New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-28

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the most indifferent-an appeal
A-I that has been answered by
VI M& thousands Of women and girls
WA throughout the United States.
MfH&Ji They are knitting the whole
available wool supply into soldier
comforts. besieging the Red Cross for chance
ID do nursing and relief work. volunteering Tor
arduous occupations that men may be released
FOR military duty, watching the ways OF the
household that the food supply may be MADE 10
90 around Now opens a new field, one OF great
CONFERENCE.-The question Of the duty OF women
toward women whose condition has been al
fected by the war.
To meet this demand the Young Womens
Cbr;stian Association has formed league that
covers several very important activities FIRST
comes the War Work Council, organized on
Iune 6. with board Of one hundred women
Tbon came the Junior War Work Council out
% which has grown the Patriotic League, the
establishment Of the Hostess Houses, the in
stsnation Of methods for proper housing Of
women working in and near the camps, and the
work among the non-English-speaking women
affected by the war.
THE HOSTESS HOUSE AND WHAT IT
MEANS
The first move made by this council was the
onenjng Of the Hostess House at Plattsburg.
HAS been a success, as shown by the fact that
% &c NOW self-supporting and paying salaries.
o.hor Hostess Houses have since been estab-
1.bod ar request Of the commandments OF va
rio,s forts. Those now completed are at Platts-
burg. Allentown, Penn; Fort Worth, Tex;
Fort Riley. Kansas. and Youngstown, n. \.
waiting list for twenty-five more houses is
,rder consideration. Some Of the houses under
construction are at sites suggested by trained
workers. Eight other requests have come IN
since the making Of the first list.
But lust what is this Hostess House that has
mo. with such success? And what is done in
such house?
In the first place, it is large frame struct-
ure. built for summer and winter use, with
big welcoming fireplace where on chill days
q fire Of logs burns and crackles cheerily. The
interior is made as pleasant and inviting as can
be managed, and refreshments are always
ready for guests-tea, coffee, chocolate, MILK
sandwiches and cakes. In some instances
cafeterias have been established.
Now. start or an imaginary journey. To
some it may not be imaginary. but one that has
been experienced time and again in the last few
months. But start nevertheless, from the sta
non at home. full Of enthusiasm to see your
brother. son. sweetheart or friend in one OF
the camps.
You will find the camp, but may have DIFF
fcult time in finding the particular soldier you
have come to see. There are some thousands OF
them. You may be tired, hungry, i'll. There
is no place where you can find accommodations
to alleviate such troubles; no woman about to
speak with; nothing but men. You feel strange
and shy; your courage begins to droop but de-
termined you are to see the one you came for.
Finally you find him. But where is there
place TO sit down and chat and rest? Perhaps
it is raining You begin to feel in your heart
that the glory of a soldiers life has many
strange moments in it-many moments that
need courage 10 rise above mere petty discom-
forts in which there is no glory at all. You
feel quite depressed.
But that was before the establishment of the
Hostess House. The workers Of the Y. W.
c. A. are established at the camps to answer
the questions Of visitors who come to the
camps The minutes slip by almost unnoticed