The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-16
The Slogan of the Drama League at the Annual Con- vention at Washington Was That Americans Hold to High Cultural Standard of Living Plus Vital War Work
By DOLLY pALRYmpLE

1 1N AIRS w. D. SMITH, Birmingham s | UWIl honored and beloved president oi
 SVS the Birmingham branch of the 1 Drama league of America, comes back from the annual convention of this in fluential organization at Washington brim full of interesting news, vital facts
 and stirring appeals.
 During the early part of the first week of May, Washington fairly radiated with and women assembled for the Drama
 league convention, when topics of the
 most vital importance were discussed and plans were formulated for tremendous war work to be carried out by this or ganization
 Localizing the work of the Drama league, attention may be called to tie
 splendid line of entertainments which the Birmingham center has furnished
 during the past winter, the first of the
 war, by sending almost weekly people Of
 talent to the nearby camps, thus stimu-
 lating and promoting in the training
 camps the refined and beautiful influ-
 ence, literary and dramatic, which the
 boys enjoyed before they went into the
 army.
 Deep appreciation has been the result
 and Mrs. Smith is very proud of trs
 many splendid letters of congratulation
 which she received from the heads of
 camp departments, regarding the work
 which the Birmingham center has main-
 tained.
 In speaking of her visit to the annual
 convention at Washington, Mrs. Smith conveyed many interesting ideas as ad-
 vanced by such authorities as Mr. Win
 throp Ames, who with MT. E. H. Sothern
 was conmissioned.pby the United States
 government to visit France and investi-
 gate just what was needed in camp life
 in the way of entertainment.
 Among other things Mrs. Smith said:
 "The Drama League of America held
 its eighth annual convention in Wash
 ington, D. C., May ?, and A. In re-
 viewing the convention and recalling the addresses, think the point most stressed was the plea that We American people hold to the high standard of living and not exclude all cultural work but hold to these, plus the war work.
 " Do not let our boys return from abroad to find a lowered state of civili- zation, pleaded one speaker. We are sufficiently strong to do both "Mr. Winthrop Ames, commissioned by the United States government to visit France and investigate camp entertain- ment for our army over there, gave q most interesting account of his and M:-. E. H. Sothern's three months visit. Their plan is to have good. wholesome plays in all the French towns and in the Y. M. C.. A. huts in the army camp. Upon their return to New York they called a meeting of actors and actresses and laid their plans before them. Of the 20O0 present. nearly all volunteered their serv- ices at a soldiers pay. Among them were Maude Adams and Otis Skinner and others of like fame. Mr. Ames paid the American soldier a glowing tribute when he told how upon leaving his wife at a Y. M. C. A. hut while he went to the front he asked her upon his return If she had had a pleasant time with the boys. Why, she replied, had I 16- year-old girl I wouldn't hesitate to leave her here, the boys are so splendid The government recognized the necessity oi entertainment for our boys in France,