Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-09
Soldiers Invited to Dinner
In England Take Rotions AIonq
Practice Accepted
As Good Form Due
To Scarcity Of Food
BY THOMAS r. HENRY,

Star Staff Correspondent.
SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND (By
MaiD Take sugar to your sugar,
to make your sugar sweet"
This little refrain was being hum
med here the other night by Corpl.
William H. Howard, "a Sherman
Circle, Washington, who is chap
lain's assistant to Capt. Patrick
O'Grady, former Baltimore priest.
They were talking over in Father
O'Gradys hut ONCE the other night
some of the social perplexities Of
District and nearby Maryland SOL
diers, many of whom are in training
in this part Of England.
1t is good form-almost, in fact,
a requirement-to take in your
pocket your days ration OF sugar
if an English girl in the neighbor-
hood invites you to dinner. Nearly
all the soldiers with any local social
contacts do so.
Ever since American troops came
to Great Britain, the English peo-
pie have been extremely hospitable.
From the first prominent families
in neighborhoods where camps have
been established have insisted on
having groups Of enlisted men to
dinner. Before there were many
personal acquaintances invitations
were issued through regimental
commanders.
Takes Along Rations.
1t was realized that these invi-
tations were at the cost of consid-
cradle personal sacrifice. Certain
foods, other than the bare require
ments, were not to be had for any
price. The family itself might face
bare board for days afterwards.
Still, 1t was desired that the lonely,
homesick soldiers be in as intimate
touch as possible with home life.
So now it is required that when q
soldier accepts one of these ohicial
invitations he draws from the mess
sergeant the equivalent of his COM
pany rations for that evening and
takes it with him It will not be.
OF course, the exact ration. It will
be made up. 50 far as possible, of
food stuffs difficult to purchase in
the neighborhood. At first some Of
the English protested, but now it
has become good form and the
rations are accepted graciously.
This is not required when a SOL
der accepts personal invitation.
On the other hand. he is entitled to
his rations for that evening and II
he does not eat them he is entitled
to draw them or their equivalent.
If sugar happens to be abundant
at that time, it is possible, with a
complacent mess sergeant, to draw
the entire equivalent In this delicacy
Way to 4 Girls Heart.
And the American soldier has
found that it is the quickest way
not only to the English girls heart
but to the hearts of her parents
and her brothers and sisters. False
pride has been thrown out the win
dow for the duration.
Propinquity is leading to some
serious love affairs which are looked
on with none too much favor by
Father O'Grady and his fellow chap
lains. When Star reporter entered
his office the other night he was
talking earnestly to a young private
who had come to consult him on
getting married.
The only advice I could give him
was to wait until the war was over
he said. He is fine boy and she
seems to be fine girl, but what
messes such marriages may lead to-
It's odd that in almost ever case
these English girls, however hard uu
they or their families may be, re-
fuse to accept any allotment from
the pay OF their soldier husbands
although this would be quite an in
come for them. Under such circum-
stances it is hard to question their
good faith"
Surprised at Fervor.
He has been surprised, Father
O'Grady says, at the religious fervor
of the American troops, Catholic
Protestant and Jewish, with whom
he has come in contact since he
has come overseas. All services are
packed. Some Of the men have
not gone to church before in years.
Il thought at first" he says,
that it was fear, Here were men
who were likely to 60 into battle
at any time and they wanted to
be at peace with themselves. But
since then various reasons have
led me to conclude that this has
very little to do with it. I suspect
that in many cases the men have
had an opportunity and an incen-
tive for the first time in their lives
to think things over seriously and
have come to some unavoidable
conclusions
In spite OF the temptations which
| inevitably confront men released
from home responsibilities, he be-
| lieves, most of the men will return
from foreign service morally cleaner
than when they left home. In no
other war, the Baltimore priest
points out, has such attention been
paid to the spiritual welfare of
the men. There is one chaplain
OF some recognized creed for about
1000 men and each has an assist
ant-the kind OF Job held by Corpl
Howard-to attend to the multiple
49, ~. -