The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-02-22
Good Work Being Done Quietly in
keokuk Which Relieves Return
ing Soldiers Most Press
Ing Wants.
BIG SOLDIER RECEPTION
Is. VIII be Held Next Thursday Night
at Y. M. C. A. Auditorium Which
Has Been Prepared for
Great Time.


civil nfe," said Chairman Mckay at a
meeting OF the soldiers committee OF
the Y. M. c. A. meeting last Sunday.
1--WE must lock after them, physical
". mentally and morally, until they
get settled at least
1.-THE policy OF expansion which the
Keokuk Y. M. G. A. has adopted IN SO
far as extending free membership
privileges to every one OF the three or
four thousand soldiers in Lee, Han
Geek and Clark counties Is concerned,
will not only characterize all depart
nnents OF the Y. NJ C. A. itself, but also
includes the cooperation Of the
Knights of Columbus. The two organi-
cations have plunged heart and soul
into the work OF looking after the sol
diers," said Y. M. G. A. official to-
day.
Reception fer Soldiers.
A reception for soldiers and their
friends, both men and women has been
arranged for next Thursday night, and
il the present arrangements OF the
committee are carried out 1t Will be
mighty lively time.
The SPACIOUS auditorium at the X.
NJ. C. A. has been fitted up with five
billiard tables, also chess and checker
tables, with benches and chairs along
the walls, and altogether 1t is game
room after mans own heart. Nor
should the boys lose sight OF the ply
steal department with its shower
baths, It's big pool OF crystal-clear ar
tesian water and the gymnasium,
which is second to none in the state
The soldiers will be greeted by many
Of the men who saw them off, during
those perilous times, on that trip from
which some Of them have never re-
turned.
Transient. Soldiers.
For the past three months the tran
! silent soldiers have been taken care OF
NV the secretary OF the Y M. c. A. in
I the homes OF Keokuk people who have
been kind enough to shelter them.
One evening short time ago five
] Of these boys had to stop over In the
city on account of poor routing Dy the
/ eovernm emit employe who had the mat
! ter in charge. Only four OF these boys
would come to the Y. NJ. c. A. to ask
for a cot. the fifth was too modest to
come to the building and ask for shell
! ter.
| The secretary arranged sleeping &C
|
! homes as had been his custom. The
| Following is a part of a three page let
! fer which was received from the boy S
| father. who owns ona of the largest
manufacturing plants in Dubuque:
Mrs. Clough, 11OS Exchange
street Keokuls, Iowa.
My Dear Madam
Our son, Private William A
(Bill) arrived home early yester-
! day morning, and has told us OF
the magnificent hospitality which
| YOU extended to him and one OF his
| comrades during their stop over
in Keol1uk.
II wish to express to you, the
best I can our appreciation for the
manner in which you housed and
fed him at that time. and to as
sure you that we will always re-
member it most gratefully.
Rich. But PennIless.
frHe had never received q cent
/ from the government. and on his
departure from Charlotte, S. c.
for Des Moines he was absolutely
! without funds The government
only provided them with sleeping
acnornnno violations the first night out
OF Charlotte.
"They were forced to spend the
night at Keol1uk, as you know,
with no place to sleep and no
! means of obtaining food. and 1t
was at BilPs suggestion that they
looked up the Y. NJ. G. A., hoping
ther would find dormitory there
which they might occupy on Prom
| ise of paying for 1t after they got
! home. They were accommodated
at private homes at the instance Of
tho local Y. NJ C. A. secretary.
and 1t happened to fall to your lot
! TO take care of my boy and his
companion.
''What you did for the boys I'M
der the circumstances, is greatly
more appreciated ny Mrs. Melon
aid and than anything YOU could
have done for us personally. To
say that we appreciate it, or that
we are grateful, seems perfunct-
! DRY: and seem to utterly lack the
proper means of expressing our
gratitude, but you may be sure we
shall never forget the incident.
at is t,rst occurrences of this
! sort, coming to us at times, that
renews and strengthens our faith
in our fellow men and makes for
a deeper feeling of universal broth
erhood.'
Only One of Many.
This is only one of a number of
letters which have been received by
Keokuk people who have cared for
stranded soldiers and the soldiers
committee would like to have names
of anyone who can accommodate one
or two or more of these boys when
they are left as these boys were, with
no place to sleep but the seats in
the union depot.
%ho Ia