The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1917-11-16
FRIDAY. NOVEMBER

In all the big cities In France where
our men PASS through in large NUM-
be.s, the Y. M. G. A. Is operating
hostels, where they can get beds and
meals at minimum cost In London
the American Y. M. C. A. mas erected
q large building for our soldiers and
clubhouse for American officers.
There are Y. M. G. A. dugouts right
behind the front line trenches, where
the soldiers can. get hot drinks, crack.
ers and other comforts at all hours.
Over 1000 men who had been reject.
ed on account Of physical disability
have been abe to get into the British
army by reason Of the physical work
Of the British Y. M. G. A.
A fleet Of motor cars leaves the big
Y. NJ. G. A. headquarters in London at
midnight every night to pick up sol
diers who are wandering about the
streets without any wholesome lodging
In which to spend the night. These
cars are operated by Englishwomen
Of position and refinement, who report
that they never meet any discourtesy
at the hands OF the soldiers. The Inn
portance of this service can be esti.
mated by the fact that at least $4,000
soldlers are en- leave In London every
week. Over half OF these sleep In Y.
M. c. A. beds every night.
Entertainment on Vast Scale.
The Y. M. C. A. has erected big
auditorium, seating 5000, in each Of
the big draft camps, and huge chautau-
qua tents, seating $500 In the otner
encampments. The association Is run
ming a 20 week entertainment circuit
among the camps and Is paying 1e
companies Of entertainers, who are
travelling to 80 camps performing be-
fore the men.
In each of the draft camps the Y.
Nj 9. A. has ten secretaries engaged
In educational work. The association
t seeing to 1t that every man who
cannot speak English is taught to do
30. In many Of the camps the asso-
citation has a singing director, who Is
teaching the men to sing the popular
and martial airs that do so much to
keep up their spirits.
OF 64 Y. M. G. A. men at Camp
Dix only three are being paid full sal
s-,-s. In ell the camps the majority
Of the Y. M. G. A. men have left lucra-
tive positions to do this work simply
because its appeal is irresistible to
any red blooded man. Harry Lauder,
the famous Scotch singer and come
dian, now on his farewell concert tour
in the United States, is giving all his
spare time to the service of the asso
citation and is singing to the soldiers
at all the camps he can reach.
In one Of the draft camps the Y. M.
G. A. Is supervising athletics on 120
playing fields, providing full athletic
equipment, The winners Of the inter-
regimental games will play the cham
pions of the other camps.
One of the greatest services render
ed by the association is the making
out OF money orders by which the men
can send their pay home to their fam
lilies. In some Of the big camps the
Y. M. G. A. is providing banking facil.
tiles for the men as well.
Do Your Bit With a Tenner.
This month (November) the Y. M.
G. A. must raise s35,00O.OoO to carry
On Its work among our soldiers and
their allies until next July. OF this
$35,0o0.o00 about s24,oOo,0OO will be
spent on the work with our own troops
sr about $40 for every man in Uncle
Sans uniform.
Athena Raises Quota.
Athena's quota of the National
Y. M. c. A. fund of $50, 900, 0Oo was
raised in six hours working time by
the committee, Mayor Watts and B. B.
Richards, in drive made Monday.
They appointed three teams of solicit
ors, who combed the community in a
most successful and satisfactory man.
ner. The quota, $500, was forwarded
to the county committee at Pendleton,
Tuesday morning. The entire list of
subscribers to the fund raised in Ath-
ena and vicinity will be published in
next weeks Press. Only one instance
of refusal to contribute was encoun-
tered by the solicitors, and If they
will give his name to the rress, it
will be published also.