Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 156, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1918 — HAD ATMOSPHERE OF HOME [ARTICLE]

HAD ATMOSPHERE OF HOME

Ambassador Quick to See Attraction “Hostess House” Would Have for Americana in London. It was an amusing incident that first made the need of the hostess house apparent in London. In 1917 certain American members of a Canadian unit had business with the American ambassador, but could come to him only on Sunday. Mr. Page suggested that they come to tea at his house. Six of them arrived, and Mrs. Page poured tea in the drawing-room. It was very cheery and cordial, but somehow the business hung over. They had to meet another Sunday; This time there were ten Americans —and the business was not completed. Mr. Page suggested a third Sunday, and 20 Americans came to transact business with him on that day. During the following week he suggested that the Americans in the Canadian unit who still wished to talk to him should come to his house a fourth Sunday and wind up affairs with him, and on the fourth Sunday the Page drawing room was packed with soldiers. The ambassador told his associates about It, and one of them chaffed an American who had gone there to tea. "Ambassadors are popular with you Yanks!” he said. "Oh, the ambassador’s all right!” conceded the American. "But we didn’t attach much Importance to the business. It was Mrs. Page. She served us tea around an honest-to-goodness log fire, with a tea wagon and fixings. It was great!” And there you are! Mindful of those Sundays, Mr. Page realized that with the advent of American forces in England a substitute home for them was an immediate necessity; so be was the moving spirit in the establishment by the Y. M. C. A. of the American Officers’ inn at 5 Cavendish square, London.