The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-10-26

their efforts for the common welfare of
our lighting forces.
The combination of the Young Mems
Christian Association. the Young Wom-
| ems Christian Association. the National
Catholic War Council, including the
knights of Columbus, the War Camp
Community Service, Jewish Welfare
Board and Salvation Army in a common
appeal for funds with which to carry
on the war work of these organizations
was effected at the direct suggestion of
President Wilson in a letter which he
wrote on September to Raymond B.
Fosdick. chairman of the War and Navy
Department Commissions on Training
Camp Activities. under which these
seven Organizations are co-ordinated for
welfare work to aid in sustaining the
morale of our gen on this side and
overseas.
In other wars the influence OF the
American home has had to stop at the
soldiers own front gate. All that made
| life comfortable and happy for him de-
serted him there when he kissed his
family goodbye In this war the home
follows the flag clear UP to the front
line trenches. That tells the story of
these seven great cooperating war work
agencies
These organizations have Joined hands
to form a great chain of helpfulness for
/ the solder from his own front door TO
far-away france. When he steps aboard
the troop train that is to carry him to
the cantonment, the prospect of a long.
lonesome ride full of homesicS thoughts
/ is dispelled by the rousing music of
1 band furnished by the Jewish welfare
League or the War Camp Community
Service to speed him on his way. On
the train are other friends whom he had
not expected-a Y. NJ. c. A. or a X. of c.
secretary-a big friendly fellow who has
been with lots of boys like him and
knows how to chase away the blue
COLLINS.
At the cantonment the evidence that
the folks back home are thinking OF him
lies thick on every side. Here are the
$50 great honey huts of the K of C.
The Jewish Welfare Board. the Saliva
ton Army and the Y. places where he
can write letters. play games at night
see moving picture shows. hear helpful
lectures, attend church services and
keep up with his studies under the best
teachers In the country. Here also are
the IS Hostess Houses of the Y. NJ.
c. A, where his mother, sister and
sweetheart may make their headquarters
when they come visiting.
In all these buildings are branch H.
braries provided by the American Lii
brary Association. In 43 of the large
camps and several hundred smaller ones
are library iings besides. with train
ed librarians and comfortable reading
rooms.
4 The soldier finds that all the agencies
that made life worth while in peace are
represented under the friendly roof of
the hut-the church. the school. the
gymnasium. the club. the theatre. the
lecture hall and the motion picture the
atre
If the camp IS near large city, the
soldier will naturally want to spend
some furlough hours in town. The his
tory of other wars has shown that a
soldiers leisure can be almost as dan
gerous to him as the enemy. The people
Of America determined very early that
this should not be true OF this war.
Under the direction OF the Commission
on Training Camp Activities. the cities
near the camps were compelled to put
their houses in order and make their
streets fit for the reception Of America 5
best young men.
The War Camp Community Service
undertook the responsibility of playing
host to the soldier in the city. When a
boy lands in a strange town with a day
or two of leisure on his hands, he is
wondering where he will eat where he
can find decent. inexpensive place TO
sleep and what he shall see. At the
depot he finds awaiting him an informa-
ton booth conducted by the War Camp
Community Service A smiling woman
gives him a list of the clubs affiliated
with the w. c. c. S.-there are 4Os such
clubs. She tells him of certain churches
end Y. NJ. c. As X Of c. and Jewish
Welfare buildings where he will be well
come and gives him the address of =