Evening star., 1944-06-21

"One day at lunch I met Douglas
P. Falconer, executive director of
the USS, and told him I would like
TO 60 to work for the organization.
had to talk hard to convince him
that this wasn't a whim. But the
organization gave me a chance, and
I'm proud and happy that, so far,
I've been able to make good.
Only Contributes Services.
Executives at USS emphasize that
Mrs. Cromwell Is giving only her
services to their cause. The or
ganization cannot accept individual
contributions, being financed through
the National War Fund. Her phil
snthropies are handled privately,
through an investigator. and are
anonymous If possible.
Coworkers at USS headquarters
are enthusiastic in their praise of
Mrs. Cromwell-she's Doris" to all
OF them now.
"She has a way of making the
men feel instantly at ease" said
Mrs. Florence Keene, cotrainee.
Plump, middle-aged and smiling,
Mrs. Keene exhibited gold st.
Christopher's Medal which Doris
had given her with the inscription
From Lahana" - Hawaiian for
Good Friend" she explained.
Many OF her coworkers at USS
were not aware of Mrs. Cromwell's
identity for the first week or So;
after that it was too late for awe.
The period of training has been
intensive. Doris has been initiated
successfully to general Office train
ing, personal service and the rest
centers, where seamen convalescing
from wounds or from convoy ia
tigue" are sent for rest. relaxation,
therapy, good food and fun. She
spent 10 days at the USS Rest
Center at Oyster Bay, Long Island
on the Kermit Roosevelt estate,
where she fished, swan, sailed and
played cards with the recuperating
seamen.
Learns to Play Cards.
"The boys taught me to plaN
every known card game" she says
That's pretty good for a girl who
never played cards in her life be-
fore. I can now play poker, pi-
nochle, casino-everything except
bridge. And I can hold my own,
too."
After a period of training in New
Orleans Doris hopes to be assigned
abroad, preferably somewhere in the
European theater.
Il don't care where they send me,
just so there's a job to do" she
said. II would like to be sent to
France, because it is almost like
a second home to me and 1 think
I could be Of service there. You
have to be ready for anything in
this work. It's constant chal-
lenge."
When you are sent to help start
a hotel from scratch in a place
that probably has been bombed and
shattered, it's no job for a ollie
tante. The problem is to get a
building, beds, furniture. food and
supplies, wherever you can and as
quickly as possible.
THE seamen do not have access
TO the services provided for military
men. Unless they have their own
quarters and services they are simply
out of luck"
Will Work Long Hours.
In New Orleans, Doris probably
will assist in MANAGEMENT of a
seamen's hotel and do duty at the
nearby rest center in Pass Christian.
Miss. The hours will be long, the
work demanding. But she Is look
ing for hard work, and says:
This may sound funny, but I
honestly believe that I'm happier
now than I've ever been in nv
life, l feel that I'm doing some
thing worth while, earning the
right to be friends with a lot of
swell, interesting people that I've
somehow missed before. I've dis
~>'SAStt SCSfHo, IlIdO ~ 1u1l 10
work"
The United Seamen's Service
started at the request of the War
Shipping Administration in Sep
tember, 1912, has, in less than two
years, established hotels and head
quarters on six continents, to pro-
vide for the basic human needs of
merchant seamen. It's workers have
been close behind the armies, set
ting up seamen's services on beach,
heads, in cities. wherever the Mer-
chant Marine goes ashore with the
goods OF war. The organization pro-
vides medical facilities, advice, rest
Icenters, food and quarters, has
lifted the merchant seaman from
the category of this wars forgotten
man" That is the service chosen
by Doris Duke Cromwell, who says:
"Seamen are SWELL"
To protect your country your
family and your job after the
war buy bonds now.