The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-03-02
''0n to France" Watch
Word Of the knights
One Hundred Field Secretaries and
Fifty Auxiliary chapIains to Begin
Work in France, April 1.
SITES SELECTED UNDER
PERSHING'S DIRECTION
James X. Hackett Volunteers as
Amusement Director-Mr. Hackett
Greatly Impressed With Cath
Ollie Activities.

The welfare work which the knights
OF Columbus, representing the Catho-
lie people of this country, have been
doing for the soldiers and sailors of
the United States will be in full swing
in France by April 1, the knights of
Columbus Committee on War Activi-
ties has just announced.
Christopher P. Connolly, of New
York city, and Dillon E. Mapother, of
Louisville, KY, have gone to France,
where, under the direction of General
Pershing, they will select sites for the
erection Of Columbus recreation build.
ings in the camps of the American ex-
peditionary forces. Mr.. Connolly,
who is we'll known as magazine
writer has been serving as secretary
to Colonel P. H. Callahan, chairman
of the Knights of Columbus Commit
tee on War Activities. Mr. Mapother
is executive secretary of the Knights
of Columbus Overseas Commission.
Fifty Auxiliary ChapIains.
AS soon as proper sites shall have
been selected, the construction force,
which has erected the knights of Co.
lumbus building in the American
camps, will be sent abroad and build
ing operations will be rushed to com.
pletion. A corps of one hundred field
secretaries and fifty auxiliary chap
lains will begin active work on French
soil April /, and this force will be in.
creased as occasion demands.
Seven knights of Columbus chap
lains have been working in France
during the last four months, and have
opened temporary recreation buildings
at various points. These buildings
prominently display the Everybody
Welcome" sign, which is the distin
gushing mark of the Knights of Co.
lumbus buildings in the American
camps, and both officers and men are
loud in their praise of the work which
the Knights of Columbus are doing in
behalf of the American fighting men,
Hackett Volunteers as Amusement
Director.
Anxious to render patriotic war
service, James K. Hackett, famous
American actor-manager, has volun-
teered his services to the knights of
Columbus Committee on War Activi-
ties, and has been appointed general
director of amusement by that organi-
cation. He will begin Immediately the
organization of high-class theatrical
companies in the army encampments
and the naval stations, these COM
panies to be composed of professional
actors and talented amateurs who are
now in military service. Mr. Hackett
will receive no remuneration for his
work, and has signified his intention
Of devoting his entire time to it for
the duration of the war.
The plays will be presented in the
buildings which the Knights of Co.
lumbus, representing the Catholic peo-
pie of this country, are operating as
social, recreational and religious CEN
tres in the camps. He will be assisted
by several executive and producing ex-
perts from his own staff, and will be-
gin operations at Camp Devens, Aver,
Massachusetts. AS soon as the or
ganization of the talent in the Ameri-
can camps has been completed, Mr..
Hackett will go to France to continue
his work in the knights of Columbus
buildings located in the camps of the
American expeditionary forces.
Lauds Work of x. of c.
There are probably more actors in
the service than men of any other
class when the numerical strength of
the profession is taken into consider
ation," says Mr.. Hackett. II am sure
there will be no difficulty in organic
ing. companies which will compare
in every way with those usually seen
in the best theatres, and after exam
lining the Knights of Columbus build
ings | find them admirably suited to
productions of the kind l have in
mind. The Knights of Columbus are
rendering splendid patriotic service
by the maintenance of these recrea-
ton buildings, and l am glad of the
opportunity to contribute my expert.
ence to the work they are doing"
The project which Mr.. Hackett is
so generously undertaking as an aid