The daily Alaskan., 1918-03-27
(Continued, from Yesterday
= Can Find ConaenIaI Pals.

| There will be other attractions In camp for the kid brother. Suppose he is farm boy who has had few oppor- tunities to get to town or few pals when he got there, or suppose he IS that even more lonely chap, the boy who does not find his sort of pals In | the gangs around his neighbOrhood. Turn him loose in city of 10000 fel- lows his own age, with his play or | ganlZed as we'll ns work, abundant out door exercise, and good food, careful medical attendance, supervision, and | personal hygiene For the first time In l his life he feels the fascination Of team play, and has the benefit of associates that will meet his very idea of what | good pals should be. If he Is red headed freckled, and abounding In rough boyish energy, and likes vigorous, harmless deviltry, he will soon ind around him q gang of his own kind ! larger than he ever hoped to see in hls 1 life, and one that will help him develop his every aspiration, whether 1t be to lead or to follow the lead. If he Is a Quieter boy with Inventive or artistic or literary tastes he can soon find con- genial fellows of his own way of think ing. pals who probably understand what Is in him better than anybody he has ever met-better than he under stands himself.
 With all these attractions 1t might 1 be thought that the kid brother would never want to leave camp, but he will, and the director of training camp ac- l tivities knows that he will, and has provided for him intelllgently. It has | been found that soldiers in camp will % to town whenever they have an hours free time.
 When Uncle Sam, set out to select sites for his army CantOnments last spring, there was excitement In every community from ocean to ocean. Cham- | bers of commerce and citizens leagues brought pressure to bear upon their | congressman and senators In Washing | ton in the effort to secure one of these prizes. The prospect of a city of 4O,- 900 men suddenly set down within | few miles of their borders made d. rect appeal to the business lmagina- | ton! Think of the millions of pounds | of supplies to be sold to the canton ments! Think of the thousands of dol lars of soldiers money to be spent in the nearest town! The prospect was | dazzling. Every community that sought | an army cantOnment sought 1t on this basis of financial good to the town, and when the sites were announced | there was jubilation In the 16 towns | selected-joy over the prospect Of easy money. But today these 16 towns have | very different conception Of sol diers' cantonment. They know that 1t brings responsibility us well as money. They have found that their own town standards must be improved
 Millions Spent by Communities.
 More than three million dollars Is being spent ln these communities to provide convenieNces for the soldiers. And every cent of that money has been raised in the towns themselves. The soldier wants good eating places, good moving picture theaters with attractive programs, well-managed pool rooms, and places where he can rest and write and read. Some of the community work done by the little towns would put big town to shame. Gettysburg Pa, is town of only 1000 people, and 1t will have this population increased ! by 12,00O soldiers. It has fitted up two big, centrally located recreation rooms with pool tables, reading and writing materials, and music. The col lege there has turned over its athletic field to the soldiers with tennis courts, baseball diamonds, running track, gym nasium, and a hall for dances, enter tainments, and movies. There was no swimming pool for the soldiers. The citizens raised $500 and built a dam In a nearby stream. Junction City and Manhattan, Kan, are even smaller. They raised $3,000 for soldiers club in Manhattan and SS80O for another one in Junction City. The school play grounds ad college athletic field were turned over to the soldiers. Then a sanitary survey of the city was made, classes in French provided, and finally these typical small American towns did a typical American thlng-famlies invited individual soldiers to dine with them in their homes.
 Training camp experts have found that when the soldier first comes to a community the people of that con- munity can be classified in three groups; known as the sentimental, avariclous and the resentful. Many Of the sentimental are women, naturally. They flock around the youth in unl- form, persuade him that he Is hero, and thrust upon him attentions which quickly spoil him. They break down