Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-22
NO ADJUSTMENTS
: At CAMP DEvENS
MAY PROVE EVIL
Colonel Conklin of 3O3d
Field Artillery Regi-
ment Says Men Will
Drift to Nearby
Towns Where Vice
and Liquor Will At
tract Them"

Camp Devens, Aver, Mass. Oct. D.
(Speciai).-Depreciating the lack OF rec
reaion upon a large scale in the COM
munities that surround the camp Colonel
A. S. Conklin OF the 3o3d Field Artillery
regiment which includes Names quota OF
the National Army, declares that unless
1t is Immediately remedied the men
would drift to Lowell or some other near
tract them"
the present time the men of my
regiment as we'll as all the other soldiers
here have so few places that offer whole
some amusement when they are on their
hours OF liberty in Aver and other com
ceremony attending the breaking Of
ground for the $4,000 club house on the
shore Of Robbins Pond. This is the best
movement that could possibly be start
ed" was the comment Of the commander
of the Maine regiment.
There is practically no place where our
boys can congregate and meet their friends
when they leave the camp" said Colonel
Conklin. In the camp W have the Y.
NJ. c A. and K. of c. but soldiers don't
want to stay inside the camp all OF the
time. When they go out now there is
nothing ~alluring or good to draw them,
except the few clubs that have been es-
tablished by the various fraternal orders.
and these, of necessity. are limited in
their scope and do not provide the gen
eral club house and gathering place
needed.
Colonel Conklin continued: II the boys
had a series Of great club houses in Aver,
such as l understand there are going to
be, they wouldn't get of and into trouble.
In the bowling alleys. In the pool rooms,
In the swimming pools and lecture halls
and reading rooms and in all the other
things that these club houses are going
to provide. they will find the wholesome
and congenial recreation that ought TO be
theirs outside the camp in their off-hours.
Soldiers aren't bad men; they're just
lonesome and a lonesome man will roam
where re finds diversion.
And then, in these club houses the
men will feel that this is my club and
naturally 1t will be the place to meet his
mother and members of his FANNY when
they come here to visit. That's Just the
thing we need in this community and the
sooner the war-camp community workers
get these clubs completed the sooner the
New England soldier boy will stop wan
dering into trouble"
The club houses that are being built In
Aver have been underwritten by men OF
wealth who will be reimbursed by the
War Camp Community Fund which
will begin it's national drive the week
of November ) to 10. It only re-
y Quires So for every man in the ser
vice TO surround him with wholesome
recreation in the 50 or more camps
in this country according to the war de-
partment experts. New England has
been asked to furnish $780, 900 of the 50,
75o,O u that is needed.
From Secretary OF War Baker down &c
the new "rooky" army officer. community
service around the war camps is regarded
as a matter Of military necessity in order
to minimize disease resulting from mora
deterioration. Club houses are only a
small part of the scope of action Of the
experts who will throw a network Of pro
lection around the communities that these
boys must go into when on liberty.
BY modifying all the forces for good in
these communities these trained workers
will bring about the personal contact that
the soldier left behind him at home. The
church, fraternal organizations. the
women of the communities who are Of the
kind that the soldier knew AT home, and
every other force. that will increase his
fighting spirit and keep his mind and
body clean, will be placed in his way.
The immediate need of funds for this
work is apparent by the situation in
Lowell which has become so grave that
its chief executive has asked Major Gen
eral Hodges, commander of this great
army division. to provide the provost
guard to regulate the "bootleggers" and
women OF loose morals that focked II
that city from every big town in New
England. Lowell Is the nearest big
town to the camp and the soldier hoys
disguised with the d~ullness Of Aver
have focked to Lowell every chance they
get.