Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-11-09
Canteeners Working Hard
and Loyalty to Put City
Over Top for Red Cross
Herculean Labors Only Matched by War Work, Rec
ord Unsurpassed Worked Night and Day With
out compensation, and Paying Their Own Way,
Many of Them Not Being Independent

In the present Red Cross roll call
drive for the purpose of raising
100000, Omaha's quota of the $751;
100000 that the people of the United
States have been called upon to
contribute, none of the workers
have been more loyal than those OF
the canteen, say the officials. Dis
GUESSING the work of the canteeners,
Al c. Scott, chairman of the mems
committee, said:
"The 500 members of the Omaha
canteen have displayed the same
spirit of American loyalty and devo-
ton to country and flag that was SO
apparent during the war. No task
has been too great for these women
to undertake and carry through to
q successful finish"
500 in Omaha.
In Omaha and during the war
there were 500 women who entered
Upon canteen work, cooperating
with the Red Cross, of which they
were members. Their duties to a
large degree consisted of meeting
trains that were carrying the boys to
the camps and to the front, supply
ing them with dainties and making
them feel that life was worth living.
Later on and after the boys COM
menced returning from Europe,
wounded and broken in health,
these same women met the hospital
trains and during their stops in the
city succored the boys and relieved
their sufferings so far as they were
able.
Met Every Train.
The Omaha canteen companies,
organized with Mrs. Luther Kountze
as commandant; Mesdames L. J.
Healey, George B. Prinz and Jessie
Leermakers as assistants, met every
train that carried soldiers. They
maintained and operated stations at
the depots and from these they dis
tributed eatables, drinkables and
good cheer to the soldier boys, sick
and we'll
No weather was too bad, nor was
any hour too untimely for the men,
bers of the Omaha .canteen COM
panies to respond to the call. They
we're always on time and always
worked with smiles that brought a
feeling of JOY to the boys who had
been called to arms.
Paid Own Way.
OF the Omaha canteeners many
we're we'll to do women who could
afford to give their time, but a
arger proportion were women who
we're compelled to labor in order to
Exist. However, regardless of this
TACT, they freely gave their time
md without reward. Not only this.
While on duty serving soldiers with
meals they bought and paid for
heir own food, paid admission into
heaters when they had parties of
soldiers who were guests Of the
.ouses and even when they took
soldiers on automobile rides about
the city, and paid their own trans
oortation in the event charge was
,xacted by car owners.
In fact, the records of the Red
Cross fail to disclose that one penny
was ever paid to canteen worker
Tor services rendered or expenses
incurred while on duty during war
times or since.
Few people realize the work per-
formed by the members of the \
Omaha canteen during the war. The
facts, however, are disclosed by the
records kept by Mrs. Prinz, assist
ant commandant, filed with the ma
.ional rganization and approved.
Record of Work.
Omittjng the small things, the rec
ord shows that members of the
Omaha canteen, during the war,
served 1921 soldiers and sailors
easing through the city. They pro-
,ided for shower baths for 2l,22o of
he boys, served 1860 wounded and
sick and cared for 298 litter cases.
Automobile rides were provided
.or 2,240 soldiers and as additional
984 were escorted to
heaters and 1912 taken to-hotels or
:lubs.
In the way of feeding the boys,
he canteen workers served 4,460
gallons of coffee and 1873 gallons
If milk. Among the soldiers on
rains and at the stations they dis
ributed $500 dozens of doughnuts,
)l,62l dozens of sandwiches, 1858
lozens Of cookies, 2,76o dozens Of
Eggs, $50 cases of apples and 40
cases of oranges.
There was always a crying de-
nand for cigarets and of these the