The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1919-03-07
or
WESTERN FRONT
Wonderful Part Played by Elsie
Janis In Keeping Up Morale
Of Troopss
SINGS TO BOYS OVER THERE
Many q Company Mas Marched 70
First Night LII Trenches With I
More Gallant sslno Becauss
Elsie cheered Thsna ON Way.

NY ALEXANDER McoLEcoYT.
Paris.-JThe gheater was no theater
at all. II was jast the great train
shed which serves as the workshop and
headquarters for q small army OF
American engineers who are lending
the r. R. R. touch 60 the astonished
landscape OF France. Though retreat
had sounded an hour or 80 before, u
was packed to sufrocation With Yanks,
for all that day raki8h posters. turned
out la the company patnter's best
style. had intrigued the eye with the
modest announcement:
ELSIE jANis--AMEaicA's GREAT.
EST ACTREss--EoR ONE
NIGHT ONLY.
And at last, with warning tnots from
d distant whistle and great wave Or
laughter as the order was passed along
TO clear the track. locomotive truth
died In out af the night, La its cab
pair of proud and grinning engineers.
on Its cewcatcher Elsie J0nis A Iao-
ment later and the engine was near
enough to the stage for her to clear the
space at single jump and there she
was, with her black velvet tam pushed
back on her tossing hair. with her
eyes alight and her hands upilffed. her
whole voice thrown into the question
which fs the beginning and the end OF
morale, which Ii the most important
question In the army:
''Are we downheartedgs
The Thunderoua Response.
You can only family imagine the
tiunderous '.No" with which the train
shed echoed. And 1t is the whole point
Of Elsie Janis--as we'll an the whole
point OF all rhs mummefs now being
booked to play for the 4. q. F,--that
whatever the spirit Of the boys before
| her coming. they really meant that
| No" with all there was In them. that
| any who might have been Just little
downhearfea before. felt better about
!, Ii after seeing and hearing her. For.
| like the rare officer who can inspire his
| men to very prodigles Of vaior, SO the
| flashing Elsie Is compact OF that price
| less thing which, eoT lack OF 0 less
! pedantic phrase, we must call positive
| magnetism. More than one company
has marched of TO It's FIRST night Ia the
/ trenches with brighter eyes. squares
shoulders and more gallant swing be.
cause. at the very threshold Of safety
this lanky and lovely lady from Co
lumbns. Ohio. waved and saag and
cheered them ON their way.
That ss why. when the history Of
this great expedition comes to be writ
ten, there should be chapter devot.
ed to the play -giri Of the western front.
the star OF the A. ID. H.. the forerunnei
Of those players who are now being
booked In the greatest circuit OF then
all. the Y. M. G. A. hnts OF France.
| For her. and for her like. there IA
always room. And work aplenty se
| do. There are troops 60 be fiFed---as
by martial muste--on the edge og tins
4 advance.
Elsie Janis (and mother) are having
the time OF their lives. and ghe measa
every word of IL when she cabiss
back to all her brothers and sisters o.
the stage to come or they would neyel
know what they had missed.
Barn. .stermlns Wish vengeaaes.
II For Elsie 1t has been barn-starmint
with q vengeance O tour OF tank town
In more senses than one. IL has mean
travelling without maid for once u
a way. playing whole season with
!. one-dress wardrobe, biYouacktng u
strange and uninviting hotels.
J Ii has meant warbling as @ cabare
, singer among tables OF some ofticera
, mess or mounting bench % sin'
through the windows OF come conta
gion barracks where the isolate
doughboys had been tearing their IL
gected hair with disappointment bs
!. cause they had heard she was In th
post and knew they could not get ou
60 eco her.
II has meant lingering for an exsr
performance at some hut because
whole new audience was comm
through the starlit heavens from th
Il aviation camp down the lines.
lin all her years on che stage sll
has known no such kumultuous. hear
warming welcomes as are her night
: portions IN the biggest time b0okin
s office can offer TO paagar La the yea
u a91a.
The boys swarm np On the staa
and slnp her ON the heck and vow tael
never was guch O gira since tse wogs
began. They cheer aaer until they q
hoarss, and she ~ daxsy with pride.