Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1919-07-29
W, O.. c. S. HOST TO
TWO MILLION SAILORS


have been enjoying the hospitality
and friendship offered in the clubs
of the War Camp Community Ser
vice on the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf
and Great Lakes coasts.
The insignia of the w. C. c. S.
the red circle of hospitality sur
rounding the conventional symbol Of
the fortified camp-is familiar now
to everyone who has visited any Of
the camp cities, but few outside the
organization realize the marvellous
extent to which community hospital
ity has been developed, not only in
the continental United States but in
Hawaii and Porto Rico as we'll.
Take the provision made for the
Navy men alone. A summary recent
ly compiled at national headquarters
shows some astonishing figures.
There are 154 clubs in the Unit
es States for the men in blue. There
are LOG canteens, and 96 dormi-
tories with S,S23 beds for the ''gobs'
whose enjoyment of shore leave Is
greatly heightened by chance TO
enjoy different surroundings for a
night.
The cost of construction and
equlpping these centres Of hospital
ity amounted to SS5S, ,549.0S, every
cent OF 1t the gift of the American
people, who wished to provide a
touch of home welcome for theiI
sons called away to the colors and
for their neighbors sons.
The annual payroll cost for club
employes was kept down to the low
figure of $505, ,554.S6, which was
possible only because of the whole
hearted cooperation of volunteer
workers, who cooked, swept, clean
ed, entertained-did everything that
could help comfortt or entertain the
uniformed guests. The annual main
tenance cost, less the income from
meals served at nominal figure, beds
Supplied at cost. and the like, was
s25O,637.12.
But eIen these figures do no;
give the full measure of the work,
They refer only to clubs and can
teens which are the property exelu-
sively of War Camp Community Ser.
vice. In most of the cities and towns
near naval stations, local organiza'
tions, such as clubs, lodges, fratern'
al and religious bodies, chambers oI
commerce and churches have affili
ated their facilities with those O.
the w. c. C. s., so that the tota
humber of clubs and canteens oper
ated by the War Camp Community
Service rises to the impressive fig
ure of 52S, of which 81 are for col
ored Sailors. There are 276 whicl
operate canteens and 224 which have
dormitories, totaling 1866 beds.
Radiating from these club centres
w. C. G. S. operates a recreationa
program in each community in which
all other existing organizations CO
operate. Trained community organ
izers have provided home dinners
dances, socials, smokers, picnics
dramatics, automobile rides, week
end parties, receptions, lawn parties
beach parties and concerts. 1t has
arranged outdoor sports. pageants
festivals, parades, athletic meets
baseball and football games, carni
walls, block parties, union church SER
vices. tennis tournaments and noun
tain climbing expeditionh Enter
tainers have been provided for base
hospitals.
Ccysiatent and successful effort
has been made to provide eating and
sleeping accommodations for rela-
tives of sailors and marines and to
provide employment for wives oil
men in service. Teachers of French
and other subjects have been OBJ
tanned.
Considerable success also has at
tended the w. c. c. S. thru Its
square deal for men in uniform
movement, in stopping oyercharges
and eXtortion.