South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-06-30
By Grace Goulder.


took 10 get the cOuntry's men ready
for the war. il made it's plans with
out thought for the women. The
consequence was that the war de-
partment was a bit surprised 10 OBJ
serve the steady stream of women
who began 10 come 10 the canton
ments as soon as the environments
became the home of their men.
So the war department asked for
help. and it asked for help from
the Young Women's Christian asso-
citation.
The hostess house was the an
swer.
Now there are 50 Of these centers
OF hospitality in army camps, either
in actual operation or in the course
of construction. No one OF them
has been undertaken until the COM
mandant of the camp requests it.
Mrs. Edward NJ Townsend OF Oyster
Bay is chairman Of the Hostess
house committee.
The architects are women. Miss
Julia Morgan OF the Pacific coast
End Miss Katharine Budd of New
York city
The general plan Of consuuc-
tiou is the same. adapted 10 local
conditions A large room, plenti-
fully provided with big chairs and
roomv divans. has a huge open fire
place i'm the center. Cay curtains
ON the windows and pretty chintzes
on the chairs. give a piece of color
that is most welcome 10 the eve af-
ter the khaki monotony of the rest
of the camp.
Half the biz room is a living
room. that is truly lived in The
other half is cafeteria, often the
only place in camp where visiting
civilians can procure meals.
Have Many Nurseries.
I'm many of the houses there is a
nursery. shut off i'm quiet corner
Of the house, where babies meet
their soldier fathers for the first
time and other babies are put TO
nap"
There are always one or two
spare cots in the house kept for the
emergency times when storm
L
or for the time when the mother
OF a sick soldier waits anxiously for
the crisis.
The hostess house Is manned by
five women: The hostess director in
general charge. the social hostess,
responsible for the reception of
visitors; the emergency hostess who
looks after the outside cases which
come TO the attention of the hostess
house; the cafeteria hostess. who is
a trained dietetian. and the business
hostess, who keeps the accounts and
does the buying
Consider COlOred Troops.
Colored hostess houses are being
esta blished at camps where there
are colored troops Such houses are
in operation at Camp Upton and
Camp Dix. Other camps to have
theirs soon.
Originally $4,000 was enough to
build and equip hostess house.
but the cost here. as in everything
else. has gone up. Lumber. wages.
furniture has increased IN price.
Transportation for material is un-
believably delayed But the houses
must be built. a house today costs
i'm the neighborhood of $4,000.
Hostess houses have only one JUS
tification-what they accomplish.
A woman came hurrying into the
hostess house at Camp Meade last
week, explaining to the director
that she had come on a surprise
visit TO her son, had only a short
time 10 stay but wasn't able 10 To-
cate him.
The director took her in the
hostess car They discovered the
sons barrack after a good deal OF
searching, with the help OF a ser
geant and were told that the son
had been discharged dishonora bly,
month before.
The sons name was John Smith.
The sergeant said he had found an
other James Smith IN the same
barrack. but this wasn't the soldier
they were hunting.
The mother was almost overcome
with disappointment After the
party returned sadly 10 the hostess
house. the sergeant 'phoned that he
was sending the other James Smith
anyway. although this James i'm
sisted il couldn't be his mother.
In "a few minutes the substitute
James" opened the door Of the
hostess house ana stood completely
dazed before the woman. Why. il
is nay mother he stammered- "a
had no idea she was in this part Of
the country"
Travelled From Camp Funston.
She sat i'm the Office Of the hostess
house. a little wrinkled woman with
shabby black plush motor bonnet
tied under her chin. Tears were IN
her ewes and her hands IN their
worn cotton gloves twitched ner-
Vously.
She had Travelled 20 Camp Funston
from a little town in Dakota 10 see
her son. a private. and found him
Quarantined for spinal meningitis.
Tic was too cold and snowy for her
TO walk the three miles 10 his bar
racks. even IL she coGld have pro
cured the necessary pass
Az artillery officer came in just
cheese. Put the margarine and
milk into d sauce pan and heat
-rl-ar mis- ~norouuh1r- NTH the 1Ofa-