Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-08-15
BY ROBERT II. MouLToN

!
AR brought the of America to
the camps of the country 1t
brought the women, too-mothers.
w wives, sisters, aunts, sweethearts.
" \ The government had made its
10 plans for the men, but 1t had made
i them without thought of the wom-
Then the women came to WIS.,
1t 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 department began
to think of the women, and finally it asked the
Young Womens Christian association for help.
The Hostess house was the answer.
Eighty-fve of these unique establishments
now either in operation definitely
der construction. They put up only the
direct request of the camp commandments. Some
Of the commanding officers little doubtful
at first to the practicability of the scheme.
Now these same officers asking for second
and third Hostess houses In their environments.
Wherever colored troops stationed, build
ings erected for their and social well
fare work under trained colored leaders is car
ried
These centers of hospitality under the
supervision of the war departments commits
sion on training camp activities They
q part or the governments war work. The war
work council of the Young Women's Christian
association promotes them one phase of the
association's work for tho country in th;s no.
donal emergency.
Since are 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 extreme. The thermometer went down
to q degrees below zero at Camp Devens, Mass,
last winter. The Kansas mud at Camp
Funston could be put in muciage bottle and
used for glue. Camp Doniphan, Okla, some
times hides itself dust. And as for
heat In summer. visitor has been able to
decide where the thermometer goes the high-
est. The Hostess houses refugees for the
elderly parents, worried wives, and admiring
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 Is
directory, street guide. map. telephone
exchange. finding bureau and a writing room
for visitors When n soldier is under orders
Tor France his family come to bid him good-by
II 1t is within coming distance At canton
ment n father. mother and three sisters came
hurrying Their particular soldier not at
the entrance where they were to meet him. Like
sensible people they went straight to the Host
ess house There they learned that the camp
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" so often played by excited
families with their impatient soldier among
the barracks. At Balboa Park, Cal.-they cali
the hostess "the lady who finds your friends"
An interesting feature of the Hostess house
Is that the architects in charge OF the construc-
ton are women. Miss Julia Morgan Is on the
Pacific coast. Miss Fay Kellogg has charge of
the Southern field. Miss Katherine Budd builds
In the middle West.
The general plan of construction is the same.
adapted TO local conditions A large room is
usually divided into two parts by huge chim-
ney with freplaces both sides In winter
leaping fire gives cheer and warmth. In sum-
mer evergreen branches MI the big staAs open