Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-09
CHAPLAINS EQUAL
BEST OF SOLDIERS
Not Only Do Clergymen March
With Vanguard, But They
Furnish Movies"
BUILD ELECTRIC PLANT

company the American punitive ex
petition in Mexico have not only
marched abreast OF their toughest
charges clear through to the Sierra
Madres, but here they have distin-
guished themselves in a new way.
They have established the first cleo
trio plant within a 125-mile radius of
this spot in Chihuahua, for the light
ing of reading room and movie
show"
However, commonplace the electric
light has become in the states, it is
still rather an innovation in this part
of Mexico, especially in an army
camp in the Casas Grandes valley.
But, thanks to the chaplains who de-
voted much time to Fostering the att
thorities for permission to bring the
necessary machinery in on motor
trucks, the gas engine, generator and
other equipment arrived about two
months ago and now the meanest pri-
vate can read the latest periodicals
and write his letters under electric
lights. Even the general hasn't that
privilege.
As for the movie" shows, its hard
to understate their influence for good
or the interest they have aroused and
sustained. At home, "the movies"
mean nothing more than a nickel, a
short walk and an hour or so killed.
But in camp, the evening show is
something to look forward to all day
and talk about the next day. Making
adobe brick and other officially pre-
scribed ways of passing the time soon
palb even cards and dice have their
limitations, but the motion picture
shows are always popular as ennui
breakers.
Engine Is Busy.
The busy little engine that iilumi-
mates the reading room, runs the pro-
jecting machine for the picture shows,
lights the prizefight arena and make
shift vaudeville stage, belongs to the
equipment of Chaplain J. NJ. Moose
of the Seventh cavalry He also man.
ages the shows, censors most of the
soldier mail for several regiments and
acts as agent for the money order de-
partment of an express company.
From his stipend for issuing these
orders came originally the funds for
bringing down the films from Ell
Paso. He, by the way, has made out
money orders for $4,000 in three
months. But the money he thus ex-
pended from his chaplain fund will be
paid back from the athletic fund that
has grown to almost $4,000 from the
proceeds of half dozen boxing ex-
hibitions. Chaplain J. A. Randolph of
the Second engineers performs the
same offices at FL Vale.
The reading room which is we'll
lighted and supplied with benches and
tables, is in charge of Chaplain O. J.
N. Scott of the Tenth cavalry. The
Young Mems Christian association
has furnished $1,000 envelopes and
10000 letter heads, which are given
out gratis. With the Red Cross and
the Young Mems Hebrew association,
it also sends reading matter. The
tent will accommodate several score
and generally is well filled.
Everybody Gives.
More than five months ago the
chaplains filed their application for a
cinema outfit, but it was not until the
last day OF August that the first show
was given. During September there
were twenty-six and all were we'll at
tended. Estimates of the nightly
crowds run as high as 5000 and not
even regimental Ministries cut down
the number of patrons. The section
reserved for officers, which holds $50,
is always packed.
The crowd comes early and stays
until the last flicker. Right after re-
treat, bearing gasoline cans, soap
boxes, even cumbersome armchairs,
they secure the coveted positions sur-
rounding the projecting machine, pre-
pared for an hour and a half wait
The show doesn't start until 7:30 and
it lasts an hour and a half Here is
where the chaplain shows his guile.
He intends that the performance will
both amuse his charges and keep
them out of mischief So he holds
them until 9 o'clock. Then there Is
not enough time before taps to do
much of anything but return to their
tents.
Soldier Wit.
The silent drama may be 4 good
name for the movies in the states.
but not at Camp Dublan. The film
characters don't have to speak for
themselves, the spectators do it for
them and their comments, it must be
confessed, are such that Chaplain
Moose generally stays in his office
back of the reading room during the
performances. 1t is soldier W.T., most
ly, although great deal is burlesque
show "reminiscences. The cream OF
the comment, however, comes from
the members of the Twenty-fourth
infantry and the Tenth cavalry, who
follow the plays with intense and vo-
ciferous interest. 1t is spontaneous
and does not shame the well known
African sense of humor.
The film that brings the cheers is
the one with fight or more in every
real, where the hero drops from an
aeroplane to the top Of runaway
freight train, to the disgust OF the
aero squadron contingent, or wallops
both the hirelings of the INSCRIPTIONS
lawyer and the lawyer himself and
winds up by marrying his rich en-
ployers' daughter. The yell that goes
up Wnen oVerdlis anu raquih so"H
rush into a close embrace just before
good night" flashes on the canvas
must arouse misgivings in the hearts
of the natives at Casas Grandes.
And just to start the show right,
this sign is shown:
Ladies will kindly remove their
hats. Campaign hats are just as large.
Think it over"
"stay on the Farm and Marry"