The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-01
4 Fifth Wheel.

/ The Proposed Introduction Of Y. M. c.
4. Men at Army Posts.
The Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation wants to invade army posts.
General Chaffee and other prominent
army officers are opposed to the idea.
The new army post exchange build
ings, for which the Government has
appropriated much money, will con-
( tain gymnasiums, bowling alleys,
/ game rooms, reading rooms. and re-
freshment rooms. The association
wishes to put a physical director and
! secretary in charge Of each of these
I buildings, to perform duties which
have hitherto been performed by
/ chaplains
The association in question is an
| admirable organization in its own
place, but its place is not everywhere
not in young ladies' seminary, for
instance, nor an old folks home, or
an army post. One army officer made
the very sensible statement that if
this association were allowed privi-
leges Others would want the same.
and the result would be an amount
of civilian interference with the af-
fairs of the army quite unjustifable.
but very hard to meet. The army. he
said, could provide its own spiritual
and physical directors.
1t is not to be supposed that the
sslH ~ tot 9.E
would be paid by the Government;
doubtless he would receive his salary
from the association itself. But there
is a great deal of work waiting to be
done by this or any other religious
organization, in places where its work
VIII be welcome and is eagerly
sought; there is no earthly need of
its representatives poking their noses
into places where they are not want
ed, and engaging in work which pre-
sents difficulties somewhat peculiar.
and unfamiliar TO them. One of the
greatest mistakes which religious or
CARNATIONS Of many kinds have made
IN the past, one of the ways in which
they have wasted money, time. and
energy. has been that Of invading
places in which they were not wanted
or needed. The assumption that
thing is good for all places because it
happens to be good for one place is
just as absurd in religious work. as it
would be in farming Even so good 4
thin as the sun, as necessary a thing
as rain, may do harm in some places.
Moreover, successful religious work
being dependent son the fitness Of
human nature for it, it is a great mis-
take to assume that a good man viii
be equally useful wherever he goes
and whatever may be his methods.
The money and workers of the Young
Mems Christian Association are in
adequate to the needs Of our great
cities. our towns, and villages. There
they are wanted. and needed, and find
plenty of material In the army there
are chaplains. TO minister to the spir-
ltual needs Of the men. and they are
or should be, competent. TO attend to
their work Also the bcolonels and
majors and Iieutenants and other Off
GERS are not altogether devoid OF re-
HgiOus principle. LET us hope. nor are
they totally Indifferent to the welfare
OF their men. Ia fact, the modern
army officer is obliged 70 recognize
the fact that the closer he can come
TO his men, the more readily he can
bring ont the finest qualities in them +
the better they viii serve him in time
Of need; so that even as q matter of +
worldly policy it would pay for
young officer to watch over his men. /
and do his best TO further their moral
and physical welfare. The protests /
which officers Of various regiments Z
made against the abolition Of the can
teen showed, If they showed any
thing, such a spirit Of thoughtful 4
care. The average army officer may
not be a saint, but he is honestly de- +
sirOus Of keeping the moral tone of I
his regiment as high as he can, albeit /
he knows o good deal more about the /
difficulties Of such a task than the
men who have never been on the
ground. He is not an optimist. but
neither is he G. woriily-minded, care
less, Indifferent wretch. When. .
therefore. he protests against the in .
PRODUCTION Of a civilian 70 take charge /
Of duties which the army chaplain can /
perform perfectly well. il IS only rea-
soneble to assume that he opposes !
such an innovation on good grounds. .
Where is the use Of having two men /
10 do one mans work?