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

have opened club rooms. Athletic
recreation is organized. Chorus sing
ing is conducted. There are frequent
religious services.
Outside the camps. the entertain
ment OF the soldier is being put upon
a new foundation. IL is being found
ed nov on hospitality in the American
home. and not upon commercial gain,
often corrupted with dissipation.
But the men In the camps have a
particular craving which all this does
not satisfy. They want TO see Shows"
In the evening they are tired; they
are sometimes very lonely; they want
TO laugh: and they want regular
performances. II there are TO be any
amateur performances they want TO
be I'm them. not merely looking at
them.
A%uditorlums for such entertainment
have been made available In reason
able number. The Y. VI. G. A. has
provided sixteen. The government
has builded a Liberty Theater" In
each Of sixteen national army canton
ments. In southern camps, thirty
two chautauqua tents have been set
up.
The problem has been two-sided-
10 get programs for these auditoriums
and 10 get tickets into the hands OF
the soldiers al prices which viii meet
the operating expense.
II the men do not get the program
they want inside the camps they VIII
take what they can get somewhere
else.
The operating expense is borne by
the ticket Ia the Smileage Books. paid
for by the families. the employers, the
company OF friends. Of the men back
home.
The military entertainment council
is thus not a duplicate OF any Of these
other agencies. II is, Instead, an ex-
p%anslon OF them, OF a partnership with
them
What Is offered TO the Soldier.
Four comedy companies are already
assigned 70 this new field. They are
Broadway organizations, presenting
accepted broadway successes-"lurn
to the Right" Cheating Cheaters,'
Here Comes the Bride Inside the
Lines"
other companies and many stars are
volunteering to nt themselves into the
ItMNIn vi wv ANNiAA'ANH Afh AA'
beautiful example OF Miss Maude
Adams and Mr.. William Faversham, as
soon as those two leading actors heard
OF the smileage project.
Four vaudeville bills have been as
sembled by General Manager E. +.
Albee, OF the Keith circuit. Their
routings Will be arranged, OF course.
80 as to prevent an UNMARRIED success
sion in any camp Of any one kind OF
entertainment.
Plans are now In the making to re
vive the musical comedies and light
operas which the men nave liked in
past years-"The Prince OF Pilsen.
The Red MIL" "The Chocolate Col
der. Robin Hood" and the Gilbert
and Sullivan compositions. Camp Dix
lately heard a great symphony or
chestra, and the enthusiasm OF the sol
diers for the program indicates that
room should be made In the schedule of
every camp for occasional concerts OF
this exceptional character.
In the regiments are cores Of pro
fossiOnal actor and vaudeville per
formers. The men manifest special
interest In seeing their own comrades
on the stage. SO there are to be reg
ular amateur productions, between the
professional offerings. that the men
may have part In the enterprise and
of much more importance-that
when they have gone TO the front they
may be able to provide suitable pro.
grams for themselves.
The chautauqua managers are plan
ming TO present their best lecturers.
They viii probably divide time with
remarkable programs of moving pic
lures. The best obtainable are shown
to the mon. for example. the official
pictures OF the British and French
governments will be shown to the mef.
Ia uniform among the first.
As soon as Il can be arranged, this
circuit may be widened to include the
smaller army camps and the navy
training stations. Beyond all this,
though America has not yet been re-
quired 10 realize il. lies the prospect
of an entirely SEPARATE circuit in
France and Belgium. larger perhaps
than all OF these az home.
The Smileage Books are your means
OF making this possible for your men.