The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-22
Ladies Auxiliary V. of F. w.

| III yVu We read JOnn LOS RdSso
! Three Soldiers" or if you had
a boy in the late World war,
then woG can understand exactly the
motive that the sweet women of Blr
mingham have in their hearts who
have organized the Ladies' Auxiliary
of Veterans of Foreign Wars.
When Mrs. Bessie l. Phillips. tho
president of the organization, talked
with me yesterday about the work
these good women are doing and the
sweet mission which the ladies' aux
Hilary has in view for the disabled
ox-service men, l was SO interested
that my enthusiasm knew no bounds;
L Just wanted to go right straight
and see every single blessed one of
those soldier boys who are in hos
pitfalls here in Misunderstanding
for company, and comfort, and low
ing friend or relative to do some
thing to cheer them up-because you
can't hear Mrs. Phillips tell the story
without your heart yearning to help,
too.
Mrs. Phillips, who organized and
founded the ladies' auxiliary just
three months ago, had a son in the
war; he hadn't any business there,
because he was only IL years old.
but with his patriotism and enthu-
siasm they couldn't keep him home,
and once In the thick of the fight
when the loving. anxious mother
couldn't get word from her boy, and
the report came missing" from over
the seas, her heart nearly broke, only
to again find itself mended because
her boy was only sick, and came back
ITO her happy and well and proud of
his country-America.
Anyway. because Mrs. Phillips
loves boys so much and felt so deep
ly the hearteache of the war, she has
gathered together some 60-odd mem
bers for the ladies auxiliary, and
these sweet women are just doing tho
very incest things imaginable for the
disabled soldier boys.
We've given dances to raise
money to send fruit and flowers and
books to the men in the hospitals"
Mrs. Phillips said when she was tell
ing me about the work, and during
the semt-centennial we sold buttons
and made $3.50. Out of this we sent
fruit to the soldier men at the South
Highlands infirmary and at Robin
sons infirmary in Norwood.
I'VE had some money left and we
are providing $25 for young soldier
who is out of employment" said
Mrs. Phillips.
Those who are eligible to JnNsm-
bership in the ladies' auxiliary. And
we would so love to have everybody
join, are the mothers, wives, daugh-
tiers and sisters over 16 years of age
OF the men who served overseas. We
need them all, their influence and
their help.
II just wish you might have been
at the dance we had at the Hillman
hotel recently" said Mrs. Phillips,
for the benefit of the soldier boys.
| 1t was given on Armistice night and
| the ballroom was crowded with ex-
service men of the navy. army and
marine corps in uniform, almost the
entire Mortimer IL. Jordan chapter
| Of the Rainbow division was there
with charming ladies. The insignia
of the American Legion and Veter-
ans of Foreign Wars was seen
everywhere you turned upon civilian
clothes. Also there were numerous
victory medals with many bars. each
| bar representing a new victory won
by the men who wore them. just
think what an honor was bestowed
upon our auxiliary. the honor of en-
PERTAINING American heroes! When
| the subject of a dance first came up
we hesitated because we were bury
| ing an unknown hero on that day.
However, we finally decided to pay
| tribute to our men that made the SUI
preme sacrifice during the day and
| to those who were more fortunate in
order to show them, in a small way,
| we were glad they were returned to
| u.s."
I'VE also took the disabled soldiers
| from the hospitals in the parade and
you have no idea how many good
people there are in Birmingham who
will lend their cars for this cause,
and they delight in driving them
selves for you enjoy the time spent
with these 'buddies' immensely" she
| continued. "One of them by the name
| of Mr. Eugene H. Freeman of Monte
| vallo, Ala, was with Company ID,
18TH infantry, and wears, besides his
victory medal, with many bars, an
American distinguished service cross
and French croix-de- guerre. He
and five other Americans acciden-
tally ran into II Germans, and use
| less to say there was something
| doing. They killed nine of the Ger
mans, wounding and capturing the
other two. He was not wounded in
this skirmish, but was later on at
Chateau Thierry, sent to hospital No.
| 1, Vichy. France, where he remained
nine months. and sailed to America
December 20, 1918. On July 4. last,
while taking vocational training at
Auburn, he became very nervous over
| tho firing of salute and has spent
practically all OF his time since then
| in an infirmary and is now in Biz
lmingham hospital While In training
| he was receiving from the govern
ment $50 per month. since being TN
the infirmary he Is only receiving
$40. He has been wounded four
times, his body Is encased in steel
braces and he is unable to walk
1.-THE quartermaster of the Veter-
ans of Foreign Wars has Just re-
ceived a letter from one Of Its mem.
bers who Is in a hospital away from
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