The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-04-30
Secretary Moody Investigates Ihe
Young Mems Christian Assocla'
ton in the Navy


Hon. w. H. Moody, Secretary OF
the Navy, who has been making
oulet investigation Of the Naval young
Mems Christian Association. mas Tor
warded the correspondence to the
International Committee Of the Young
Mems Christian Association. Bret
extracts will indicate its spirit.
In forwarding the correspondence
Mr.. Moody wrote: al believe that
the result of the establishment OF
your work at the naval stations has
been unquestionably and unqualified
ly good. We should like to see the
work continued and increased. 1t is
kind of work which is beyond gov
ernmental scope and would not flour.
ish under official inspection and con.
troll"
Rear Admiral II. c. Taylor, U. S.
/ N, Chief of the Bureau of Naviga-
ton, wrote: "What | especially ad.
mired about the methods of the AS
sociatlon was their practical character.
1t is my opinion, from personal OBJ
servation. that drunkenness in the
North Atlantic fleet has been notice
ably diminished by the efforts of the
Association, and that the direct and
apparent benefit to the Navy puts the
work of the Association on differ
ent ground from that of other rell-
gious or philanthropic work"
Rear Admiral Francis J. Higgin-
son, U. S. N, in command of the
North Atlantic Squadron, has had a
large opportunity to see the work OF
the Association. He wrote: "These
institutions have my unqualified APP
proval, as, in my opinion, they have
had the effect of establishing habits
of temperance and good order among
the sailors of the Navy while on
liberty. They are of particular bene.
fit to the apprentice boys-those
wards of the nation, around whom we
should throw every good influence.
This Association, too, has a direct
bearing upon the discipline of the
Navy, enabling the man to return
from liberty clean and sober and or
time; benefits conferred, as far as
know, by no other institution. AS one
of the old sailors remarked, "Thest
boys are not being brought up to re
gard the saloons and brothels as the
only resorts while on liberty as was.
If there was no other recommends
tion IN favor of these institutions,
think that the record of money saveC
by the enlisted men of the Nav,
through their influence would of it
self recommend them to the favor o
the Navy Department.
In his letter to Secretary Moody
Rear Admiral A. S. Barker, u. s. N.
Commandant of New York Nav,
Yard, says: "From personal observa
tion and from what l have Learned
from officers and men, the influence
of the branch on Sands Street
Brooklyn, is most beneficial. l an
assured by men who 60 there that
is run satisfactorily, that no complain
can be made against it on account O
sectarlanlsm, and that it is very popu
lar among the enlisted men. l an
told that one.third of the member
are Catholics, which fact in itsel
speaks well for its freedom from an
charge of sectarianlsm.
Rear Admiral Charles S. Cotton
U. S. NJ, who as Commandant of tn
Norfolk Navy Yard, has had the MOI
folk branch under his eye since
started year ago, writes: There
not the slightest doubt in my min
that the work of the Association is
great power for good, and a valuabl
aid to the discipline. Such plac
keeps many men from the temptatio
of the slums and of the vile dens {
lniquity therein; helps them to retail
their moral character, their sci
respect, their manhood, and the
hard-earned money, and sends man
a man back to his ship on time, clea
and sober, who might otherwise fall
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