Evening star., 1946-08-11
Atlantic Crossing Is
Rugged Experience
Preparatory Trips to Woods and
Coney Island Urged
BIZ Doris FleeSon.

oy 0Of 10 + tCGSUU.
A few summer days at Coney Island,
a rub-elbows sojourn in the Maine woods
with miscellaneous collection OF
strangers; perhaps, If you are imagina-
tive, night in a haunted house
these are recommended preliminaries for
the hardy travellers who journey to
Europe by boat-as have Just done-in
postwar year /.
You can't say the United States Lines
don't warn you. Attached to the fiimsy
ticket, New York to Havre, which is.
yours for 1924, Including tax, is an acrs
of agate type that almost appears-and
perhaps has-designed to intimidate you.
Aware that while this legally covers
them, few will read it. They summarize
the bad news in terse letter of instruc-
ton. 1t bears down upon the point
that travel is upon a vessel not yet re-
converted from troop-carrying and is
strictly one-way, one-rate. one-class.
Our ship, the Washington, was never
luxury liner, but she was pleasant,
comfortable and self-respecting, source
OF happy memories to thousands. She
can respect herself even more today
after her years of valiant war service.
The Washington was lucky. She escaped
torpedoes-often narrowly-and avoided
the great fires which SCARED her more
elegant sister, the Manhattan, in mid
Atlantic, leaving that former flagship
relegated to troop transport service for
the remainder of her days.
But so avid has been the demand for
passage to Europe they have not taken
time to wash the battleship gray from
her face, much less rest her weary
engines, Streamline her figure and get
her some new clothes. Every passage her
hopeful crew, who mourn her haggard
state. hear "just one more turn -around"
and then of to the beauty parlor. How
much actually will be done to her then
Is question-she has aged during the
war grind and its aftermath and is good
Tor only few more seasons.
NOW she ploughs ahead with an inner
skeleton OF steel still showing how the
Army wedged 5000 troops into what had
oeen cozy accommodations for 1,o5o
Remembrance of things past springs
/ quickly at the familiar signs: "Or Linn
its for Troops Sick Bay" Officers
Mess" Better than instructions they
suffice to silence grumbling.
| Army alterations render much of the
ship still unusable for civilian traffic,
hence few more are now carried than
found the vessel roomy In peacetime.
Thus deprived of valuable space, their
galieys and other comfort-making ap-
polntments ripped out, the line is
forced to double up the customers
ruthlessly.
| The elite are those six to eight in
cabin. Twelve is the rule, 1s is
| common and 80 men in one room the
tops. All pay the same fiat rate. Bag
| gage Is restricted accordingly although
the one-bag-per-passenger for cabin
use is not enforced.
The crowding is reflected In the
lounges where too many people with
| inadequate cabin facilities find their
only place to- read, visit and write let.
tiers. On the first very hot nights fugi-
tives from the dormitories took their
bedding to deck chairs or slept on the
| lounge divans. AS the Irish mists be-
| gan to rise these nightbirds went below
| but the wet decks made the daytime
crowding worse.
| Dogs and pets are forbidden aboard
but this is one landlord who takes chill
dren. They are everywhere. An effort
has been made to keep families to-
gether and especially to give young
mothers break. Mere married couples
| are separated and dormitoryized.
GIs will be pleased to hear that
two-star general is sharing small cabin
with five others, including an Egyptian.
Diplomats are scattered hit and miss.
Mrs. F. H. La Guardia, wife of New
York's ex-Mayor and UNRRA director
general, who is joining her husband in
| Switzerland, found strangers in her
cabin. One of them happily proved to
be an old acquaintance, Mrs. Susan
Farrell, who had worked with her in
the Little Flowers office when he was
an ambitious young lawyer
The struggle to serve five-course meals
at damasked tables from . chowline
kitchen has necessitated two sittings in
| two dining rooms with consequent de-
struction of the sacred shipboard Gus
tom of leisurely stuffing oneself three
times day. Breakfast in bed is illegal
except for the seasick, who don't care
| anyway. There are no brunches but tea
is briefly served topside at pm. on q
come-and-get-it basis.
There are no laundry facilities, no
valet. Scarce deck chairs are first come.
first served. Officers say it is impos-
sible to buy more and the ships car
penter works steadily at broken pile
which the energetic children keep re-
plenished. A few lucky people were
tipped off to this situation and brought
chairs with them.
1t takes a seasoned trouper to hold
his avn amid these problems which OBJ
viously defy the careful rules of Mime.
Posts etiquette.
North American Newspaper Allianec)
public is already familiar with the ap-
pearance of the new one-dollar certi-