The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-13
SOLDIERS EAGER TO
THANK FUND DONORS
Returning Heroes Never For
get Solace Afforded to Them
by Tobacco.
CHORUS OF GRATITUDE
"Thanking You Very Much for
Interestin A. E. f." Typical
Words Of Appreciation.


donors are following the stream Of srate-
fui words that flow from returned SOL
diers who manifest an eagerness to tell
what comfort and pleasure were theirs
from gifts Of tobacco sent through the
generosity of these persona The pleas
ant satisfaction of work well done and
appreciated ought to be shared by every
contributor to this fund.
As the fund has had occasion to say
before. hardly have the soldiers had time
70 greet their relatives before they visit
the once of THE SUN to add their vocal
testimony to the cards and letters that
they sent back. They do not always
wait before giving expression to their
gratitude until they can call on THE
SUN, but voice II at the moment Of do
barkation. This was the case with
Major Henry H Curran Of the 102d
Ammunition Train. Seventy-seventh d.
vision, who was last with his division
on March 20. He did not hesitate, but
as soon as he arrived In this country
made the following fine statement about
what the fund has done for the men OF
tho Seventy-seventh:
IT want to tell you it's a great work
your paper is doing In sending smokes
10 the soldiers. The boys appreciate the
smokes I tell you. and they have a warm
spot in their hearts for THE SUN and
they'll always remember the smokes that
paper sent over"
This IL pleasant hearing for THE SUN
but 1t Is not selfish. not inclined to take
al. the pleasure and all the credit to
itself. No, II wants to share 1t with the
people who make the fund possible and
its deep regret Is that 1t can not line
M all these people and rehearse to them
the kind words. the sincere thanks that
sre daily uttered to II.
The most that THE Sun can do Is to
print these words as soon as II hears
them, and this 1t endeayors to do. I'm
fortunately the expression Is not pos
sible OF many changes, and perhaps In
print 1t begins to wear stereotyped
look. Viva voce thanks get all sorts OF
help toward variety by means Of the
personality of the speakers.
Personal Thanks for Donors.
There may be cases where the donors
have the advantage Of first hearing the
soldiers speak their thanks. Time and
again these men call UP the fund by
telephone to ask for the address Of Il
certain donor whose name he has treas
ured In his memory and for the purpose
of calling on him to voice his gratitude.
THE Sun Tobacco Fund gives these adj
dresses promptly and trusts that moth
ing prevented the men from abroad in
carrying out their pleasant intentions
Often the soldiers feel 1t incumbent on
themselves to offer an explanation of their
failure to write an acknowledgment from
Europe of smokes received. A great
many causes have prevented this and
these have been thought of on this side
and the soldiers absolved from the crime
of neglect. In the main they were most
circumspect in using the cards sent with
the tobacco by THE SUN and II would
not be easy to calculate how many cards
have been received from them by the
fund and sent forward to the donors of
tobacco. The number must run into the
millions.
In fact from what the soldiers wrote
and from what they say when they get
a chance to tell their feelings orally they
have been perfectly cognizant OF the
good the fund did them and of how the
fund was able to do it and all other
particulars of its working. 1t is not
likely that any movement so big and so
far reaching was ever carried out so
thoroughly.
Meanwhile. since It is not in human
power to bring donor and recipient to-
gether in every instance Indeed it's
possible to do this in very few in
stances]. the smoke fund pursues its
cards of the soldiers written to thank
the donors as it is able to. And 1t begs
70 remind these donors that 1t is able
10 print only about one out of every
hundred cards that arrive destined for
them.
Listen TO this cheerful soldier: gust
rolled the making from a sack sent
by THE sun. / used a full bag hiking
to-day over the hill about twenty miles
with f,tn narl, Nv shndAu'
flags, so his come to me. But buddy
gets some good out of the smokes too
Many thanks and believe Inc l think
you're top hole"
Eddie Sheehan of the Seventy-eightf
Division wrote this cheerful card from
Semur, Cote dor. France, to donor A
G. Heller. There's nothing perfunctory
or stereotyped about it, Ell?
1--WE Are i'm Fine shape"
on March s the members of Troop NJ
Sixth United States Cavalry, Joined in
a card OF thanks to the Hamilton Club
OF Brooklyn, which has been an ardent
fund donor. These boys say Thanks fol-
the tobacco which you have so generous.
ly paid for and which was distributed
20 us from THE SUN Tobacco Fund. We
are in fen shape, all in good health
but all anxious to get back home AND
TO Work. But we are not kicking any
and we find plenty to fill up our time
games, you know. sc. And then We
smoke tobacco when THE SUN sends VI
some to smoke. Thank THE sun for thi:
troop"
Sergeant w. w. Walker wrote to func
donor Jerome Danzig on March 90: 1--WE
are happy bunch tonight because TIL
Bun has remembered us again. Now W.
oan take with a little more philosoph,
what We have TO stand in this waiting
game. 1t was pretty tiresome just exer
cIsing. playing ball and hiking. but a.
long as we have some smokes to lool
forward to we can do these stunts. Thu
% boys feel deeply friendly to the good ole
Sun for not quitting on them the wa!
Willie Hohen-Z did his army. 1t ha
stood right up and furnished the goot
stuff whether we We're fighting or not
and take It from me. pal. we need thu
smokes more when we Amt whackint
at the Boche than when we were
Thanks and wish you all good luck"
On March 22 from Caussigny. France
the First Platoon. Company c. 1880 Ma
chine Gun Battalion. Thirty-sixth Divi
sion, wrote to THE SUN as follows: "Ar
expression of our appreciation for car
H. I1R -