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This was the negative side of the situation.

Affirmatively Baker worked on the premise that `` young men spontaneously prefer to be decent, and that opportunities for wholesome recreation are the best possible cure for irregularities in conduct which arise from idleness and the baser temptations ''.

The wholesome activities were to be provided by many organizations including the YMCA, the Knights of Columbus, the Jewish Welfare Board, the American Library Association, and the Playground and Recreation Association -- private societies which voluntarily performed the job that was taken over almost entirely by the Special Services Division of the Army itself in World War 2.

Over these voluntary agencies, in 1917-18, the CTCA served as a co-ordinating body in carrying out what Survey called `` the most stupendous piece of social work in modern times ''.

Under Fosdick the first executive officer of the CTCA was Richard Byrd, whose name in later years was to become synonymous with activities at the polar antipodes.

From the point of view of popularity the best-known member of the Commission was Walter Camp, the Yale athlete whose sobriquet was `` the father of American football ''.

He was placed in charge of athletics, and among other things adapted the type of calisthenics known as the daily dozen.

The CTCA program of activities was profuse: William Farnum and Mary Pickford on the screen, Elsie Janis and Harry Lauder on the stage, books provided by the American Library Association, full equipment for games and sports -- except that no `` bones '' were furnished for the all-time favorite pastime played on any floor and known as `` African golf ''.

The CTCA distributed a khaki-bound songbook that provided the impetus for spirited renditions of the selections found therein, plus a number of others whose lyrics were more earthy -- from `` Johnny Get Your Gun '' to `` Keep The Home Fires Burning '' to `` Mademoiselle From Armentieres ''.