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| Kansas City Canteen Booth at Union Station |
After the United States officially joined the war, troops
began to move toward the east coast to ready for transportation to “Over There.”
In an effort to aid the thousands of military personnel passing through the Midwest,
Major Dell Dutton (secretary of Kansas City’s local chapter of the American Red
Cross) proposed the development of a committee that would concentrate on the needs
of the soldiers and sailors. In May
1917, the Kansas City Chapter of the American Red Cross developed a Train
Detachment and Refreshment Committee, appointed Mrs. James Green the
chairperson, and designated Union Station as headquarters. With this appointment, Mrs. Green issued a
call to over 100 women in the Kansas City area, all of whom responded
immediately. These women formed the membership
of the Kansas City Red Cross Canteen. The
officials of the Union Station and Terminal Company arranged a space in the
Union Station lobby for a small canteen booth.
On September 1, 1917, the Kansas City Canteen officially opened; it was
the first of its kind in the country.
Shortly after opening, in January 1918, the
canteen was militarized. Mrs. Green divided the
canteen workers into seven units, one unit for each day of the week. Each day had a Captain, First and Second Lieutenants,
Sergeant, and six assistants. Upon
militarization, members of the canteen took the oath of service to the American
Red Cross and a standard uniform was issued.
These uniforms consisted of white dresses for the summer and navy blue
dresses, capes, and hats for the winter.
Additionally, canteen workers wore dark blue veils and large white
aprons with a red cross on the bib at the booth.
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| Kansas City Canteen Workers |
The uniform, a very recognizable feature of the Red Cross
workers, was the focus of many rules issued by the national organization. According
to the “Rules for American Red Cross,” the officials of the organization expected
workers to be neat and tidy at all times.
To prevent misrepresentation of the organization, officials developed
rules to restrict the use of uniforms.
“Service Rules for Canteen Workers” Rule 3 states, “Women not in uniform
will not be permitted to enter the canteen building.” Another bulletin stated that, “The National
regulations covering the use of the canteen uniform and insignia are of vital
importance and should a worker cease serving even for a vacation period the
insignia MUST be turned in, to be reissued on resumption of service.” Additionally,
adornment was regarded as unnecessary and, therefore, prohibited. “Information Bulletin, Canteen Workers #1”
specifically noted that “While in uniform, no jewelry may be worn, and the use
of paint, powder, lip rouge and perfume is strictly forbidden.”
Uniform regulations were not the only rules put in place by
the American Red Cross. Tardiness and
absence were just as important and punished severely if a habit was developed. Punctuality and promptness were a rare issue
at the Kansas City Canteen. If ever in
question, the dedication to the work at the canteen became apparent on
Christmas of 1918. Mrs. Patrick Connor
noted in her report an account of that day:
“A heavy snowstorm occurred a day or two before. No street cars running on account of the
strike, and no jitneys in the early morning.
The canteen workers were obliged to walk two to three miles to reach the
station by 7 a.m. to give breakfast to 56 men enroute to the point of
embarkation. And right here I want to
say that no more loyal workers have been engaged in the Canteen service than
the Wednesday Unit. Always at their post
from early morning until late at night, ready to make any sacrifice and ensure
any hardship that might imposed by any combination of circumstances.”
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| Canteen Workers serving soldiers aboard a train |
With the movement of troops increasing, the summer of 1918
promised to be a period of excellent service by the canteen workers. Canteen workers helped by performing a
multitude of tasks such as sewing
buttons, stamping and mailing postcards, writing letters and telegrams,
arranging transportation, and handing out cigars, cigarettes, candy, sandwiches,
fruit, postcards, magazines, newspapers, or pillows. The women performed these duties from 7 a.m. until
the last soldiers and sailors had been assisted. Statistics say that 767,000 men were served
at the Kansas City Canteen during and after the war.
The months following the war required greater strength and
sympathy from the canteen workers than previously necessary. They comforted gassed, shell-shocked, and
wounded soldiers that passed through Union Station, a sight unfamiliar to most
of the workers. Furthermore, the workers
consoled grief-stricken and heart-broken loved ones faced with the reality that
their soldier would never return from “Over There.” Still, the canteen workers offered their
services and provided a listening ear and open heart.
While many people outside the organization underappreciated
the canteen workers, soldiers and sailors cherished their dedication. Mrs. Blake L. Woodson describes in her “History
of American Red Cross Canteen, Union Station, Kansas City, MO,” how soldiers
revered the women of the Red Cross and appreciated not only the refreshments
the women served, but also the demeanor in which they conducted their
work. Mrs. Woodson notes that words
spoken by Lt. William T. Fitzsimons, first American officer killed in action
during World War I, served as inspiration for the local canteen: “A bowl of soup, a bun or a cup of coffee
means much, but a smile and a cheery word means more to those poor fellows than
anything else.”
Bibliography
