The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-09-14
BY ROBERT II. MOULTON.

BY ROBERT II. MOULTON
" ! !.
V@ X&21R AR brought the men of America to
W%M 4 the camps of the country. II
&fE&Nf brought the women, too-mothers
AW# W#\ wives, sisters, aunts sweethearts
~W w \ The government had made its
W. plans for the men, but it had made
4 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 Women's Christian association for help
The Hostess house was the answer
Eighty-five of these unique establishments
are now either in operation definitely I'M
Ger construction. They are put up only at the
direct request of the camp commandments Some
Of the commanding officers were little doubtful
at first to the practcability of the scheme
Now these same officers are asking for second
and third Hostess houses in their cantonments
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 departments commits
sion on training camp activities. They are
part of the governments work. The war
work council of the Young Womens Christian
association promotes them as one phase Of the
associations work for the country in this ma
tonal emergency
Since women 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 on,oto
to q degrees below at Camp Devens Mass,
last winter. The Kansas mud ut 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 refugees for the
elderly parents. worried wives, and admring
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 In
q directory, a street guide. map. telephone
exchange. q finding bureau. and a writing room
Tor visitors. When a soldier is under orders
Sor France" his family come to bid him goodby
II 1t Is within coming distance. At one canton
nent a father, mother and three sisters
hurrying. Their particular soldier not at
the entrance where they were to meet him. Like
sensihle people they went straight to the Host
CESS MUSE. IneIe Iney iearucu tuhL CdLup
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" 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
8 that the architects In charge of the construc-
ion are women. Miss Julia Morgan Is on the
Pacific coast Miss Fay Kellogg has charge OF
he Southern field. Miss Katherine Budd builds
a the middle West.
The general plan of construction is the same,
dapted to local conditions. A large room Is
sually divided into two parts by huge CHM
icy with f1replaces on both sides. In winter
Gaping fire gives cheer and warmth. In sum
aer evergreen branches ell the big stone open