The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-14
COUNT SHOWS 2,225
SOLDIERS SPENT LAST )
SUNDAY IN RICHMOND
Organized Effort tn Provide Touch of
Horne Life for Visitors Makes
Progress-Series of Club
rooms to BE Opened

G. H. Winfrey. secretary of the
Richmond commission on training
camp activities. last night made pub
lie the result of the count taken last
Saturday for the purpose of ascer-
tanning approximately how many
soldiers from Camp Lee come to Rich
mond to spend Saturday night and
Sunday. Through an arrangement
with Scout Executive Weaver. Secre-
tary Winfrey was able to po% Boy
Scouts at Byrd-Street and Main Street
railroad stations and at the terminal
of the Petersburg electric car line.
Checking up of the reports made
by the various boys was finished yes
terday. The reports showed that r~-
tween noon and p. NJ. Saturday. 500
khaki-clad travellers alighted from
trains at Byrd Street During the
same period twenty-five arrived at
Main-strees,. and 100 at the electric
line station This was a total of
TBS. Added to this numb her were prob
ably 500 or more who came by auto
mobile. the secretary said. making A.
total of 2.225
Our object In having this count
made WIS TO enable the commission
to get definite line on what will he
required Of the orga nization when our
work In Richmond gets fully under
way stated Secretary Winfrey
There had been so MANY reports cir
culated regarding the volume of ira,
vel between Camp Lee and Richmond
for the weekend that we decided to
make nm Investigation and obtain some
definite information. am conf MT
that Just as soon as the Transports
ton facilities between the two points
have been improved there will be an
apnrecia h'e increase In the volume OF
trafffc This is one Of the training
camp problems that our commission.
as an outside agency having the well
fare of every enlisted man at hea TT.
will endeavor - solve There are five
trains daily direct 10 Richmond from
Petersburg. End we are hopeful that
some arrangement will he made
whereby these trains viii have direct
connections with Camp Lee" War
rem p Tavlor. traffic manager OF the
Richmond. Fredericksburg and Poto-
mac IA 'lroad, is chairman Of thu
commissions committee on transpor-
tation.
experimenting an announcement
made few davs ago TO the effect
that the commission proposed shortly
TO open a spacious centra 1ly-loceted
cluhroon for the use OF visitors from
Camp Lee, Secretary Winfrev stated
that a series Of cIuhroons will soon
be opened IN various convenient parts
~ the city under the direction Of the
AHrGaGS----L-acs... ions fort lt4s--*-ttf8s-
rooms are now being sought.
MY exnerience hes taught me that
nothing appeals to these young men
who are absent from camp for a
brief while more than the opportuu-
.ty to spend g n evening In Il horne cir
Gle" asserted Secretary WiAfrev,
That lis why we ere so anxious to
rlace on our files the name of every
Richmonder who Is willing TO give one
Of these soldier visitors a temporary
touch Of home life The old adage
about all work and no play applies
in the army and navy just as much
as II does anywhere else. For that
reason this organization will exert
every effort to make 1t possible for
the men to enjoy themselves in
clean. manly wa Y while outside OF
camp. To a large extent the men
heretefors have BEEN lett. "a shift. fars-
themselves during their idle hours
and the results have not been good.
AS DR. Frank Crane has pointed out
very cleverlv. their morale, which
seems 10 be military term 10 imply
soldiers general supply OF spunk
and staying power. depends as fully
upon the wav he plays as upon how
he works in camp"
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