The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-06
It's Citizens Know How To
Care for Army Men.
Clean Amusements and Recre-
atiOns Are Furnished.
NO PLACE FOR UNDESIRABLES
Community House Something
New to Service Men.
Civilians Play Brothers to the
Enlisted Troopers.

Adjacent to or surrounding nearly
every school or college in this country
is a city or town that acts in a sort
of parental capacity to the student
assembly 4 city, however, that
G6opts a military camp other than to
extend it's own commercial interests
thru the money that is spent by sol
dfers wherever there are soldiers to
spend It. is something of a novelty.
A member of the regular army, be he
officer or enlisted man, who is Versed
in the ways Of towns that are located
close to a great many army camps
VIII declare there amt no such
thing" Granting that there is an
exception to all rules. he is right.
Junction City, however, is the eX-
ception to that rule. Since the funda-
ton of the first little trading post
store in the town of now 1000 resi-
dent population, was builded, June
ton, as it is Familiarity called by the
men in khaki, has been a soldiers
/ town III the full sense of the word. To
the army post at Fort Riley it has
always been a sort of parent sharing
with the encamped men their joys
I furnishing a lot of them-and their
sorrows. To the new arrivals at Camp
Funston-the most of the men are
new arrivals-the story Of the part
Junction City has already taken and
will take in the future for their well
fare, socially and otherwise. is hailed
with approval.
Business Men Awake.
To begin at the beginning: 1t was
only a few months ago that Junction
City got word that a great army train
ing camp was to be established at
Funston. Preparations We're at once
launched by the business men and cit
liens to meet the enormous demands
that such an institution would throw
upon the little towns shoulders.
1 These prepare lions, however. were not
more than to the preliminary stage
before an energetic, hustling man who
introduced himself as F. +. Barnes,
representative of the war depart
mentS commission of training camp
outside of camp, drifted on the scene.
Barnes called a meeting at the COM
mercial club.
First of aIl,' he said "here's what
the war department expects of you
business men at Junction City. 1t
wants your town to furnish the men,
when they come here from camp,
clean social environment. That's eX-
actly what a great many men didn't
get on their border camps last sum-
mer l know because l was there.
Business mel told me that they
wouldn't employ women clerks who
were not immoral, because, they said,
soldiers are attracted TO the stores by
these women.
I'VE don't want anything like that
to happen in Kansas. A soldier, if he
be good fighter. true to the flag and
/ physically. Men in some of the camps,
because of outside surroundings, were
not. one regiment we lined up, and
more than half of the men were af-
fected with social ailments"
Have Welfare Board.
The business men of Junction City
were quick to decide that they didn't
want anything like that to happen in
Kansas, either. The mayor and COM
nissioners were at the, meeting and
the next day they appointed a welfare
board with ]. V. Humphreys, lawyer,
Fl chairman. The welfare board took
steps that resulted in additional men
being added to the police force and a
A number of police women were en-
N ployed.
Women that always follow army
"A camps came. They went away again
as fast as they came for they were
II thrown in Jail as soon as they began
walking the streets.
The other day a regiment of Kansas
n men was lined up for inspection and
H not one case of social disease was
II found among the entire 1000 men.
II 3 Then came the problem of furnish
A ing amusement for the soldiers other
than offered by numerous theaters.
\ Again Barnes was on hand with a
N suggestion. He suggested that the
II business men raise $4,000 and build a
soldiers and civilians community
house.
The place was erected ana Is located
on Sixth street just opposite the city
park.
Attractions for AL
The house is probably the only one
OF it's kind in the country. Here g
soldier. enlisted man or officer, OF
civilian may go and~dO anything he
pleases. There are writing desks
baths, pianos, a dancing hall and
scores of other attractions with
ont admission charges. There isn't
don't in the entire building. One
sign reads:
IF you play a piano. hit this one.
= Another says:
IF you have any suggestions o.