The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-21
TRAINING CAMP TO
Be PERMANENT FORCE

washington, Jan. 20.--The work or
the war department commission on
training camp activities has proved SO
important, it was announced here,
that it would be made permanent
part of the country's military estab-
l6hment Instead of being conducted
in future by the civilian body ap-
10, rlanAik @p,r,...k.s AZ k..a-1..As-9
activities among the. new soldiers, the
work has been taken over by the war
department itself. Assistant Secre-
tary keppel has been placed in charge
of the administration of II. will line
officers transferred from other service
to take charge of all duties in the
camps.
The civilian commission, OF which
Mr., Raymond B. F'osdick was chair
man. will continue to act in an
advisory capacity. Mr. Fosdick Is
now in Europe, where at the request
OF General Pershing he is engaged in
co-ordinating the work OF the civilian
relief organizations serving the expe-
dictionary forces.
When the government began rails
ing its huge new army and the men
who were drafted began pouring into
camps by thousands, it became evil
dent that some agency must be Great
ed to supply for them substitute for
the social life they had enjoyed at
home. The commission on training
camp activities was formed to do. 1t
undertook to organize recreational
facilities. not only in the camps them
selves. but in the communities adj
Jacent to the camps. A department
of athletics was built UP under DR..
Joseph Z. Roycroft which enrolled
athletics instructors and sent them
to the camps. where soon the soldiers
were enjoying boxing games and mass
athlStics which not only kept them
in fine physical trim and built up their
morale, but proved an important aid
~ preparing them for military duty.
A department of camp music was
organized by Mr.. Lee F. Hammer
which selected song leaders and fur
nished them to the camps. Soldier
Songs are tremendously popular now.
not only among the men in uniform,
but with .sthe general public. Some
of the best OF the modern songs have
come out of the camps. The Liberty
theatersse another big contribution to
the Happiness of the soldiers. were
under the direction OF Mr.. Malcolm
L. Mcbride. who also had charge OF
the organization of the post exchanges
in the cantonments, later taken over
by the army officials when they had
tJtEoiliF sell
Besides this work, the commit sion
carried on tremendously important
campaign OF education and law
enforcement to protect the soldiers
against the evil effects of liquor and
sexual indulgence. BY. lectures. pos
tiers. phamphlets, moving pictures, the
truth about venereal disease was laid
before the men in uniform. The coun-
try was divided into districts, in each
of which agents of the commission
worked for the enforcement OF the
laws against liquor selling and vice.
Through their efforts. new laws and
ordinances to protect tho soldiers
and incidentally the communities
were adopted. new agencies for hand
ling such problems built up. Re-
stricted vice districts were abolished,
and their inmates informed in deten-
ton houses where under proper medi-
cal treatment they could be cared for
until they were no longer q menace
10 the public health. This work has
so demonstrated its value that state
and municipal governments have
taken it up on their own account,
carrying out, in some instances even
extending the commissions plans. IT
is due in great part to this phase OF
the commissions work and partic-
ularly the educational side OF 1t. that
the American Expeditionary force was
able to show a smaller percentage OF
venereal disease among its members
than any other army.
In addition to the work Of its own
agents, the commission supervised and
w9Sss rssGenfihie ..sfw,. the activities; of
the Y. NJ. c. A. the Y W. C, A.. the
Knights of Columbus. the Jewish We'll
fare board, the American Library as
ISOLATION and the War Camp Com
munity service in the camps in this
country.