The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-10

and among other things he said:
 " War Camp Community Service orig mated while the United States troops of 1916, due to the fact that the soldiers stationed there had no place to go out side of camp during his leisure hours. The saloons being the only place of re- creation that they were welcome at and the United States government did not know what to do for their boys. At l this time they approached the play ground recreation association of Ameri- ca and asked them if they could not | lend assistance in some way. The out come of several conferences was the ap- pointing of MT. Raymond B. Fosdick l as chairman of commission on army and navy training camp activities. This was known as the Fosdick commits sion, subordinate to this commission there was inaugurated by the officials l of the Playground Recreation Associ- ation of America and originally called
 War Camp Community Service whose duties were to provide clean place for the soldiers to go out side of camps where they could enjoy clean recre- ation and amusement"
 This was done at ~all American camps and towns adjacent to army camps during the world war. War Camp Community Service did not en- ! ter the actual camp in any way, shape or manner, that was left to the other ' r1.i nj Y. M c. A, Knights of Columbus, Jew
 ish welfare Board and the Red Cross,
 their work was in the camp and our
 work was outside" he continued. Dur | ing the war these organizations worked | towards one end and that was to raise
 the morale of the American soldier to
 the point where he was best fitted to l take care of himself and give the best account of himself at all times. The war
 Is now over and the boys are returning | home, because of the fact that we sent 1 them into the army and navy and made l them good soldiers we still have a duty 1 of relieving them from the army and
 making them good citizens. Therefore it was necessary to organize War Camp
 Community Service in towns other than camp towns because the soldiers were returning to their homes and we
 want to reach them wherever they went That is the reason for War Camp Com munity Service having been established in Birmingham
 ''It was first opened in Birmingham in the form of an information booth during the first part of April of this year. The
 work being introduced into this city through MT. Lewis K. Brown who re- cently died in Chattanooga, Tennessee
 and he started this great work by
 choosing as the local head of this work
 one of Birminghams livest citizens. Dr. C. w. Shropshire. In addition to Dr.
 Shropshire. local committee was or
 ganized consisting of Mrs. w. J. Adams.
 Mrs. w. L. Murdock, Mrs. w. D. Smith,
 Mr Sol Caheen, Mr J. Mercer Barnett
 and Judge w. E. Fort. From this small
 information booth the work has grown
 until now there is in active operation in this city an employment auxiliary for securing positions for returned sol-
 diers, a community sing department, an information bureau, travellers aid department. colored club fully equip [ ped to take care of the needs of the col ord soldier. and white soldiers club which opened for the use of the Birm- ingham soldiers. sailors and marines on Saturday night. August 2nd..' said MT. Smith.
 Funds for carrying on the work of War Camp Community Service were secured from the United War wsss
 Drive to which Birmingham contributed over 34oo.ooo of this amount War Com munity Service received from Birming-
 As@ ssPriz,eass2Y 2<sIsss 2s tsla -.