The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-02
TROOPS CALL FUND
THEIR BEST FRIEND
Smokes Received by Soldiers
In Germany Came as JOY
full Surprise.
WOUNDED CRY PRAISES
Dcluge Of Cards Sent to Dom
ors Bring Gratitude
From Overseas.
WOUNDED CRY PRAISES

Where feelings of gratitude are so FREQ
and general 1t may not DO good taste to
weigh the degree OF its expression sent
over In the cards and letters OF the
American soldiers to THE Sun Tobacco
Fund Only occasionally does there appear
IN their mail a stereotyped phrase, the use
X which is probably due 10 lack OF time
or other natural causes. but as a rule the
od!ers speak from the heart out and
say an original word or two which proves
that they mean It when they call the
smoke fund their best friend.
oficers, like men, manage to get the
real expression. although they are sup
posed to write by formula; through
out the war they warmed UP their COM
munioations in spite of the trammels OF
military etiquette. and during the dis
cussion OF peace terms they have felt
almost at liberty to discard these gives.
AZ any rate. however close to form the
officers kept, they were as thankful as
tho men when they received THE SIN
smokes and always managed to say so.
When bulk of soldiers mail Is care
fully looked over II Is apparent that the
deepest Joy conferred by the smokes Is
aroused in the hospitals. The sick and
wounded men are overjoyed to be in a
SUN fund distribution. and the way they
tell about their Joy is sometimes pretty
nearly rugged poetry.
The smoke fund believes that these
cards will always be preserved by the
donors to whom they are written, first
because as a souvenir of the war they
will become increasingly valuable, and
second. because owing to the familiarity
n which they are written the cards con-
stitute almost a personal tie between the
contributor to the fund and the re-
cipient of his bounty. In few in
stances the fund knows the cards are
30 held by the donors because they have
taken the trouble to write In and say 50.
Tho fund is sure these instances could
% innumerably multiplied and that the
existence OF this new tie Is wide spread.
That the soldiers feel 1t the cards
declare. Almost every one adds to the
expression of thanks for the material
comfort received 1he hops that the
writer will some day meet his friend
who contributed to THE SUN Tobacco
Fund.
Cards show Gratitude.
Which Of the cards seem most VAL
uable to tho donors? The choice in the
case of many contributors will be a
wide one for they have got--back a
seems to be little doubt but that the
communications from the sick and
wounded will take precedence.
II any spur was required to keep
the contributions coming in and. as L
consequence, the tobacco going over
these expressions of gratitude OF the
soldiers would serve as one. How can
n donor fail to wish to repeat his gift
when he has q card from a soldier in
hospital assuring him that the to-
bacco no sent over has made him wish
10 get well?
And when a soldier doing police duty
- the Rhine cities writes that until he
got the tobacco he was downcast and
discouraged but now IA. IS inspired by II
10 cheerfully DO his duty, how can the
donor who supplied it feel other than
delighted that he could send 1t and in
stantiy turn in his check in order to
send along some more?
Tobacco is moral Courage to the
soldier. He said so through the months
OF active lighting; he feels 1t moro than
ever now whom the excitement has
d.ed down 10 routine. Always grateful
for their smokes the American soldiers
Who look forward to remaining abroad
Cor six months longer, or even a year
more, are now profoundly 30. The latest
tobacco received by them in Germany
came as delightful surprise and called
out louder and fuller praise than at
any time. While the war was on the
men might no JUSTIFIED in expecting the
fund to continue to supply their tobacco
wants, now they receive 1t as a per-
sonal gift of friendship. That's a fine
way to take it and ought to please
the contributors to the fund as we'll as
20 encourage them in keeping on with
their subscriptions.
Cards from base hospitals As. 2oo. &c.
e. and II and from different convalescent
camps are included in the latest batch
~ soldiers mail. They were penned In
most Instances by the sick soldiers them
selves and their dates run down to Jam
uarY 6.
Word From Chaplain.
Joseph L. Mastsglo, chaplain of Base