Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-08-09
TO KEEP THE BOYS
Peggy Potter, Re
turned "Y" Worker,
Has Direct Message
for Good of Re-
turned Service Men
and Their Relatives
and Friends

5. and Friends
IT you want to keep your boy At
home. 60 along with him" Her big.
blue eyes were Swapping as she said it
and force and energy were expressed
by her tense expression.
Inconsistent? Not at all! For
the above directly expressed IL the
message which Mrs. Florence N. Pot
ter, who the boys call Mother"
Peggy" and many other names, who
has recently returned from seven
months overseas duty in connection
with the Y. M. c. A. has for the
mothers. wives, sweethearts. faith
ers. brothers, relatives, friends, all Of
the returned service men.
And by that she means If the boys
who have been in the battle come
home and If they have ideas, If they
have inspirations that they want to
do this and do that, and practically
every time. 1t Is for the community
good that the boys went to work, try
to keep abreast Of them, encourage
them, accept their ideas, their dreams
and their Inspirations. let the old
men stand back of the young fellows,
pat the young ex-service man on the
back, give him a boost and let him
follow out his ideas.
For just as sure as the world, all
men are kiddies, and these boys will
be dulled by the disappointment of
not being appreciated and there will
be trouble. The former service man
will leave home. Home ties will be
CALLING and tiresome. He will want
to go to some other part of the
country-may be to the place where
he trained and where such inviting
life is remembered from the training
camp days. And many times against
a very few in favor, it will be the
same in that place. The spirit that
the boy Graves. that of appreciation
and encouragement, will be missing.
These boys have lived a vastly
different life than those who have
stayed at home can ever imagine.
They have been very near to death
and to the infinite. They have
sensed a bigger idea of things. They
are coming back keyed up, craving
the chance to get out and bring big
ideas into working"
But right here let's have some ex-
planning. Mrs. Potter, who has this
message in her heart, and who wants
everybody to tell everybody about it,
is in Augusta for afew weeks, maybe
longer. resting. Her husband lost
his life early in the war. Reared
amid the finest of surroundings. in a
home of wealth and refinement, this
charming little lady, when her hus-
band was taken from her, felt that it
was her turn to cary on" For
awhile she was in an offiSe in New
York. which censored South Ameri-
can mails for the government.
Then she went across with the Y.
II. c. A. as a singer. Folks to amuse
the service men were needed and
needed badly. After. some time of
service in that capacity Mrs. Potter
was taken i'll with the influenza and
she lost her singing voice. She said
that she had never danced to amount
| to anything, but after her voice went
back on her she danced. Then she
| was busy taking care of shell shocked
/ men. ~
; In Brittany. at San Malo, Mrs.
Potter in company with other Y
workers was delightfully."- located in
this work. Their headquarters was
formerly sort of a pavilion that was
used for gambling purposes. The
decorations and equipments were
lavish and were beautiful. In con-
nection with the pavilion was a
theatre which would seat $4,000 peo-
pie. The dance floor could easily ac-
conmodate 400 couples.
During her service Mrs. Potter
sang and danced before $4,000 SOL
oilers. This was made possible be-
cause at the Eagle hut in London
where she was located for some
time. thousands Of soldiers were en-
;ertained every week.
Her work in France, following her
illness, was carried along mostly on
her reserve energy, for as soon as
she reached New York she realized
that she was in a weakened condi-
ton.
Coming over on the boat she saw a
lot OF Yankee. BY the way Mra
Potter Is the daughter OF Q late rail-
road magnate Of California. She has
been abroad 20 times before going
over the last time. The Yankee She
met on the boat came from Maine
He said that she ought to take care oil
herself. Mother. who is going to
take care Of YOU. after you have taken
care Of so many?" That was what
this boy from Maine asked her.
In all her service, this little thing
touched her heart. to think that
they should care about who was 60
ing to take care Of her, after her
service. You come to Maine Maine
is the place where you can rest and
get the roses back into your cheeks. -
When she was talking with the re-
porter, Thursday afternoon in the
parlor Of the Augusta House, she had
rolled in a napkin. which she laugh
ingiy informed the reporter that she
lad deliberately stolen from III. ho+ a,