New-York tribune., 1908-11-13
WOOD PRAISES Y. M. C. 4.
Says Worh IN Cuba and Philippines
Helps 4rmy.

Major General Leonard Wood, U. S A. the new
commander of the Department of the East. and
General Horace Porter the principal guests
at the annual dinner of the international Com
mttee of Young Mems Christian Associat atoms of
North America at the Waldorf last night. Nine OF
the secretaries Of the committee spoke on their
particular field OF work. Secretary Root, who was
expected did not come because of the death OF a
relative.
II saw the first four years of your work in
Cuba said General Wood, ''and l have seen the
last five years of your work in the Philippines
You doing valuable work among the men of
the army and the navy. more valuable than, per
haps even you imagine. You have reached out
into these places and done much to improve the
respect in which held by the natives You
have greatly aided in work among these
people as well as provided moral and physical
betterment for the men in cur service.
General Porter. who spoke early that he might
keep another Engagement, said that one of the
strongest pofnts of the work of the Young Mems
Christian Associa ton what it did to advance
civic righteousness. 1T gives character to It's
members" he said. land stands man in good
stead character sponsor when he has need OF
such support"
Lucen Q Warner chairman of the international
committee spoke of the progress that had been
made In the work in the LAST year. In this eoun-
try there were $50 buildings valued at S33occoo at
the beginning of the year he said while now mere
were $50 buildings valued at A00oo,eco In view
of the panic this record of nearly ore new build
ing week was remarkable Mr.. Warner said
OF the 1872 associations in the world about Two
thousand were in America. Although this country
had only one-auarter OF the ASSOCIATIONS u Hd"
more than one-half of the membership.
One of the achievements of the year. the speaker
said, was the headquarters builolns a' NJ,
i24 East 2sth street. which cost s5oo@o, and hao
been provided through the generosity OF Mrs- VIII
lam E Dodge and Mrs Russell Sage
Alfred F. Marlng vfce-chairman of the commit
tee. took the chair 10 introduce the talks OF the
secretaries, and instructed a man with oeH TO
warn them the end of six minutes and can
them down at the expiration OF eight Ire MAJOR
ity OF them enthusiastic that they spoke
beyond both bells.
DR.. George ]. Fisher on behalf of the physlcal
department. said that taught not only
how to exercise but how to live. In view OF the
fact that four thousand persons had lost their
lives in this country last because they did not
know how swim, his department was going to
undertake TO teach every of the members of
the Young Mems Christian Association how TO
swim in the coming year
W b. Mar secretary of the Army and Navy
Department. said that much of the credit for the
good behavior of the the battleship fleet
in trip around the world due to the work
of the Young Mems Christian Association commit
in the various ports of call.
W. A. Hunton. secretary of the work among the
negroes spoke with pride of the fact that the cor
nerstone of a handsome building to be devoted to
that work in Washington would laid by President
Roosevelt ons Thanksgiving Day.
Others who spoke John r. Boardman. OF
the County Department, which has undertaken, as
he said Ito redirect the social life in rural COM
munities'': D. X Porter. of the boys department.;
+. T. Cotton OF the student and foreign depart
ments; J. F. Moore of the railroad department; E
H. Thorn OF the industrial department and Fred
B. Smith, Of the religious work department,