9

having to his credit the distinguished record of 18 enlistments during the month. He is closely followed by Corporal Morkowski with 17 enlistments. Corporal Morkowski stood at the head in October and in November labored under the disadvantage of losing two working days by reason of his discharge and reenlistment. First Class Private Hunter is a close third with 16 enlistments; Sgt Mock secured 12 and Sgt. Wynne 10 enlistments.

It remains to point out that the four D. E. M. L, men on duty in Minneapolis secured 60 recruits,

an average of fifteen and that the three highest men secured an average of 17. These are distinguished records, hard to equal or surpass that will be pointed to with pride in the annals of the Fort Snelling Recruiting Center.

*

A total of 201 men were enlisted in the Fifth Corps Area during the first ten days of December. A total of 123 men were enlisted for the Eighth Corps Area, 53 of this number being secured from Ft. Thomas, 43 from Columbus Barracks and 27 from Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind.

NE method by which the Reg

ular Army may ably assist in recruiting the National Guard is getting such favor: ble results in the Second Corps Area that it is believed other corps areas would like to adopt it. The plan was started at the time when a large number of enlisted men of the Regular Army were ordered discharged owing to the insufficient Congressional appropriation for their support. Re: lizing that many good soldiers were being forced out of the service, Major General Bullard saw the possibilities of interesting these young men in the National Guard and sent a letter to the commanding officers of all posts in the Second Corps Area stating, in part, as follows:

"In view of the recent orders of the War Department discharging a large proportion of the enlisted personnel of the Regular Army you will cause to be brought to the attention of all enlisted men about to be discharged the advantages to be derived by them in join'ng National Guard organizations in the communities in which they settle after they are discharged from the Regular Army.

"Commanding officers will submi to these headquarters, on the first of cach month, lists in duplicate giving the names alphabetically, street addresses, cities and states, of enlisted men being discharged. These lists will be compiled by states and the list for each state will be on a separate sheet. The object of this is to put the state authorities in touch with these men on return to their home.

"The National Guard in whole or in part, is liable to service as first reinforcement of the Regular Army, and it is important that the organization of the National Guard should be maintained as nearly the full authorized strength as practicable. All young men who have had military training should be encouraged to join a unit of the National Guard and all such volunteers whose business and

domestic relations permit should be advised that the most appropriate place for service is in the National Guard."

As the lists of honorably discharged soldiers were received in response to this letter they were handled by Col. Raymond Sheldon, Infantry, in charge of National Guard affairs, who immediately sent those pertaining to the states of New York, New Jersey and Delaware to The Adjutant General of the National Guard of each state, with the information that these ex-soldiers had been advised of the advantages in identifying themselves with the local National Guard units.

That the State National Guard authorities have been very prompt to act upon the informaton thus given them, is proved by the following letter which was sent by Adjutant General Gilkyson of Trenton, N. J., to one of these discharged regulars.

"Your discharge from the Regular Service on account of the reduction of the Army has been reported to this department, and I desire to invite you to join with other patriotic young men recently discharged, to assist the military authorities of New Jersey in the reorganization of the National Guard. By enlisting you will give evidence of a practical patriotic spirit and render a distinctive service to your country and state that will be most commendable, and set an example to be followed by other 100 per cent American young men residing in your community.

"Recruiting officers are on duty during the evening in the Armory located in your city or vicinity who will furnish you with information relative to service in the National Guard.

"Your training and experience in the Army will be an asset to the National Guard, and the athletic and recreational facilities provided in the National Guard, as well as the pay for armory drills and field training

will be of advantage to you.

"There is enclosed herewith copy of Circular No. 13, A. G. O., 1920, setting forth the rates of pay for armory drills and field training.”

The lists of those whose homes were outside the Second Corps Area were sent by Colonel Sheldon to the appropriate Corps Area National Guard officer with the suggestion that they be transmitted to the Adjutan Generals of the respective states within his Corps Area.

Much appreciation has been expressed by the National Guard in several states over this example of the sincere desire of the Regular Army to render assistance. It is one of the most sensible and business-like methods of co-operation that has ever been undertaken in the Army of the United States.

Reports indicate that these lists have been of great value in securing trained men for positions as noncommissioned officers and officers of the National Guard in the Second Corps Area and the letters of appreciation from the Guard in other Corps Areas are unstinted in their praise of the value and spirit of this plan.

The following letter received by General, Bullard from Adjutant General Maurice Thompson, State of Washington, is typical of several received from outside the Second Corps Area:

"This office desires to express its appreciation of the co-operation evidenced in the receipt of a list of discharged Regular Army soldiers for use in connection with recruiting in this State.

"To give information concerning the advantages of the National Guard to soldiers who are leaving the service as a result of expiration of the enlistment period is a practice which should do much to solidify the cooperation of all military men in order that the provisions of the National Defense Act and subsequent regulations may be fulfilled."

11

T

HERE is a story behind the issuance of Army Regulations 210-390, dealing with motion picture service for Army posts, camps and stations. These regulations state that the service shall be known as the United States Army Motion Picture Service and that its object is "to assist in varying the military routine by maintaining motion picture service of high grade at all posts, camps and stations of the Army." The story is of a battle against great odds and against criticism and dares to make good from within and with:out the Army that has been gloriously won, as is attested to by the issuance of regulations which make the U. S. Army Motion Picture Service an integral part of the recreational life of the Army posts in this country and Panama.

The World War brought forcibly to the attention of the Army the value of recreational motion pictures as an aid to the contentment and morale of the troops. The General Staff decided that it would be well to continue showing pictures for the Regular Army. Most of the pictures that were being shown at the time this decision was made were still under the auspices of the various welfare organizations, such as the Y. M. C. A. and K. of C. These welfare organizations could not be expected to continue to furnish such a service indefinitely nor was it proper for a peace-time Army to accept such a service from these organizations. The General Staff was making a study of all recreational activities which, of course, included the motion picture service. This study disclosed the fact that there were 214 posts, camps and stations within the continental limits of the United States desiring recreational motion picture service; that as only limited funds were available the

service must be made self-supporting; that the film companies would cooperate in making the service a success; that the projection equipmem as a whole was in very poor condition; that soldiers would have to be trained for the handling of the projection equipment, as well as the general operation of the theater; that some stations were then operating a movie in connection with their Post Exchange and a few stations had civilian concerns operating their movies.

In some instances a very good service was being secured for a reasonable rental but in the vast majority of cases the programs were very poor and the rental excessive. It devel

Army Theatre at Ft. Riley, Kansas.

oped that approximately only ten per cent of the camps, posts and stations could support a motion picture show and the reversion to the pre-war status meant that soldiers in small stations would be deprived of this recreation and that only those serving at large stations could support it. This study made only one conclusion possible and that was a service centrally controlled and self-sustaining. It therefore became advisable for the Army to take over this work and arrangements were made with the agency supplying film to the various welfare organizations to continue this work for the Army. It was soon found, however, that a charge of ad

mission for a class of shows formerly free was not satisfactory and box office receipts were far from satisfactory."

The losses that were being sustained each month were very seriously depleting a fund that was not large to start with and could not be replenished by Congressional appropriations. The service had to be selfsustaining or go out of business. It was finally realized that the only solution was to build within the Army an organization to operate all theaters, large and small, on a business basis, supplying a class of entertainment which would be certain to meet with financial support. So the United States Army Motion Picture Service

was organized, operating directly under The Adjutant General of the Army. It was intended to proceed slowly and carefully in taking over this service from the civilian agency that had been furnishing it and to take over one branch office a month. A crisis occurred in the financial affairs of this agency, however, and the United States Army Motion Picture Service was confronted with the tremendous task of taking over

ten branch offices in the short space of three months. The. service was completely taken over on January 2, 1921 on which date ten branch offices were functioning. Since that time the number of stations in the Army has been greatly reduced and branch offices were accordingly reduced to the number now operating, at New York City, Washington, Kansas City, Dallas, Seattle and Panama.

When the film producers were first approached on this subject they were very cordial, but very skeptical. The Army had not returned films in good condition, finances were badly tangled and to sum it all up they wanted to serve the Army but not with new material. Now that the

ability of this service to operate successfully and efficiently has been demonstrated, with an increase in the volume of business and a fcol-proof system of weekly payments the bookings of this service are sought or by the film exchanges and all big productions reach the Army posts in a reasonably short period after release in a territory.

The service is oper ted under The Adjutant General of the Army by & director, who is assisted by a director of bookings, theater equipment crgineer, auditor. The director of bookings is stationed at New York City and his duties consist of making price arrangements with motion picture producers and of supervising the bockings for all theaters. The theater equipment engincer supervises the installation of motion picture equipment, maintains a close contact with the cquipment manufacturers and conducts experiments looking to the improvement and simplification of projection. The auditor and his staff handle the reports from the field and the finances of the service. The personnel of a branch consists of a manager, a motion picture equipment supervisor, a stenographer, clerk and messenger.

All War Department Theaters are run by Army personnel. The theater is under the direct charge of the Post Recreation Officer. The theater staff as a rule consists of a cashier, doorman, operator and pianist. In the large posts the Recreation officer is assisted by a competent non-commissioned officer with the title of manager and. where the attendance warrants it, orchestras of from three to ten musicians are employed. All enlisted men having duties in connection with the theaters are paid an average wage of one dollar a showing. A large number of these enlisted men have displayed marked aptitude for the work incident to the proper exploitation and presentation of motion pictures.

In September of 1921 a request was received from the Panama Canal Department that the United States Army Motion Picture Service be extended to the Army posts in that department and October 1, 1921, a branch office was established at Cris

tobal. The work of properly equipping all theaters commenced at once, an improved film service was provided, good business methods were put into effect and the improvement was very noticeable. Today the attendance is over double what it was when the service was under local control, sixty per cent more entertainments are offered and the service is more than self-sustaining.

Practically the only complaints reIceived are that the films are old. The complaints are not justified and are the result of lack of understanding of the workings of the motion picture industry. A large number of Army posts subscribe to motion picture trade papers and base their requests for pictures on advertisements which appear therein, and are unable to understand why the branch manager does not furnish the requested pictures immediately. They fail to take into consideration the fact that the motion picture producers commence to advertise their pictures months in advance of the time that the pictures are actually released for showing. On one occasion a request was received for a picture that the producer had not at the time commenced to make. Others do not understand why they cannot secure at once a picture such as Douglas Fairbanks in "Robin Hood." They know that this picture is being shown in certain cities of the United States and therefore cannot understand why it is not available for them. The reason is that the picture is being shown as a "legitimate" attraction at "legitimate" prices and that until this picture has been shown in the key cities of the United States at these prices it will not be available for any motion picture theater, civilian or Army, at any rental price. There are many such cases.

Then again it is oftimes the case that a post will request certain pictures after the branch manager has made his bookings, which, of necessity, are made from four to six weeks in advance of the showing dates, and consequently the requested pictures cannot be booked until the next time the manager starts to book.

Still another aspect which apparently it is hard for recreation officers to understand is that a picture which

may be old in one part of the country is new in some other section of the country. This is due to the fact that a picture is not shown simultaneously in all large cities in the United States. One picture may be available in New York and not in Kansas City; another picture may be released in San Francisco on a certain date, and this same picture may not play Washington until two months later. This is all governed by the first run system of distribution in the film business. Most of the big pictures when they are released are tied up by contracts with first-run theaters for a period covering at least two or three months and while this is a strictly military service, civilian patronage not being solicited. the pictures must be booked with due regard to civilian theaters in nearby localities.

The civilian theater is the natural market for the product of the producers, the showing of motion pictures is the main line of endeavor of these theaters and their permanency for a reasonable number of years is assured. It would be poor business policy for any film company to give preference to a War Department theater, except in isolated cases, over the neighboring civilian theater when it is considered that for any number of reasons it might not be possible for the War Department theater to fulfill the contract in its entirety. For instance, the post might be abandoned or the men transferred to some other post. As the Army becomes better acquainted with the many ramifications of the work of furnishing films the complaints against the service become fewer and fewer.

The slogan of this service is "Always a Good Show at War Department Theaters." Branch managers thoroughly appreciate that they are solely and entirely responsible for the amusement of the officers, men and their families stationed at the various posts in their territory and that it therefore devolves upon them to give the biggest and best shows possible at all times. They are required to follow up programs with a spirit of good service, co-operation and an earnest effort to please regardless of reasonable cost. Service is now being furnished to 112 camps, posts and

stations in this country and the Panama Canal Department.

In the current number of one of the leading official motion picture trade papers, there is published a list of twenty-four sterling photoplays rated the biggest and best of the current season's releases. Twelve of these pictures have already been shown or are scheduled to show at Army stations and the balance will be shown as soon as dates are available in the very near future.

Motion pictures are one of the greatest mediums of expression. They possess the power to educate as well as amuse. The instructional value of War Department pictures together with the high entertainment and recreation value they afford has been one of the at ractive activities of the Army to which the Recruiting Service has pointed in explaining to prospective recruits the many advantages the War Departmen: has made available for the soldier at all posts and

The small profit realized during the first year and a half of operating was almost entirely used in the important work of equipping all theaters with adequate projection equipment. By September of 1922 this work had progressed to such an extent that it was found practicable to put into effect a plan by which all the theaters that operated t a profit would share definitely in such profits. The Army posts were therefore informed that from that time on they would be allowed twenty per cent of the receipts in excess of the cost of exhibiting a motion picture program. All posts benefit by this plan. the post

theaters that operate at a profit receiving a high grade motion picture service and a share of the profit and the post theaters that do not operate at a profit receiving high grade motion picture service that they could not afford to have if left to their

own resources.

The demand for motion picture entertainment for the summer camps found the United States Army Motion Picture Service prepared to furnish service on short notice and to even equip theaters with projection equipment where this action was found necessary. The service for these camps was operated on a profitsharing basis by which funds were allotted from the United States Army Motion Picture Fund for the hire of additional hostess service for these camps and camp commanders were authorized to dec'uct a certain percentage of the theater profits to be expended for the recreation of the men :ttending the camps.

Thorough investigation of the case of John H. Ward, 18, of 602 Mill street, who enlisted in the army and was sent to Madison Barracks for duty with the Second battalion of the Seventh Field Artillery after four indictments had been found against him, is to be made by Watertown Post, No. 228, American Legion Ward was given a suspended sentence by County Judge J. Frank LaRue and placed on probation following the promise of his attorney, Judge John Conboy, to get him into the service. The young man now faces the additional charge of fraudulent enlistment because he is alleged to have told the recruiting officers that he had not been convicted of a felony.

Edward H. Lee, commander of the local post of the American Legion, received the following letter today from Col. Hugh D. Wise, one of the most active workers in the Legion and who served at one time at Madison Barracks with the

regular army: "Sir:

"I desire to call your attention

to the reports being published in the daily local papers, particularly yesterday's Times. From these reports it would appear that a certain man named Ward was given a suspended sentence on conviction of a felony, provided that he should enlist in the United States Army.

"The commanding officer at Madison Barracks, justly indignant at this action of the judge, has taken official action to terminate the connection of this man with the army.

"I served long enough on the active list to know how difficult it is to prevent ignorant magistrates and judges from trying to turn our army into a reformatory and to know, too, how necessary it is that the people should help them keep the service clean.

"As a retired colonel of the army and as an organizer and chairman of the American Legion of this county, I wish to ask the aid of the Watertown Legion in behalf of the army.

"You Legion men are ex-soldiers and no one knows better than you

do the high standard of honesty and self-respect that goes with the uniform you wore. I need not argue the case with you. I ask only that you appoint a committee to look into the facts and that if you find that a judge in this city has insulted the soldiers and ex-soldiers as it is suggested he has, that the American Legion use all its strength to rid the county and the city bench of his presence.

"Very truly yours,

"Hugh D. Wise." Commenting on this letter, Commander Lee said. "The post will sift this matter to the bottom. A committee will be appointed at the regular meeting at 8 this evening to investigate and report on the findings before any definite action. is taken.

"It is the purpose of the American Legion to promote 100 per cent Americanism and to keep alive the patriotic spirit for which so many of us fought and thousands gave lives during the late war. We do not want the uniform disgraced." -Watertown, N. Y. Times.

133