South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-10
Home Coming Soldiers Are Kept
Smiling as They AwaH Discharge

NEw YORK. Feb. iO.-"some
show"
yep. Broadway for mine"
Veterans of the "big show" over
there and. incidentally. veteran and
somewhat blase fir~st-nighters OF the
atrical performances given within
hearing OF the crash Of battle. a
fisherman from Maine and a Kan
sas farmer. respectively sergeant
and cOpOral in the United States
array. were talking 1t over" as a
midnight train bore them from an
evenings Amusement in New York
g. a nearby debsrkation camp.
With several score Of their com
rades. guests of the War Camp
Community service. which had pro-
vided orchestra tickets for a star
attraction OF the metropolitan dram
attic season, they had enjoyed one
Of the numerous features Of the
welcome 20 Homecoming troops
conducted by this organization.
Backed By a fund OF $500. 900. ap-
propriated for it's work in the i'm
date future In this vicinity. the War
Camp has arranged an attractive
program OF entertainment covering
the months OF debarkation and in
tended. while giving evidence OF the
country's appreciation Of its soldiers
sacrifices. 20 combat the most in
sidaous enemy Of army morale
loneliness.
Like TO BE ON Move.
During a year or more OF con-
slant change of scene-from canton
ment 20 transport, TO training camp
abroad. TO the hardening" trenches.
70 battle. to rest billets and back
into the fight again-the American
soldier. the War Camp directors say.
has developed In an extreme degree
the Where do we go from here q"
habit. Returned 20 home soil in
the process Of rehabilitation. il is
Inevitable. they declare. that he will
chafe over detention at a debarka-
ton camp. To meet this situation
the organization provides theatre
parties. automobile rides. meals and
sleeping accommodations for men
on leave in New York. while for the
Otu-LAuuth NOulntA ~ Nnt uENdA ga
ton hospitals almost daily enter
tainments are given by players from
the leading Broadway productions,
appearing on professionally equipped
stages in the wards.
The New York Camp makes it.
self felt as a cheer up" agency for
hOmeward bound troops as soon as
their transports enter the harbor.
It's activities continue until the re-
turning units start for the demobili-
zation cantonments. when other
branches OF this countrywide or
%ganization. which is 10 receive APP
proximateIy $2O.O0O.0OO of the Unit
ed War Work fund. take up the
task which leads eventually TO the
soldiers hearthsides.
SkcpticaI About Welcome.
Some Of the earlier contingents.
greeted as they came up the bay
by the citizens committee aboard a
police BOAT and by chOruses or ST.
rens and whistles, were skeptical re-
garding the material side OF their
welcome,
They gave us an official how
rye-dO'-but what does that get us?"
was the comment OF "a "dOughboy,"
and his comrades nodded assent.
Their first moment ashore was
one OF enlightenment. The pier was
placarded With announcements Of
the "Community's'' weekly vaude-
Vile show, to which Your uniform
is your pass" and at the canton
ment the men found War Camp
workers waiting for them. c~irculat-
ing Information concerning the or
g~anization's numerous stations in
New York and arranging with their