The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-22
KANSAS is THERE!
Rousing Welcome for the Boys
in New York.
Great Plans for 13Oth When
They Arrive Today.
NEED MORE KANSAS GIRLS
Not Enough To Go Around at
the N. Y. Dances.
Jayhawker Home ON F6rtieth
Street Is Popular.

New York, April 22-Kansas is do
ing the welcoming of its troops when
thy arrive here up brown" Missouri
is late on the job, but delegation Is
here and is getting busy.
The first thing the returning SOL
diers see as they come up New York
harbor is a little tug bearing some fifty
or mora Kansans. This tug flies a
big sunflower banner; and take it from
the soldier. homesick for Kansas, he
knows exactly what that sunflower
stands for.
The Kansas welcome boat has met
every transport that has arrived with
the 35th division troops thus far, and
they propose to stay on the job Until
the last soldier is home. They get as
many fathers and mothers Of the boys
aboard the Kansas tug as possible and
chug down to Quarantine, where the
big transports are tied up. No one is
permitted to board, but the little tug
whistles and toots around the trans
port with everybody yelling. welcome
home-Kansans" as loud as they can.
And how the soldiers do rise to it.
They like it. Each and every one of
them are anxious for the first sight of
states say lucky dogs. you Kansans;
they've not forgotten you
Governor Is There.
Gov. Henry j. Allen and Mrs. Allen,
as we'll as the official welcoming par
ty, are here to greet the homecomers.
Few governors have taken the pains to
do so, and it has made a hit. Cover
nor Allen didn't get up from Newport
News in time to meet the first thou
sands in, so the entire welcoming party
motored out to Camp Mills today and
got special permission. to welcome
the Kansans. And the soldiers sure
were glad to see the governor and
Gen. Charles I. Martin, who had been
a brigade commander right up to the
day Of the Argonne battle. Instead
of a welcome" it was a reunion for
both Governor Allen and General Mar
tin with the troops.
The Kansas Home"
At "a West Fortieth street the
kansans have established a ''home."
Placards and signs invite the Jay
hawkers to it the minute they strike
camp. Parents and wives wait for
their relatives here. and the soldiers
board carries personal messages to the
soldiers. If the soldier in question
does not come his companions carry
the word to him.
They have a music room where the
Kansas soldiers can dance If they can
find girl. altho right now that is the
worst trouble. Nearly all the return
ing soldiers want to dance, and there
aren't enough Kansas girls here to go
around. Then there is a dining room
where the Jayhawk soldiers and sail
ors can drop in, and have a sandwich
and cup of coffee. There is e dearth
of cooks and dishwashers in New
York, and until help can be had the
official "welcomers,' as we'll as pa
rents, have been rolling up their
sleeves and pitching in and washing
dishes. Some of the soldiers have Of
fered to help, volunteering that after a
touch of Kitchen police" they can
qualify as experts But not for the
Kansas welcomers. The soldiers
mustn't work.
The reception committee has
planned great welcome for the 13Oth
field artillery and Wednesday night
they have a big Kansas blowout for
all the units that have arrived. May
be the returning Kansans don't like
the friendly faces meeting them here.
The number that visit the headquar-
tiers Is the best indication.