Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-03-11
Building Of Morale
In Army Described
By Three Officials
Speakers on Forum
Outline Specific Measures,
And Benefits Received

The work of building morale in
the new citizen army through
recreational activities was described
in talks by three officials last night
on the National Radio Forum ar
ranged by The Star.
Frederick H. Osborn, chairman OF
the recently created Joint Army
and Navy Committee on Welfare
and Recreation, spoke first on pur-
poses of the work Charles P. Taft
assistant co-ordinator of the Fed
eral Security Agency, and Col. Will
liam H. Draper, jr., of the War De-
partment general staff, described
specific measures being taken and
the tangible benefits received
The talks were broadcast over a
national hookup of the National
Broadcasting Co., and were heard
locally over Station WMAL.
The text of Mr.. Osborn's talk:
The present world crisis is forcing
the American people to readjust
their ideas of the position of the
United States in world affairs and
of the part they themselves must
take as citizens of the country which
is incomparably the richest country
in the World-having greater re-
sources in basic materials such as
iron and copper and lumber and
oil than any other country and a
far larger industrial plant-in
factories and mines and furnaces
and maChlnery-While at the same
time its farms can produce guam
titles of food in excess of the needs
Of its own people.
The poorest in the United States
are well off by comparison with the
majority in any other country, rich
by comparison with most. We have
much TO defend from the stand
point of wealth shared by all our
people.
We have even more to defend from
the standpoint of the liberties en-
joyed by all, freedom to say what
we please, freedom to take part in
the process of government, freedom
to join labor unions, freedom from
oppression by secret police, right to
trial in public before juries of our
fellows.
We had thought that all this
wealth and all this freedom were
permanently secure to our people
We had thought that We could live
our lives Notwithstanding what
went on in the rest of the world.
Found We Were Wrong.
Suddenly we have found we were
wrong; the governments of most of
Europe and Asia have been taken
over by entirely arbitrary power
their productive capacity has been
turned to making guns and tanks
and ships and airplanes for war.
These powers publicly state that
democracy no longer has any place
in the world. We know today the
wealth of the United States is
threatened and the freedom of the
American people is threatened.
Eight months ago We were making
no preparation to defend ourselves.
Today we have called a vast Army
for training. Congress has appro-
priated moneys for the production
of munitions on a vast scale. We
are determined that We will come
out of this period of trial stronger
spiritually, more fit physically and
with a better understanding Of the
things in this country which are
worth giving our lives to defend. We
have a great citizen army, composed
mostly Of men from civilian life.
There are a million men in camp
now. BY July there will be million
and a half. The Navy is doubling
the number of its men. These men
must be trained first of all to fight.
Their Leisure Time.
At the same time, we hope they
may go back to civilian life better
citizens because of their experience
in the Army and Navy. The Army
and the Navy are acutely aware of
their responsibilities for training
these men. And they have been
giving thought to their leisure-time
activities as we'll as to their training.
In February Secretary Stimson
and Secretary Knox set up the Joint
Army and Navy Committee on We'll
fare and Recreation, with the ap-
proval of President Roosevelt.
The committee has three func-
tons. First, to make available the
advice of civilians who are expert
enced in special fields, so as to help
the Army and Navy in planning
facilities for the soldiers and sailors
when they are off duty. Second, to
act as a liaison between the Army,
which is in charge of the camps; the
Navy, which is in charge of the ma
val reservations; the Federal Sc
curity Agency, which supervises the
work in the communities near the
camps, and the public, which wants
to help with voluntary services and
contributions. And. finally, the COM
mittee is asked to help keep the
public informed about what is being
done for the soldier and sailor in
his leisure time and how it relates
to his training.
Several Groups Help.
College presidents and educators
have an interest in the civilian edu-
cation of the soldier, so the Joint
Army and Navy Committee has a
subcommittee of II educators
headed by Clarence Dykstra, pres
Ident of the University of Wiscon-
sin. Their meetings provide a forum
for discussing ideas for the educa-
ton OF the soldier and sailor. The
best ideas are sorted out to present
to the Army and Navy. They con-
Germ chiefly the use of the movies
the radio and special courses fol
those still wanting to work after a
strenuous days training in the
field
Religious leaders and church
members back home are concerned
about the religious life of our SOL
diers and sailors. The joint COM
mittee has a subcommittee on re-
ligiouS activities, of which Mr..
Charles Taft of Cincinnati is chair
man. Ministers, rabbis and priests
meet together in this subcommittee,
discuss the religious services and
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