Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-08
American Soldiers Not Discour-
aged by High Cost of Living
Stranger Than Anything Else, They Are
bringing German Brides Home
with Them-Matrimony Mat
ter Of PrOpinquity
(BY Frederic ]. Haskin)

war, in developing their valor, has left
them less discreet or it may have made
the European women more determined
At any rate, judging by the way war
brides continue to arrive in New York,
the whole American army OF occupation
will be married by the time it gets home.
Not only are they getting married. but
they are marrying German girls. The
last few cargoes Of war brides have been
almost soidly German, SO that. despite
passport restrictions the Teutonic strain
in America 10 receiving rapid reinforce
ment.
In the opinion of Mrs. Harriet NJ. Mac
Donald, director Of the Y. W. G. A.
Hostess House, which Is taking care of
the war brides during their stay in New
York, matrimony among our soldiers Is
merely matter of propinquity. They
marry the nationality which Is nearest
to them. In the beginning of the war
bride offensive for example, when our
men were scattered all over Europe
brides Of 81 different nationalites were
welcomed at Hostess House.
Besides the many French, British and
Italian girls, there were Czecho-Slovaks
Serbians, Judo-Slavs, Roumanians, Portu-
guese, Spanish. Swedish, Norwegian, Fin
nish, and Belgian girls, as well as many
Even at this early date. when the armis-
tice had scarcely been signed, German
war brides began to arrive as a result Of
the American occupation of Luxembourg
and Alsace- Lorraine.
At this time there was a law forbdding
American soldiers to marry German girls
One so doing was liable to court martial
unless he obtained the written consent
Of his commanding officer. Presumably
this law is still in effect, but If so, the
life Of a commanding officer in the Amer
lean army of occupation must be one
long consent.
At first the Y. w. c. A. hostesses. antic-
'ipated certain amount of friction be-
tween the war brides of enemy nations.
but much to their relief they have been
agreeably disappointed. French girls and
German girls, having endured the vcs-
STUDIES of n lonely tedious voyage to-
gether, arrive arm in arm, the best of
friends while .Iugo-Slavs fraternize SYM
pathettcally with Italians.
Only once. n French girl asked the room
clerk at Hostess House please not to put
her in a room with BoChe. Remember
ing this request, the clerk was about to
separate a pretty little German girl from
her two French companions. a few hours
later, when the French damses insisted
that she be permitted to remain with
them.
she is all alone" one Of them explain
ed land so what you cal--dumb. She
know nothing of the world. and her hus-
, band not arrive for five days yet"
Most of the girls are of the European
peasant type, which formerly constituted
the bulk of our feminine immigration.
, Those who do not come from the fields
liners, domestics, and Office workers
Z Often, if their husbands pay is held up,
the brides seek jobs in New York until
the family exchequer is once more stabil-
t lied. and the couple has enough money
to reach the mans home town.
Much more frequently, however the
t brides first act as an American citizen
{ on American soil is to reduce rather than
add to her husbands income. On the
morning after her arrival she appears
with her hair freshly curled an eager
, look in her eyes, and a request for ar
interpreter She wants. she tells the
lady at the desk, to ask an important
question. The interpreter summoned may
be French or Italian Russian lin
guist, or Roumanian or Jugo-Slav, bu,
the question is always the same. Where
r the war bride desires to know, do you
buy silk stockings.
'ase"Se - aiso III great oe'
'n"nu ny 'he war orloes' Iheir own bag
3"se' oious"t iror Europe, IL most curl
Jus anu i,'aueluate' consisting OF odo
boxes and baskets and even shawls
, These may be all right for New York. bu,
~ "o mus nave soihethihs more
',oH. on" 'ess conspicuous ~ carry mel
: oe'pns' mss 10 ner huspaho nome
Most of the brides stop for only few
Guys, or at most couple or weeks. al
,ne ,'os'ess mouse, on their way to the
VS., 'ne M,ooie west ana me south
very ie" Vi 'nem rennainlns IN New fori
Vi ene v'c''''ty' Lheir husbands arr
"o'y "oi Aeis siiaii TRADES
{ ", an" pe''S CLERKS Oh tne same typ'
% '"e't nii"es, anu since JOBS are SUI
u'eei'"iii'ies Oh the future, the men nave
no resource put 10 take the girls to thu
o' " ''eir pareh's-'h-!a"' inc oesir'
e u '"e ,iuo " MAKE p'eas'hs irhpres
S so' vi nei husoaIio parents ID, tnere
'eiy slea' nc uesire Oh the nus
o"nu Is no less So l. w. u A hostess
rs oiteii confronted by desperate dough
r "o'' WIZ iiipores hel 10 use her influence
Q ~ nan 'a''e UT iVoh"e iooA more
= NJ eai'
= 'a Usually means 'ne iens'"enihs o.
r 49, an" INC u's.a' "ihs y
Q p'aoN .e'' which trans 10 TN
u VI .nen anu Vohhe aoes not al
} 80 apP'oNe Vi this part oi 'he Aiieri
.I,".' -
n .'' t"en'o's mere, oeciareu one re
l. | 'oi'o wv o'"ei u"1' '"es 'e'