Evening star., 1921-01-23
AID SOCIETY HAS BIG WORK.
IN HELPING UNFORTUNATES AT STATION

lily was induced to return to her home
and try to be married in the regular
way.
Travellers whose purses and tickets
are lost or stolen. lost. strayed or for
gotten babies, maids, packages and
pets. all find their way to us or We
to them.
The War Department notifies rela-
tives and friends of deceased soldiers
who are coming to Washington for the
reburial of their dead 10 Spply to tho
Travellers Aid booth for all necessary
Information. Many of these have never
before been many miles from home.
We secure rooms, notify the Red Cross
where to call for them as.d the num-
ber in the party. and also advise them
of the way to get to Arlington ceme-
terry.
''One elderly man who lived in Ia
coma, Wash. left his home town for the
first time in fifty years when he came
to Washington to witness the burial
of his only sons body in Arlington
cemetery.
THE boy. member of Company c.
34sth Artillery. was killed in action.
The father. a bewildei ed old man. ar
rived several days ahea.i OF the sched-
uIe. Those days were planned out for
him in sightseeing.
Many children are sent to our care
One day We had twenty-three undef
fourteen years of age. Frequently we
look after women en- route to their
homes from Johns Hopkins Hospital
after operations. We have a porter
take them in a wheel chair to the Red
Cross room. where they rest for sew
out and placed upon their trains.
Wires are always sent to the Travellers
Aid Society at the destination. so they
may meet and assist them. Through
our society it is possible for children
and aged men and women to travel
from coast to coast in safety"
How is all Of this splendid service
financed?" Mrs. Van Riper was asked.
"All service is free." she explained.
Travellers pay for the telephones and
kilograms when they can. The work
is supported wholly by voluntary con-
tributions. quite a bit coming back
from grateful people whom we have
assisted and some from those who
have observed our activities. Tho
work is done by local volunteers with
out remuneration for their services.
Being non-sectarian. the society claims
the interest and support of every de-
nomination and creed"
The last published monthly report
issued by Mrs. Van Riper gives the
total number Of persons aided in one
month as 2.465. and for the six months
the Travellers Aid has been in opera
ton here as 28,703.
The local society. which is one Of the
ITO branches Of the great national So
ciety in New York, has the fndorse-
ment Of the Chamber Of Commerce.
Board Of Trade, the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association and the Ro-
tary Club.
The Present officers are: Joseph d.
Kaufman, chairman: William r. GUIDE
and Mrs. w. H. Bayly. vice chairmen:
treasurer, w. Frank d. Heron, and
Mrs. Margaret Tally. secretary. These
workers. with large committee, are
endeavoring to so firmly establish this
work in Washington that the Union
station may have at least six workers
in place Of two. and that every train
may be met. The value Of this dur
ing such q period as inauguration week
is obvious to even the most disinter-
ested. At the same time the National
Travellers Aid Is striving to increase
its ITO cities now supplied with work.
ers to include every city and sizable
town in tho land, SO that never again
may one be confronted with the appal-
ling assignment OF civic neglect that
was expressed in the statistics giving
$4,000 girls as having disappeared
from the streets Of the big cities in
1919, Of which 5000 were lost in New
York.