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TURN THE BOYS' THOUGHTS -HOMEWARD, SAYS FOSDICX, ASKING CO-OPERATIONWashington. — (Special.) — Just before leaving for France to superin; tend the demobilization activities of those organizations which recently took part In the United War Work Campaign, Raymond B. Fosdlck,.Chairman of the Commission on Training Camp Activities, was Interviewed With regard to tho present situation of our overseas forces, i The problem presented by the gradual demobilization of more than two million men three thousand miles from home is one which will tax all our social resources, said Mr. Foa-dlch. It Is above all a morale problem, and It must bo faced as such, with the full co-operation of families and friends hero In this country, If it Is to bo solved successfully. Every one who has a son, a brother, must help.While the wur was on our boys were fully occupied; they were still filled with tlie spirit of adventure, looking forward rather than back. •Now, however, the fighting is nt an end. They are going to remain, most of them, many months doing work which will be neither oxcltlpg nor particularly Interesting. They will get lonesome, bored and terribly homesick.- The $170,000,000 raised In the recent United War Work drive Is to be Oiled proclsely to bridge over this period by providing recreation und amusement But no amount of mere money expended In such a way will be enough. What these boys really want to not diversion, but human Interest and sympathy. These things expressed In letters from home will worm their hearts and create a home atmosphere around them, evon while they are aDsunt from tho fumily circle. . Such letters may be a very necessary sheet anchor to windward In the case of some boys. The thought of some one wuitlug for them, counting On them, will, more than anything else, make them hold buck and think twice before plunging into situation# which might mean harm and unliup-plncss for them,• have raised the cleanest armylA the world. We have kept It clean. y?e hope to bring It back as clean and Strong as It was when It left us. But wille we believe our soldiers will Stand the present test—the hardest of all in Borne ways—us bravely and successfully us they huve stood every Other test of their manhood and entrance, it 1b our duty to give them afl the help we can.^••Thls, as I have said, can best be idered by means of letters which .11 begin now, at once, not only to jtlsfy their home longings, but to Tru their thoughts from tasks already accomplished to the long yeurs of life gead of them.HOME FOLK8 MU8T HELP..^Washington.—(Special.)—The War Department Commission on Training flamp Activities has hit upon an Important and entirely new Idea In the Sjettere-froni-houie plan just un-npunced.;Wpull the boys through the most trying period of their service by writing 'tie right kind of letters, letters full of tbe home feeling, the mother feeling. Ills appeal la made to mothers, filers, sisters and eweetheurra by the ar Department. It Is hoped tliut mll-* of Inspiring letters will be wrlt-the week of December 15, doslg-ted as “Letters-from-home” week.Suggestion for Mother's Letter.Son of Mine:They’re sending you home to me at last Through all these months of waiting and longing I’vo been wearing a star for you and holding my head high and thinking wonderful thoughts about you. I've watched you through ocean mists and dreamed anxious dreams. Yes, and cried a little, too, but not when people could see.And now you're coming home. Oh, It seems too good to be true. I’ve Just read your letters again. They say so much moro than you ever thought when you were writing them. Just happenings—that’s all most of tho things you wrote about were to you. But to me they said you were facing the biggest tiling In life, fuclng it bravely, as I should want my son to face It You were offering your body and your soul for a thing bigger than you or me or America.When I wrote to you I tried to write cheerful, encouraging letters, because I did not want you to go into battle feeling that I was holding you back from the big sacrifice. It’s only now, when the fighting Is over, that I can let down a little and be Just your mother, Just tho woman who loves you better than anything else In the world and Is so glad to know you’re coming back to her that she doesn't care who sees her cry.Perhaps for some of tho boys who have stood with you so finely through these trials the fighting Is not yet all over. The fighting I mean Is that between a man and hlinself, and for many of them this will be the hardest battle of all. During the long days and evenings of waiting before they can start for home thoughts will creep Into their minds which will be hard to resist. There will be times after all those months of action when the longing for change and for the companionship of women may lead them into associations which will spoil their homecoming und cause them shame and humiliation, and even perhups make them unfit to receive the love that awaits them here.You, dearest hoy, are Juat as bumun as your comrades, and feelings like these may come to you too. I don't usk you to crush them. They ure natural, and they only prove that war has fulled to dry up the well spring of your emotions. I ask you only to recognize them when they come and to control them with the fine strength you have gained while fighting for the Ideal# and principle# of America. Just remember that many Joyous years of life are ahead of you and that the risk of spoiling them and the love that will fill them Is too tremendous to run for a short hour erf seeming pleasure.Many of the boys who will come home with you have no mothers to write to thetn. Some of them may think that no one cares what they do. But somebody does care. America cares. And the girls they will marry some day cure.- And, oh, the difference it will make In their lives If they will Just remember that there la always somebody, alwuy#lIlelp them to remember. Ilelp them to come home clean und fine. Don't let them spoil everything now. They have been so splendid. If you think this letter will help them give It to them. If they have no mothers let me be their mother until they have come back and taken the high places that await them here. Tell them to write to me. How' I should treusure their letters 1Ami, of course, you will write to mo. Just say that you understand—that you know why I huve written this letter. Then I can wait months—yes, even yeurs—knowing thut you will come home to me os fine and cleun as vou were when I sent you away to
Newspaper Details
Upper Des Moines Republican
Algona, Iowa, US
Wed, Jan 01, 1919
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Algona L.
NA, 04 Mar 2017
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