“DAD” AND THE "BOYS”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10276, 10 May 1919, Page 10

“DAD” AND THE "BOYS”

WORK AMONG OVERSEAS SOLDiERS IN LONDON

(By Oharles T. King, Chairman of the Parliamentary Lobby, Member of Conncil of the Newspaper Press fund, Chairman of the Parliamentary Branch National Union of Journalists.) Bo not send any money to the Oversea Hospitality Fund. This is a fund which does not want funds. “Good wine,” say its friends; and cheerfully supply all needs. It has been working hard through the war, getting hold of soldiers from all over the Empire, who in many cases would hare been drearily lonely in London without its kindly help and comradeship. It has given nearly 70,000 men a good time and the fnendshp of the Motherland; and expects to continue the good work for some months ahead. The modest founder insists that I withold his name. The hoys who follow his cheery lead in battalions know his affectionately as “Dad.” On one of the uncounted days when he has taken a party of these overseas soldiers to Windsor Castle a Princess very near to the Crown was as usual pouring out tea from a big teapot. The word had gone round that a real Princess” was among. those who served at the tables. Said a huge Australian. looking up at the amiable lady filling Ms cup— . _ _ . “I say, Miss, where is the Princess we are going to see?” “I am the Princess, she smiled. The big Australian grinned, tipped her a knowing wink, an(^,,? al on!-Whoso leg are you pulling? The Princess laughed so much that she spilled the hot tea on his toes. Then she autographed his invitation card, ns she had done for many hundreds of others. , , , ~ , The next man who asked her which was the Princess got the laughing reply, “You don’t catch mo again. I know what you're after. \ou want to ask if 1 am pulling your leg! • Since almost the beginning of the war this warm-hearted lady, along with other members o! the Royal Family, has quietly 'given a very appreciable portion of her time .to the work of tnakir r the overseas soldiers at hope in the Motherland. When the King and Queen are in residence they always receive the parties in nerson, and Princess Mary and her brother help at table along with the rest. Once when a big party was being received “Dad,” bringing up the rear, was asked his name by an official. ••Oh,” he said, “only the sheep-dog looking after his flock.” When tins was reported to the Queen she laughed, and Their Majesties plied him with many questions and showed warm interest in the work of the fund. One of the most distinguished of our generals, a famous Wimpole-street surgeon, the judges of the High Court, and many other noted folk have--given regular entertainments to £he men taken to them by the fund. On one occasion, the overseas lads heard that a certain rich family in* the W 7 est End had gone without sugar and butter all the week in order to-have enough for the overseas guests on the appointed dav. "Thbv put their heads together, got bold of all the sugar and butter they could, and took it to the house in such abundance that the family began to fear a prosecution for hoarding. One of the guides took a batch of men into Mr Justice Darling’s Court one day when that rippling judge was hearing a breach of promise case. Mr Justice Darling immediately laid himself out to entertain the oversea fighters, and when the time came for them to go on to_ tho other sights in the programme, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, they one and all refused to leave the court, tho sole occasion on which the rueful guide failed to keep his party to the end. The London Fire Brigade have got up many special displays for these oversea guests, and aerodromes have given them flights in aeroplanes. Managers of theatres have bestowed innumerable seats, soqietimes a whole section of the house, while the guests of the fund have sampled any number of private views of new films before the public have seen the pictures. The little band of guides—cultured people for the most part, and all unpaid—take the men to all tho regular show places, such as the. Houses of Parliament, the Abbey, the Tower, St. Paul’s, up the river, everywhere. One of them is a great-grandfather, who goes out daily, wet or fine, with a keenly interested “bunch” of khaki lads. Another, a fine little Scotch lassie, who earned a meagre living in the-evenings and gave all her'days to similar work, is just off with a young postmaster from the veldt, whom she married a few weeks since/ “All very well,” grumbled the chief; “she is about the third • we’re losing in the same way. The rogues seem ( to think one’s running a matrimonial agency. It isn’t plaving the game.” “Dad,” the chief spirit of the organisation —which, by the way, has a distinguished peer for its trea_surer—-is a ruddy greybeard with a genial twinkle, an energy almost demoniac, and the greatest fear of personal advertisement. He and his' helpers alike, do it all without limelight, foe or reward. To make him angry, talk about tho good he does, about keeping tho_ men off the streets and out of mischief. “All mawkish fudge!” he ■ declares. "Are they children? Do you take your friend to dinner or the theatre to keep him from making a fool of himself? Ninety-nine in a hundred are decent, self-respecting fellows, glad enough to see the town in a decent manner, responsive to the smallest service in a wav that almost shames one ” The whole of this modest-spirited enterprise is baaed on tho fundamental truth that those brave follows are our guests while over here, to bo treated as guests without any question of paving for their entertainment whether there is monev in their pockets or not. “Dad,” himself unseen, is a great puller of strings. He has a surprising way of “getting there” when anything good is to be had for the boys. The most inaccessible doors own easily to his knock. Hence the flying stunts, fire brigade displays, private views of films, countless free seats at theatres, feast and song at aristocratic houses. vi«its to Urge factories, and many other privileges for the guests who. without compulsion, came thousands of miles to helr> win the war. Pome davs there are ei-ht or ten different parties out on various tn’ns. “Dad” seldom gives a treat to fewer than a thousand men in any week. Last month’s record was over seven thousand. A few weeks since, a big organisation connected with the Dominion, for whoso sons it is doing" magnificent work, said to him, “Hore is a thousand pounds, spend it on the hove in your own wav. just ns vou think host. When that’s done, there's more!” A first-class certificate, of which "Dad” is justly proud.

He is perhaps prouder still of the Jat refusal of a little ’bus conductress who often carried his parties to let him pay the penny faro of a solitary ride. ... , , “Hero’s the ticket, if you must have it,” she said, “and here’s the penny into the bag, but dont you think I’m going to take your money!” That is the spirit “Dad” encounters on every hand; and ho finds it very good.