Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-13
Army Aims 10 Keep
Men Happyin Field
And Cdnt0nmenf
Morale Division Will
Provide Entertainment
And Athletics
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.

By NELSON M. SHEPARD.
II the 1910 American soldiers
morale doesn't come up to expecta-
tions, It won't be the Army's fault.
Camp life for the drafted recruit,
rs planned by that mysterious
branch of the Army called the
morale division, will be generously
spiced with entertainment of all
sorts after the sweating process OF
the drill ground.
In brief, the morale division is
keenly aware of the fact that all
work and no play frequently makes
a soldier go A. w. o. L., with retri-
button to follow. Consequently,
the Army is going to see that he is
mentally and physically, as well as
spiritually, occupied during leisure
hours.
He will find first-run movies"
wherever he goes. If he has been
a prep school or college thespian.
there will be amateur dramaticS to
keep him satisfied. Army hostesses,
the young kind and the motherly
kind, will help make him forget
being homesick Libraries will af-
ford the Intellectually bent a wide
variety OF reading. For the ath-
letically inclined, each camp will
provide as many sports as we'll
subsidized college athletic board.
Soldiers Love to Sing.
Every soldier loves to sing, says
the Morale Division. Quoting Maj.
Gen. Franklin Bell of World War
fame. it add that "a singing army
is a fighting army" The soldiers OF
1940-41 will help keep up the
Armys old-age traditions of song
and good fellowship. Mass singing
and individual singing, whether on
hikes or on work details, will be en-
couraged
With the motion-picture industry
offering its services to national de-
tense, and the theatrical profession
counted on to do the same, the
draftees are in for sights and do
ings reminiscent of the good old
days of the A. E. F. No soldier need
be surprised to find Heddy Lamar,
Ann Sheridan, or any of the popu-
lar young starlets billed as their
evenings entertainers, not to men
ton Mickey Rooney.
The Morale Division was activated
on July % to assist commanders
in the field in planning and de-
veloping recreational and welfare
activities for their organization. 1t
seems to, know its business. The
range of program is varied enough
to meet almost every personal prob
lem.
To Use Military Personnel.
During the World War. civilian
agencies of various types established
their recreational and welfare GEN.
tiers at Army camps But under the
1910 plan, the Moral Division will
exercise all this supervision by the
use of military personnel.
This policy is based on the ne
cessity of impartiality toward all
civilian agencies, 1t was explained,
coupled with the fact that it is
deemed impractical to permit every
such agent TO come in and take
possession of the camps.
Two exceptions to this policy are
the Y. M. C. A. and the American
Red Cross. The "Y" will operate at
posts where its buildings have been
constructed pursuant to an act OF
Congress dating back to 1912. AS
for the Red Cross, that exception
was specifically authorized by the
act which created the agency. It's
good news to the Army.
Red Cross field directors will be
on hand at every camp or canton
ment to conduct program OF home
service for the able-bodied and So
cial service for patients.
All these schemes of recreation
won't be applied to the camps alone.
Realizing the lure of city life for
the genially inclined, the Morale
Division will welcome, encourage
and assist" in every reasonable way
the establishment of Legitimate and
appropriate" services in the towns
near large camps.
Movies" to Be Provided.
The Army Motion Picture Service
conducts movie" service for the
land forces within the Continental
United States and Alaska.
A typical weeks offering at any
Army theater includes three out
standing features with double fea-
ture thrown in for good measure.
Each cantonment for the new
Army will have two theaters, each
seating 1000 men. At larger tent
camps a big top" will accommo-
date as many as 1900 movie fans.
Troops in the field or any maneu-
vers will be provided with mobile
motion picture units, so the men
may have movies wherever they go.
The recreational and welfare Sec
ton of the division will provide the
athletics, library service, service
clubs and miscellaneous entertain
ment features in cooperation with
the Red Cross.
The football competitions in the
A. E. F. and the Army of occupa-
ton after the armistice drew enor-
nous crowds and excited the Amer
lean doughboy as no other diver
sion did In the South the 1910
soldier can play the game through
out the winter.
Each camp will have its Army
newspaper, found to be an excellent
means to stimulate interest in what
Is going on around the soldier.
Many recruit with nose for news
Is destined to rise to the rank OF
camp editor, with a staff of re-
porterS under his direction. The
Stars and Stripes of the World War
circulated throughout the A. E. F..
and thousands of copies were sent
by soldiers to parents and friends
In this country.
In all these activities, it was
stated at the War Department, it is
the sole aim to strengthen the will
and the ability of the soldier to per-
form his duties. In the final an
alysis, it is the responsibility Of