The Coconino sun., 1918-12-20
PULL BOYS THROUGH
 MOST TRYING PERIOD
HOME FOLKS MUST HELP.

HOME FOLKS MUST HELP.
 WASHINGTQN-(Special - T h ( war department commission on train ing camp activities has hit upon an important and entirely new idea in the "Letters-from-hom plan just an nounced.
 Pull the boys through the most try ing period of their service by writing the right kind of letters, letters full of the home feeling, the mother feel ing. This appeal is made to mothers, fathers, sisters and sweethearts by the war department. It is hoped that millions. of inspiring letters will be written the week of December 15, de- signated as "Letters-from-hom week. Pulpit and press are cooperating to make great success of the plan.
 Suggestion for Mothers Letter. Son of Mine:
 They're sending you home to me at last. Through all these months of waiting and longing I've been wear ing a star for you, holding my head high and thinking wonderful thoughts about you. I've watched you through ocean mists and dreamed anxious dreams. Yes, and cried little, too, but not when people could see.
 And now you're coming home. Oh, it seems to good to be true. I've just read your letters again. They say so much more than you ever thought when you were writing them. Just happenings-that's all most of the things you wrote about were to you But to me they said you were facing the biggest thing in life, facing it bravely, as I should want my son to face it. You were offering your body and your soul for thing bigger than you or me or America.
 When l wrote to you I tried to write, cheerful, encouraging letters because I did not want you to go into battle feeling that I was holding you back from the big sacrifice. It's onty now, when the fighting is over, that can let down little and be just youi mother, just the woman who love; you better than anything else in tho world and is so glad to know you're coming back to her that she doesnt care who sees her cry.
 Perhaps for some of the boys wht have stood with you, so finely through these trials the fighting is not yet al over. The fighting mean is that be tween a man and himself, and fol many of them this will be the hardes battle of all. During the long day and evenings of waiting before the! can start for home thoughts will creel 1 into their minds which will be har' to resist. There will be times after al these months of action when the long ing for change and for companion ship of women may lead them into as sociations which will spoil their home coming and cause them shame and hu initiation, and even perhap mak them unfit to receive the love tha awaits them here.
 You, dearest boy, are just as huma as your comrades, and feelings lik these may come to you too. I don ask you to crush them. They are nat ural and they only prove that war ha failed to dry up the we'll spring o your emotions. I ask you only to rec ognize them when they come and control them with the fine strengt you have gained while fighting for tn ideals and principles of America. Jus remember that many joyous years c life are ahead of you and that the ris of spelling them and the love that wi fill them is too tremendous to ruin flo a short hour of seeming pleasure.
 Many of the boys who will com home with you have no mothers t write to them. Some of them ma think that no one cares what they dt But somebody does care. Americ cares. And the girls they will marr some day care. And, oh, the differ ence it will make in their lives if the will just remeber that there is alway somebody, always!
 Help them to remember. Help ther to come home clean and fine. Don let them spoil everything now. The have been so splendid. If you thin this letter will help them give it t them. If they have no mothers le me be their mother until they hay come back and taken the high place that await them here. Tell them t write to me. How I should treasur their letters!
 And, of course, you will write t me. Just say that you understand that you know why have write this letter. Then I can wait month yes, even years-knowing that yo . will come home to me as fine an clean and you were when l sent yo away to camp so long ago: