New-York tribune., 1920-12-12

: oirl. Given choice between a
soldier or sailor and plain, every
day citizen, be he ever so splendid,
almost any woman would take the
man in uniform.
Just by way Of personal remi-
niscence, we remember the thrills
of receiving attention from a hand
some Pullman conductor when we
were four years old and making a
Journey with our motner. Our
mother was very pretty and gen
erous giver of tips, but it never oc-
Cured to our small, fat self that
even conductors may know that the
best way to find favor with mothers
is through attentions to their chill
dren. Nevertheless, the thrill would
probably have been there just the
same, because this conductor looked
very fine in his uniform.
The Material of Romance
Upon this lure Of the uniform
hang all the stories of young heir
esses who elope with chauffeurs, the
war weddings, and even the van
gushing of middle-aged women by
the attentions of young soldiers and
sailors.
However, the persons who inter-
ested themselves in looking out for
men in service during the war
learned that this tradition was, like
many others of it's kind, false in
some aspects. In the business Of
entertaining boys in uniform who
were in New York for few days
or weeks, definite plans had to be
made for their pleasure. 1t was
patriotic to be nice to gobs and
doughbcys. Society girls were kind
enough to give their presence at
dances and other parties. They
didn't have much to amuse them,
anyway, because society functions
we're not just the thing. They helped
entertain the doGghboy and the COM
mon seaman because they had little
else to interfere with such engage
ments, and they had the satisfaction
of feeling that they were at the same
time being patriotic. In those days
we might venture to say that the
private had a better time than the
officers and the pick Of the country's
officer and the pick of the country's
Arnisiice Made a Difference
When the armistice was signed
many Of these girls stopped going
70 the dances and entertainments
for service men. They had other
calls on their time and other men
TO dance with, and the problem of
finding good girl company for dough
boys and gobs once more devolved
upon the women who realized that
there was something to be done fol
the boys even in times of peace.
The plant of the British Tommy
as expressed by Mr.. Kipling, nigh
have been the cry Of our own mel
but for the people who appreciated
that there is patriotism which is no
necessarily inspired by war condi
tons:
oh, it's Tommy this, on Tomm
that, an "Tommy go oway';
BIT it's "Thank yoat, Mister Atkins,
evhen the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boy
the band begins to play,
Oh, it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins
uhen the band begins to play.
Navy Club Carries On
The Navy Club has carried on.
established itself both with the me
themselves and with their superior
in such a way that they knew tn
need for it would continue even wei
normal conditions to come agail
Many of these gobs are just youn!
sters. They come in large numbe
from the Middle Western state
from small towns. They do not fir
it easy to get acquainted with sut
girls as the Marys and Jessies tn,
knew at home and took to pictu
shows. And it is girls like the
home town girls that they want
know.
Again, the leaders in the Ma
Club realize what their boys war
And, what is more, they know he
to find just the very girls. Ne
York has many Marys and Jessi
who are just as sweet and who
some as those in the little town
Through the wartime organization
such as the War Camp Communi
Service and others, the Navy CT
gets list Of girls. Many of the
work in shops and Offices. Az
matter of fact, many Of them, X
ere away from home and have lit
opportunity TO get to know the XII