The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-08-10

ing. Interior decorators make the houses beau
tiful with the dignity of simple lines and har-
monious colors. Gay curtains at the windows
give brightness even in stormy weather. The
chintz cushions In the chairs are good to look
at as well as comfortable to lean against.
Half of the big room is used for a reception
hall and the other half forms the cafeteria.
There is always a rest room for tired travel
ers. A nursery with bright quilts and curtains
is waiting for the babies who come to visit their
fathers. Not unusually the house contains
sleeping rooms for the h~ostesses. One or two
spare cots are frequently provided for very ex-
c~eptional cases where 1t is impossible for women
to leave camp that night. Sometimes a bad
storm effectually holds them prisoners. Or the
mother of q sick boy waits anxiously for a crisis
in the illness.
A Hostess house is manned by five women,
the hostess director having general charge of
everything. The social hostess is chiefly re-
sponsible for the reception of visitors The
emergency hostess looks after outside cases
which come to the attention of the workers.
The cafeteria hostess is concerned with the food.
The business hostess keeps the accounts and
looks after the buying. Certain qualifications
are essential for these offices. Of course the cafe
terra director must be a trained d~ietitian. a
graduate of a recognized domestic science in
stitute and an experienced domestic economist.
The business hostess is one who is accustomed
to running q large establishment on an econoIn-
ical and efficient basis. The emergency secre-
tary is somewhat like the social worker. Elk
perience in settlement work or some other form
Of welfare work affords a good training. She
must know and utilize all the government agen-
cies, charitable institutions and philanthropic or
CARNATIONS.
The term social hostess sounds somewhat
vague, but more than shaking hands is involved
in her position. She must have had experience
In dealing with large numbers of people. Tact
which takes her to a desired goal without fric-
ton is necessary. Endless patience, a kind
heart, and a shrewd brain are fundamental.
The director Of a Hostess house must be all
the four others rolled into one. Poise is a pre-
requisite. When a tornado rolled the roof back
from the house at Camp Taylor, Louisville, and
then returned 1t to its place with a bang, the
work went right on as If nothing had happened.
Every sort of a demand is made upon the wom-
en- employed in Hostess houses. They made
1000 sandwiches for ex-President Taft at Camp
Funston. The number was not too many for
him-and his admiring audience. A worker at
Camp Cody, Tex, was taken aback for a mo-
ment when a woman inquired 'Can you tell me
where l can get a babyT' But she recovered
her breath in time to find one for adoption.
Wandering mothers, lost in company streets,
are returned to anxious sons. Homeslck soldier
boys are accompanied to movie shows. Room
ing and boarding places in the neighborhood are
found for soldiers relatives. Mothers are chap
eroned, babies fed, letters written, and informa-
ton given on every subject from the future life to
fountain pens.
The Hostess house does not shut up shop
when visiting hours are over. Not only for
guests does 1t exist, but for the soldiers them
selves. In one house 1t has been discovered that
as soon as the boys have seen their friends of on
the train they came pell-mel back to seek COM
fort and food. Then the cafeteria. which has
worked SO hard all day, hands out pie and coffee
to the disconsolate ones.
The cook at Camp Meade forgot her pass one
morning She told n soldier at fha gate Win
she was.
Are you the cook who makes that tomato
soup?' asked the sentry.
"I am" she replied.
Pass" decreed the soldier, ~saluting. ~ want
some of that soup this noon."
The cost OF building and e~quipping Hostess
houses has increased during the past year just