The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-08-10
BY ROBERT n. MouLToN.

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~VER TWKSNaT AR brought the men of America to
i the camps of the country. 1t
M&%I brought the women, too-mothers,
~ WIN wives, sisters, aunts, sweethearts.
N&W The government had made its
VA plans for the men, but 1t had made
them without thought Of the wom-
en-. Then the women came to WIS.,
it their soldier relatives. The camp
commanders looked at the stream of femininity
coming steadily toward them, and asked what was
to be done. Then the war department began
to think Of the women, and finally it asked the
Young Womens Christian association for help.
The Hostess house was the answer.
Eighty-ive of these unique establishments
are now either in operation or are definitely I'M
der construction. They are put up only at the
direct request of the camp commandants. Some
of the commanding officers were a little doubtful
at first as to the practicability of the scheme.
Now these same officers are asking for second
and third Hostess houses in their environments.
Wherever colored troops are stationed, build
ings are erected for their use and social well
fare work under trained colored leaders Is car
ried on.
These centers of hospitality are under the
supervision of the war departments commits
sion on training camp activities. They are
a part of the governments war work. The war
work council of the Young Women's Christian
association promotes them as one phase of the
associations work for the country in this ma
tonal emergency.
Since women are allowed to come to canton
ments to visit their soldier folk, places must be
provided for their recreation. Camp Lewis at
american Lake, Washington state, is seven miles
long. Camp Lee, Virginia, contains 10000 men.
Each camp covers acres Of ground laid out In
the bewildering monotony of company streets
lined with barracks.
The discomfort of the camps for visitors is
often extreme. The thermometer went down
to 81 degrees below zero at Camp Devens, Mass,
last winter. The Kansas mud at Camp
Funston could be put in a mucilage bottle and
used for glue. Camp Doniphan, Okla, some
times hides Itself in dust. And as for
heat in summer, no visitor has been able to
decide where the thermometer goes the high
est. The Hostess houses are refugees for the
elderly parents, worried wives, and admiring
friends, whose love of the soldiers draws them
to the camps.
One phase alone, of the Hostess house work
would justify their existence. Each house is
a directory, a street guide, a map, a telephone
exchange, a finding bureau, and a writing room
for visitors. When a soldier is under orders
for France" his family come to bid him good-by
If 1t is within coming distance. At one canton
ment a father, mother and three sisters came
hurrying. Their particular soldier was not at
the entrance where they were TO meet him. Like
sensible people they went straight to the Host
es house. There they learned that the camp
had three entrances.
The hostess by the aid Of telephone and mes
senger PACED each of these stations. The man
was found at one of them and brought to the
Hostess house.
This is surely a great Improvement on the
game of 'cross tag so often played by excited
families with their impatient soldier sons among
the barracks. At Balboa Park, Cal, they call
the hostess "the lady who finds your friends"
An interesting feature of the Hostess house
Is that the architects in charge of the construc-
tion are women. Miss Julia Morgan is on the
Pacific coast. Miss, Fay Kellogg has charge Of
the Southern field. Miss Katherine Budd builds
in the middle West.
The general plan of construction is the same,
adapted to local conditions. A large room is
usually divided into two parts by a huge chin
ney with h~replaces on both sides. In winter a
leaping fire gives cheer and warmth. In sum-
msr evergreen branches fill the big stone open