Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-10
OVERSEAS MEN HAVE
I FIRST TOUCH OF HOME
States Welcome Buildings at New
port News Will Cheer
Returning Men.
FIRST TEN DAYS HARDEST
War Camp Community Service and
War Department Cooperating TO
Make Dcbarkation Port Happier
Place to Arrive At.

Make Dcbarkation Por, Happier
Place to Arrive At.
NEWPORT NEWS. VA. May a.-Five
hundred thousand veteran troops are
due to arrive in this historic town
from overseas in the next few months.
Most OF them will come in resimental
units. They arc the pICr< oI the hGht-
ing men from every state in the
Union. They will be uuartered in the
adjacent camps from five to ten days
before being ordered TO their home
camps This means that while they
are. in fact. back on American soil,
they are still far from home.
War camp community service has
realized the situation. and in cooper
alton with the War Department and
has taken steps TO remedy it. Begin
ming May 10. every soldier. no matter
from what section of the country he
comes, will find a personal welcome
from his own State awaiting him at
Newport News. Every State will have
representatives in the states welcome
buildings on the Casino grounds, only
stones throw from the pier where
the overseas men debark from the
transports.
In these buildings he will fnd
managers and willing STATS OF men
and women who are eager TO help
him tide over until he goes home. He
wi,l find daily newspa pers from his
own home town. letters from his rcla-
;ivcs aud friends. and every facility
which Will enable him TO set III touch
immediately with the business maChin-
cry necessary TO his return 10 civil
First Ten Dn.> Trying.
The morale officers on duty a. Camps
Morrison. Eus;is. Stuart and the de-
harhation hospitals have found that
the week OF ten daya the returning
n,e7 spend in the sanitation camps is
;he mos trying OF ne entire Journey
nave only ono thougth-home ana the
folks waiting for them.
Through the cooperation OF the
War Department and Briyadier- Gen
cral Ferguson. commanding officer at
The port, the officials OF the States
welcome headquarters Will receive
ports from France. with the dcsigna
lions of the troops on board. Days be
fore the transports nose into the James
River the folks back home through
their local newspapers. Will have been
advised that their boys have returned
This method OF announcement will
permit the soldiers relatives and
friends TO write in care Of the regional
manager of his own State AT the
buildings of the States welcome home
These letters will be handed to the
men the instants they put foot ashore
VIII Get Home Picture.
All mothers. sisters. wives and sweet
hearts who have soldiers returning
home through Newport News will be
10 send their latest photographs to the
States buildings to be given to their
boys as soon as they arrive from
France The States officials at New
graphs that can be had OF the folks
and the scenes back home.
The returning soldiers will be fully
Informed of the States welcome home
DrO1ect before and after theN
Pamphlets. explaining fully the meas
nres that tie States throughout the
through War Camp Community Ser
vice. viii! be placed Oh the transports
when they sail from France. Similar
pamphlets. also containing descrip-
tion of the activities of che other well
fare organizations. will be distributed
IN the adjacent camps and hospitals.
These pamphlets tell the returning
men:
Your own State Gree,s YOU Friends
from your part Of the country are
there TO meet You. They'll do for YOU
what your mother would. Whether you
come from Maine or California. in
the buildings OF the States welcome
home. you'll find some one and some
thing there to bring your own home
Daily newspapers are on file from
Your home town. Men and women are
there from your section of the coun-
Try TO give YOU any information YOU
hSSN' W II WANT 10 KNOW something
about that Job. They'll tell YOU
Noull want to get in touch with your
home folks. They'll help you.
The War Camp Community Service
men are on the job for you. They
come from your part of the country
n AND Teprese ht each State Tney are
YOU to feef that your own state is
proud of you and stands ready in
stantly TO pay some OF the debt it
owes you.
Like Own Friends Waiting.
Although landing in strange port,
perhaps 5000 miles a way from home
YOU are not alore or neglected. Your
own friends are waiting for you. the
same kind of folks you left back
homc-the people YOU understand and
who understand you.
RencMD.r, your own home State
taxes you in its hospitablc arms and
wants you 10 know that you are home
again. But best of all, what you
wan, the most, there will be some
one from your section OF the country
10 chat with you, tell you the news
from home, and let you know how
glad your people are that you have
returned safely"
Nine buildings house the States
were originally intended for hospitals
in France. In fact. they were on board
transports in New Orleans the day the
armistice was signed. They are spa
States will be divided into thirteen
divisions Each division will be in
direct charge or regional manager
hailing from that particular part OF
the nation he represents. He Will have
assistants. both men and women. Many
tourists travelling from other sections
OF the country have registered at the
War Camp Community Service head =
quarters in Newport News and when
troops from their section of the coun-
Try arrive they viii be on hand a,
their own state headquarters TO well
come the boys
Touches OF Home states Given.
The buildings will be decorated ,ritb
naGs, pennants and photographs from
the particular States whose hcadquar-