Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-23
Y. w. c. A. WAR WORKER
Maine Chairman of War Board Speaks
at Goodwin Home Tuesday Afternoon
on Work Done Here and Abroad

The Hostess House. a most important
factor in army camp life. was explained
by Mrs. John +. Thompson of Portland,
Maine chairman Of the National War
Eoard Of the Young WomenS Christian
Association, at the home of Mr.. and Mrs.
Richard Goodwin. Chandler street Tues
day afternoon before q representative
number of Augusta men and women. Mrs.
Thompson also explained the work OF the
association in housing the women who are
called to military centers the emergency
munition centers and the overseas work.
Augusta is asked to raise 1920 Of the So
900 which Mrs Thompson has pledged
Maine will give towards the u w c. A.
fund. Mayor Willis Swift, speaking in
behalf of the Augusta War Fund com
rl.ttee, whose chairman was not present
assured Mrs. Thompson that Augusta
would do her share.
In comprehensive manner Mrs
Thompson explained the work which was
asked OF them. the work that had been
done and the work that will be done. Al
the beginning of the war it was carly
realized that some form of recreation was
needed for the soldier outside of the army
camp. The Y. w. c. A. was appointed
as the women representatives of the COM
mlttee to work under the command of the
government. The Woman's War Work
Council, composed of 100 women from all
parts of the country, was formed. While
the committee was In session in New
York, which was on a Wednesday, a tel
egram from the general in command Of
the New York camp came urging the wo-
men to open there Hostess House, ask
ing them to have the same ready by 4
week from the following Monday. The
telegram was received at o'clock and a +
clock the answer went back to the
New York general that already an archf-
tect of the association was on her wav
and at the time set the Hostess House
was ready even to, as some Of the won
dering men expressed it, "the curtains
which were up and hemmed" Then the
work was increased, for 12 or IA senerafs
sent word urging the presence of the Y
W. g. a. workers at their camps A $40
600 check was appropriated for the ptr-
pose of establishing this frs. Hostess
House.
Another task which the Y W. c. A. ha,
taken up is the housing of women who
are called to army camp centers, their
work being that Of telephone operator.
working in laundres and other wor,-
Then there is the emergency munitio,
center work. Girls are called to num-
t"n centers for the work ana they have
no places to stay. The first call Whirn
the association received in this sort or
work was from Junction CITY There tbev
found the girls sleeping in hacks and ev-
cry kind of place. An emergency buld-
ing was put into operation which housed
them temporarily. This is sometime
winch sooner or later will he attended to
ny the government, but in the meantim.
the need arises. Mrs. Dupont asked her
husband to build homes for the pr,s ~
the time of the work and tbis ba bo.,
done, but there is much to he done in This
me OIL work Plans We're studied in Eng
lana and MI Butterick laid before the
committee the plan from which thew
have derived much benefit
The Hostess Houses in the South ara
delayed because Just at present q union
man will not join non-union stove to a
union pipe. Mrs. Thomson said n is
koped that soon union stoves will no g.
cured SO that the work can be carried
on Another problem which confronts
the workers in the South was the request
for Hostess Houses for colored women
and this IS being done. In reference 20
the statement which was recently MADE
by an English officer upon visiting cam,
Devens about there being too many wo-
men there. Mrs. Thompson said that such
was not the case with their work, as the
government had urged them to take up
and carry on the work The idea was to
centralize the work.
Mrs. Thompson told about Rishon law
renee seeing in Hostess House a young
soldier and lady whom he later learned
was the soldiers wife, they being just
married The soldier said that they had