The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1918-09-26

bodies IS rssul. Of physical training,
not only in minds deepened ard en-
riched hy participation in a great, he
roic enterprise, but in the enhanced
spiritual values which come from a
full life lived well and wholesomely."
Mr.. John R. Golfer director of pub
licity of the war and navy depart
ments' commissions on training camp
activities, had been telling me how
this pledge of the president has been
made good, and the accounts he gave
of the work being done under the SUI
pervision of Raymond B. Fosdick were
so optimistic, that l came out here to
camp to "take it all in" Ny pleasure
in the self-imposed task is that / am
able to write home to the mothers who
are anxious as to where is my boy
tonight" and to say to them that
these boys are safer from the snares
and pitfalls of the world here in this
great army camp, and in the army as
whole, than are the civilian youths,
for it is an unassailable fact that vice
and drunkenness have been reduced
to such minimum among our armed
forces that civilian America is drop
ping way behind in the progress of
our lnora' and spiritual development.
Here n camp, into which has been
poured the youths of every state. 1.
am reminded that youth is romantic
and ideaIjstic," Youth doesn't sit
down and hold its hands, and chirrnp:
III be goodw Youth does something
and that something" down on the
Mexican border was so notorious that
Washington was shocked; that "sonle-
thing" in the spaniS9-American war,
in the Philippine c2hpaigns, and in
the civil war, has happily never been
written into cold type.
The Young Mems Christian associa-
ton, the Knights of Columbus. and
the Jewish Welfare board owe great
debt Of gratitude to the war. since
Through war they have become. like,
youth, romantic and idaalistic. (which
is big jump from their former sissi-
ned environments. These institutions
! nave become, thoroughly humanizod,
and together with the Young Women's
Christian association ard The Red
Cross, they have come to a. point
where they work in mysterious WAYS"
/ their miracles to perform.
Every American should visit a
training camp. Here there are miles
of implanted board buildings, used in
the various purposes of camp life; on
the parade grounds thousands of SOL
diers are learning the game thew are
to play over the seas. Happily Uncle
Sam has discovered that in the science
OF war democracy must be made safe
by protecting the rights of each indi-
v1dual soldier. Romantic and ideal
lstic youth" no longer plays the game
OF military life unaided and unsup-
ported. The man in khaki is received
as gentleman everywhere, and he
has made good the confidence society
has imposed in him.
Camp Meade is one of the best
known of all the camps. It's "hostess
( mouse" conducted by the Y. w. C. A..
is IS comfortable as any city mans
cipb. There is a grand piano, a Vic
trola, comfortable wicker chairs,
weathered oak furniture, and a place
! where from one to.two thousand SOL
;diers and visitors are furnished meals
daily. / have been studying the good.
clean faces of the young men of the
American army, whose fathers, moth
ers, wives, sisters and friends have
come here to meet them in this CHEEKY
atmosphere. The place fu!flls the i'm
piled promise of a panel in which the
words stand forth: "a bit of home
within the camps"
Ten to twelve thousand soldiers at
tend mass here in camp, held under
the direction of the Catholic organi-
zation; and several times that num-
Der of soldiers are identified with the
religious activities held under the aus.
pieces of the Y. M. C. A. Theology
loses its sober face in this military
community, and its devotees patronize
dances, the movies, and the Liberty
theatre. Athletics Of all kinds are
developed to the utmost degree of eff
iciency In camp, and everything pos
sible is done to drive dull care away
Preachers who address vacant pews
on Sunday should learn lesson from
the humanizing of religion in camp.
A chaplain volunteered some infor-
nation upon the subject. "This is a
serious business we have to deal
with ~ ba cold fond +bo hove =, oo,,o,,