The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-03
COMMUNITY THEATtR
FOR SOLDIER BOYS
Dramatic Production on Great Scale
Is Planned BY Amateurs and
Professionals in Camp Lee.
(I,y stats Correspondent

ivy cthU correspondent
Camp Lee, Va. Nov. 2.-Followins
out the general plan of utilizing and
developing to the fullest extent the
talents OF every one of the scores OF
thousands of soldiers at Camp Lee the
military authorities are now co-operai-
Ing with the Y. NJ. c. A. In organizing
a community theater. A dramatic
production on a great scale Is planned,
and with the professional actors now
members of the Eightieth division as
~ nucleus II Is hoped to build around
their experience an aggregation NOT
necessarily of stars but of men whose
historic ability is marked.
The whole matter of promoting the
community theater is in the hands OF
Adair Archer who has studied with
Professor George T. Baker In the Har-
ward Dramatic workshop. For the
past week Mr. Archer has been speak
ing In the different Y. NJ. c. A. build
ihRs throughout the camp, ana the
~" has issued a call for volunteers to
meet him for personal conference
and to be present at general meet
ing Saturday afternoon when definite
plans will be formed.
Colored recruits are still being en-
rolled at this cantonment. To date the
total number OF negroes received 10
.T,1S4, and according to information
from the chief mastering officer some
$50 more are expected. Twenty seven
arrived Yesterday and a few whites
from scattered portions of the terri
tory which serves this camp.
There has been some speculation
ever since the selective service act
went into effect last summer as to the
exact status Of registered men who
fail to report at the time and place
ordered by their local board and of
men who within the age limits specl-
fed by the law fail to appear for reg
istration. To set doubts at rest, defi-
mite instructions were received at the
camp yesterday, having been approx
ed by the secretary of war. stating
that man who fails to report to his
local board after being ordered to do
so is deserter. In this connection
1t is interesting to note that the re-
ward of $50. payable to anyone de-
livering a deserter to the nearest
army camp or post. Is in full satis-
faction Of all expenses. The amount
OF this reward is charged against the
wages of the deserter brought In.
II was reported yesterday that Con-
gresham S. C. Porter. OF pittshurs'
Pa, would visit Camp Lee In the cal ~
future on friendly visit to the boys
of the 3l9th and 32oth infantry regi-
ments, nearly all the members of
which are from his home city, This
visit may be made along with GOV
ernor Brumbaugh, who, 1t is SAID, will
also be here soon. Definite plans ter
their reception have not been made
pending Information as to the exact
date of their arrival.
{ The divisional school for arms has
been started at the camp and yester-
day about fifty officers and non -oom-
rnissioned officers began rttendance
The technique of the various weapons
will be taught and -taS AS tina Off
GERS receive their lessons they will i'm
part the instruction to The members
Of their various units
| The present arrangement is thai
one officer and one non commissioned
officer from each company is assigned
to each of the half dozen hranche.
taught Monday, Tuesday and Wed
needay of each week are taken vi
with instruction in the use of poison
gas, the bayonet and grenade. Th'
next three days are allotted TO demon
lstrations in field Notifications. In
Itrenchments and automatic arms.