THE BRITISH ARMY AND NAVY LEAVE CLUB IN PARIS. (To
THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR."]
Ste,—May I ask for a little of your valuable space to spank of the British Army and Navy Leave Club in Paris ? This chili was opened last August for the use of men of His Majesty's Forced on leave in Paris; more particularly for Canadian. Aestralians, New Zealanders. and South Africans. who by taking their leave in France ease the difficulties of cross-Channel transport, and as make it more possible for men of the British Isles to go to the, own homes. Very few of the (mere.as men have friends to wel- come them in Paris, and with the added difficulties of a foreign language, a strange coinage. unaccustomed food, and many other drawbacks to enjoyment, the need of a club became imperative. This need was so obvious that one short meeting of the members of the British colony, support.] by those officers of the Army and Navy who are stationed in Paris, was enough to bring it int+ being, and, thanks to the prompt generosity of Boron d'Brlanger, the initial difficulty of premises was overcome at once. This gentleman offered the Comntittee a wing of the Hotel Moderns. on the Place do Is Rdpoblique, and be teetered the full support and practical help of the hotel management in furthering the work. The result is that the men now have a comfortable and well- appointed club, which includes rending-room, writing-room. billiard-room, 135 bedrooms, a large entertainment hall, and a restaurant, where they can get wholesome food at moderate prices (dinner, two francs; tea, one franc; and supper, two francs). Tobacco, newspapers, views of Paris and souvenirs to send home are all to be bought within the club at reasonable prices.
The aim of the Committee is to make the club as homelike ant comfortable as possible without any interference with the men's liberty. Many forms of amusement are offered them and enter- tainments of all kinds are got up for their benefit. Tho workers in the club are all voluntary, with the exception of the kitchen staff and orderlies, and the men have not failed to slimw their appreciation of the British men and women who are trying to make their Paris leave as happy as possible. The Comment Book is witness to this in brief, pithy sentences. Ono man writes: " May God treat you as you have treated us," and another sports- man says: "It's the women that's winning the war sifter all. God bless them." But goodwill is not enough to make the wheels go round, and the club needs funds, for, although the men pay for their food, the running expenses are heavy, and now that there are almost daily entertainments—concerts, dances, and whist drives—the financial needs of the club increase every week, and what is more, they aro likely to increase, as the club is not only to be a war club, but. when peace is signed, it will have to go on during the long months of demobilization, menthe when our melt of both the Army and Navy will need well-ordered, healthy means of amusement even more than they do now, if that were possible. Future plans include more bedrooms, a larger e.t.a, rant, char-k-bane tours round Paris and the neighboerbood, and a unit of educated women guides in uniform. The Committee hope that funds will be forthcoming so as to enable them to carry out whatever is necessary for the welfare of the men.—I am, Sir, Ac.,
WALTER IL HEARN,
H.B.M.'. Consul-General and Chairman of Executive Committee. Hotel ,Moderns, 8 Lis Place de Is Itotpubligne, Paris.
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