Imperial Valley press., 1918-05-18
OFFICERS TRAIN
HARD,.THEN ENJOY
READING ROOMS

Barracks 81 OF the officers training
camp is one of the most attractively
furnished lounging and reading room
in camp. The windows are curtained
there are rugs and tables, big comfor-
table chairs, library, phonograph
player piano and writing materials to
encourage the soldiers to encourage
the soldier to write letters home. 1t
is the center for Jewish activities and
here are the offices of Lieut.. |. Egle-
son, chaplain, and Eimon l.. Wiener,
secretary of the Jewish Welfare
board.
1t is the most recent addition to
the recreational facilities of the camp
and remarkable thing about it IS
that its use is not confined to sold
iers of the Jewish faith, but has come
to be a general club room for the
men assigned to depot brigade
at that end of the camp. Jew and
Gentle accept the hospitality of the
CLUB and are equally welcome to its
privileges. 1t is part of the new
idea that has crept into the scheme
of tings since the war started-race
and religion no longer form any bar
rier between man and man, at least
as far as Camp Lewis is concerned.
Jew and Gentle, Catholic and Pro
testant meet on the common grounds
of Americanism.
Much of the money for the fur
nishing of the building has come from
the Northwest branch of the Jewish
Board of Welfare Work Of wich Ma
than Eckstein of Seattle is the head.
The curtains and flowers for the
room were given by women of Ia
coma and Seattle. Young girls of
Seattle saved their money and gave
entertainments SO the soldiers migt
have a Victrola. The furniture was
given by friends or by the board, |
and civilian members continually are
asking if there isn't something more
chat can be done for the soldiers.
The Portland Jewish organization
have seen to it that every soldier of
their faith is provided with a COM
fort kit and ousewife, khaki-covered |
ana rvAeable. A revised Jewish
Bible and prayer book, khaki bound, .
are provided each man by citizens of
the Camp Lewis district, and when /
ever the soldier has completed his /
training here and is transferred he /
/ is given farewell box, containing a /
quantity of useful articles which te /
/ government does not provide. The
Portland League was organized by /
Mr. Wienir, who was a Seattle law
yer, coming TO camp as field repre-
sentative Of the board.
The religious work for the Jewish /
boys is undertaken by Lieutenant
Egeleson, who conducts weekly serv-
ices on Friday evenings. The serv-
ices are we'll attended. Every Tues
day night there is a literary and
educational meeting Some good
speaker is usually obtained and fol-
lowing his address there is a gen
eral discussion and questions are
asked in much the same manner that
debating societiese are conducted in
civilian life.
Jewish organizations Of nearby cit
les frequently come to camp to give
entertainments for the men. On
April Is there were five hundred
guests from Tacoma and Seattle. The
guests were escorted about camp by
men and shown the most interest
ing places in the daily life Of the
soldiers. One June 2, Portland day,
large number Of Portland people
are expected to make trip to camp
by automobile and Ieacn first hand
Of army life.
The Welfare Board is an organiza-
tion formed to direct and centralize
4 the war work activities Of all Jew
ish organizations. None of the or
'ganizatiOns lose their identity, but
the board does away with duplication
and means more systematized effort.
= Among the most effective Of the
=, individual organizations is the B'Na
:" Birth of Tacoma and the Young
- Mems Hebrew Association of Seat
= . tie. Both organizations have equipped
soldiers snd sailors homes, where
~ men Of their faith may find a home
whenever they are in either city
~ There are reading and loungint
y rooms, baths and beds for al VIII,
want them. The Tacoma home for
ferly was a 16-room residence, an,
was one Of the first homes Of il
- iie kind TO be established anywhere.
40 The Seattle branch Of the welfar