South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-03
COMMUNITY FUND
NEXT ONE WANTED
South Bend Must Contribute
"Bit" of S4,000,000
Recreation Fund.

o+Atil e VI the efiVuNfVVU war camp
community and recreation fund un-
Ger commission Of the war and navy
departments, is to be the next. prob
ably to be organized next week ac-
cording &c Elmer G.. Vordenburg
OF Washington, ID. c., who is in the
! city representing the commission.
Mr. Vordenburg presented the plan
OF the war camp community and
recreation fund 70 the Rotary club
at its meeting Wednesday, and it is
probable that at the meeting next
week the club will take up the work
Of organizing for the campaign.
ASK any person in the United
States-eXcept the PROF. German
what is the most important work
this country has to perform" said
Mr.. Vordenburg in an interview,
Thursday, and without hesitation
you will get the answer: To make
the American army and navy the
best the world has ever seen" En-
larging upon the statement, he then
added:
"One of the factors which is help
and of the navy more nearly 100
percent efficient-is the work of the
war camp community service. Keep
our boys fit TO fight through prop
er and homelike environment, is the
slogan upon which this service is
founded
Aid Among Camps.
This city, along with every other
city and town in the United States,
has been called on to contribute
its bit toward the national fund OF
100000. This is being raised to
provide for the men at all training
camps when they 'on leave visit
towns and cities adjacent to their
camps, some of the wholesome en-
jOyment and recreation to which
they were accustomed at home. and
which they most miss in the re-
action Of camp life.
THE importance of this work can
be summarized no better than in
the words Of the commander-in-
chief of the armed forces Of Amer
lea. Pres't Wilson, who says OF II:
THE spirit with which our sol
diers leave America, and their eff
cheney on the battle fronts Of Eu-
rope. will be vitality affected by the
character Of the environment sur
rounding our military camps.
Under the supervision of the war
and navy departments, the war
camp community service he's been
established to provide helpful.
healthful recreation for the men In
uniform when they go to town. As
there are environments. naval train
ing stations and marine quarters at
more than 90 different points. some
idea of the size of the task can be
gathered.
Keep up Army Morale.
But one point must be kept
clearly in mind: and that is that the
money is not intended merely 10
amuse and entertain. 1t is only a
means 70 an end. The result must
not be gagged by the simple fact
Of entertainment but rather by the
fact that men BEAUTIFULLY and hap
PLY engaged in any form of good
amusement will he automatically
protected from the undesirable. BY
The very reason that their leisure
tine is taken up by proper action,
they have neither the time nor the
desire to seek the improper.
1T is not the policy of the or
ganizatiOn 10 tell the fighting man,
Y hen outside of camp, what not TO
do but TO give him something TO
take up his time. It's purpose is 10
establish a normal and healthful re-
lation between the men in uniform
ana the people of the nearby cities
and towns where they spend their
leisure time. This is being done by
a complete organization-or. in
military parlance-by a 'mObiliza-
ton" of all forms of recreation and
entertainment which viii be of ben
eft 20 the men. In the past camp
and community have been left TO
get acquainted with each other in
q hit-or-miss fashion. No organized
effort was made to set up a normal
human relationship all along the
line between the individuals group
ed inside the camp and those group
ed outside.
Will Build Club House.
Every means which can be made
available Will be used in looking
out for the. comfort, welfare and
proper welcome into the surround
ing communities Of the boys OF the
American army and navy. Club
houses of their own will be built or
equipped and maintained for them.
All existing clubs will be called on
10 make the men at home there.
Frate,nal organizations and sOcie-
ties Of ali kinds Will be told just
what -hey can do in helping along
this work. Church reception and
hone hospitality are TO be en-
couraged 10 the fullest degree.
Games and sports, dancing under
or per conditions. theatrical. mu-
steal moving pictures and other
forms Of amusement viii be arrang-
ed In fact, the possibilities are as
broad AMI as Lmitless as human So
Ciety itself
Every city, town and hamlet in
he United States-no matter how
lar removed from an army camp or
q naval training statiOn-has sons in
one or both branches OF the service:
and will have more. perhaps many
more. Therefore. il is vitality inter
ested in the work being done for its
boys by the War Camp Community