The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-12-01
From Funston
Headquarters. 353rd Infantry,
Camp Funston, Kansas.

November "a, 1917
The benefits to be derived from the
building of q Recreational Hall by
the All-Kansas 353rd Infantry can
not be confined to the soldier, who
will be within a ive-minute walk
from it any time, but the folks at
home, the mothers, wives and sweet
hearts of the Kansas boys, will come
in for Their equal share of the COM
forts of the building.
Owing to the fact that the 353rd
is Kansas regiment, composed of
men from every county in the state,
1t is easy of access to the whole state,
It is swamped every Sunday and holi-
day by an influx of thousands of visi-
tors. There are no means within the
regiment to provide properly for the
entertainment of them, the larger
part of whom are women.
The principal object of the Regi-
mental Fund of the All-Kansas In
reational Hall, wherein will be
found reading and rest rooms, a bas-.
ketball court, concert stage, facilities
for writing letters, an old fashioned
fireplace, and many other cOnven-
fences of untold worth to the boys
themselves and those who viii come
here to visit them. In the rest room
for ladies, there will be hooks and
corners where the friends and home
folks who come down to see the sol
diers, can see them with some plea
sure and privacy, instead of having
to stand around the barracks in the
wind and dust as they do now. There
will also be provision to eat Sunday
dinner together. The need for such
building has been impressed upon
the mind of every mother, sister or
wife who has visited the boys of the
All-Kansas regiment. The need for
quarters of this kind cannot be real
lied to the fullest extent until you
have made a trip here to see your
boy OF some friends boy.
When the RecreatiOnal Hall, with
its coy fireplace, rest and reading
rooms, a place to eat Sunday dinners,
with facilities for writing letters and
many other comforts now unknown to
the soldiers and those who love them,
is completed, then it will be that the
soldier will be happy and content
and his moral environment will be
greatly improved
While it may seem to some that
owing to the fact that the 353rd In
fantry may be ordered to foreign ser
vice within few months, there is no
question out what successive Kansas
regiments will be organized and
trained at this cantonment. The plan
is for each Kansas regiment to Oc-
cupy the quarters now provided by
the 353rd so that it is not alone for
the present the work is going on, but
for the future as we'll.
The Regimental Officers of the
353rd Infantry also want to provide
adequate means of healthful and
normal amusement for the men be-
yond that which the very limited fac
! ilities at the present time afford. In
other words, they want to give Kan
sas boys from Kansas people, a place
| for themselves where they can be
made happier boys and better SOL
diers.
This enterprise is not 4 charity, it
is not even a benevolent enterprise
| that is to be administered for dis
tant people in a distant land. 1t is a
necessity that helps your boy and
every boy drawn from Kansas to
serve his country.
The Recreational Hall, and other
uses for the betterment Of the gen
eral moral and physical welfare of
the boys of the All-Kansas Regiment
and those who will follow in training
after this regiment has gone across,
will fulfill a want, which in the short
space OF time the regiment mas Deen
here, has become a crying necessity.
The Regimental officers hoped to
have $40 subscribed for every man
in the regiment but at the present
time they find that this amount has
not been secured. The fund is $15,-
600 short of the required amount.
Now it is up to the people of Kansas,
if they are to retain their splendid
record for the equipment Of Kansas
in a proper manner, to make up this
deficiency.
When the AIl-Kansas Regiment
goes across it will be necessary to
have an adequate sum in reserve to
furnish the many necessities that are
bound to come up.
The material for the Recreational
Hall is on the ground. The actual
construction started Saturday and
will be pushed forward at a rapid
rate All of the labor is being per
formed by men of the regiment.
If you have not already done so
your are urged to send your check
for this fund to Colonel James H.
Reeves Commanding Officer 353rd
Infantry, Camp Funston, Kansas.