American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-01-29


The Military Entertainment Council
la a special commission appointed by
h secretary of war as a branch of
the war department commission on
training camp activities.
Its work is to provide programs OF
entertainment for the off hours OF the
men In the uniform OF the United
States now in national guard camps
n national army environments on this
side OF the Atlantic. For the present
the work does not reach 10 the smaller
army camps or to any Of the navy
camps.
For the entertainment under It's d.
rection the council VIII use the new
Liberty theaters builded by the gov
ernment, the large auditoriums Of the
X. NJ. G. a. and-where the weather
permits-the tents which have been
provided BY the Chautauqua Managers
association.
An army recruited BY draft includes
the best young men OF the nation. The
off hours Of these young men are the
lonellest hours OF their camp life. II
these hours are 10 be pleasantly and
heaithmlly allied there must be- pro-
vided. not only places 10 write and
read. but performances OF the grade
10 which the men are accustomed at
home and opportunities for them TO de-
velop and exhibit their own akill.
Accordingly. the council will pre-
sen az the camp theaterH-
Broadway companies Ia the best
theatericai nuccessea OF the season
The best musical and vaudeville
programs obtainahie.
Lectures Of the highest excellence.
Amateur performances by the men
themselves.
Ordinarily the cost OF booking such
attractions would be prohlbltive. But
the performers and managers Of the
United States have met the council
with such patriotic cooperation as to
put these productions within the reach
OF every soldier In the United States.
Operating expense has been reduced
TO bedrock.
As a result. the money cost Of these
performances will range from ten
cents 10 twenty i've cents a seat.
Yet many soldiers will not be able
10 attend many performances even al
these prices. Thousands OF them are
sending home practically all their pay
On the other hand. practically every
soldier has those al home who strong
~ desire 10 contribute into his camp
life something OF wholesome and cheer
tut entertainment.
Therefore this council has original
ed a type OF book OF tickets that mem-
bera Of the soldiers family and his
friends may send to him AT the front.
They are TO be- called "Smileage
Books aud viii be made up Of coupons
somewhat like the mileage books Of
tho railroads.
In books OF one size. 20 coupons
viii be sold for a dollar. In books OF
another size. 100 will be sold for iye
dollars. These coupons viii be good
in any camp theater Probably. as
the movement grows. they viii be
made good also for certain other and
similar uses.
As gifts. these Smileage Books viii
have rather a distinctive character.
Each time the soldier tears coupons
from his book. be viii renew his sense
of attention from the sender, Every
book wili constitute a current OF in
terest bet~ cen the man al the front
and the folks back home. often. OF
course. one soldier viii receive many
books aud then he will do the thing
which Is characteristic OF the Ameri-
can soldier throughout our history
he viii share his abundance with his
mates.
The result will be TO change a dan
ger period Ia the life OF the soldier
into d period OF healthful relaxation
and refreshment
What the Need II.
Il remember standing on the streets
OF Columbus. shortly after villa had
devastated that village. watching our
5000 soldiers come over the railroad
tracks into town In the evening.
There was absolutely nothing Tor
them 70 DO there-no movies, no libra.
ries. no place 60 write letters. no
homes 90 which they could go-noth-
ms but saloons and a we~ll-0rganixed
Red Light district
In this war we are driving those
vicious agencies out OF business and
setting up clean entertainment I'm
their place. This has a direct bearing
upon the health 81 our army and Is
az absolute necessity In maintaining
the morale Of our mon
Raymond H. Fosdick. chairman Of
he "A department commission ON
training camp activities. illustrated
ia these words, not long 81 the great
new purpose in America 20 make
army life as nearly normal as pos
sible n Is a need old as the oldest
army 40 other country has under
taken 70 meet Il fully America has
never before Stripped 1t firmly. I'm
der the general direction Of the above
commission inside the camps much is