines were
welcomed all day at the Home Service
Club 1874 East Thirty-eighth street.
which is conducted by the League OF
Catholic Women under the auspices OF
the National Catholic War Council. Re-
freshments were offered all who came.
and the entertainment feature consisted
of a continuous vaudeville performance.
Y. ". c. A. Branches Entertain.
The various branches of the Y. NJ. c.
terday. and elaborate programmes were
offered at some of them. At the Fifty
seventh street branch the various edu-
cational exhibits were thrown open to
the public and there was a reception
tn the lobby during the afternoon.
Special attention was given TO returned
service men during the day by the en-
ployment department. where there was
an exhibit designed to give insight into
the general industrial situation. AMI
athletic programme was given in the
gymnasium and supper served by COM
mittee OF which Mrs. Fred f. Tasker
was the chairman.
The Pelham Bay Naval band gave a
concert in the gymnasium of the Twen-
ty-thrd street branch OF the Y. NJ. &.
A In the afternoon, and there was a
motion picture show and a "ireside
hour" and a special dinner in the res
taurant at which many soldiers and
sailors were guests OF civilian members
Motion pictures OF the surrender of
the German fleet were shown at the
Bedford branch in Brooklyn, There was
an athletic programme in the gymna-
SUM and other special new year fea-
lures
The Junior Society OF Temple ;manu-
Fl served dinner to about 500 soldiers
and sailors and gave each one "A SOU
Nenir In the shape of tobacco and a
safety razor, An entertainments was
later given by performers from the Hip
podrome and l.oew's circuit Of theatres
The Missouri Hospitality Committee
named hy GOV. Frederick u, Gardner