New Britain herald., 1917-05-07
\. N. [. A.. OBSERVES ITS 33RD BIRTHDAY
E. I. Cotton Describes Work in East and in Army Corps

Exercises in connection with the thirty-third anniversary of the found ing of the local Y. M. c. A. were held with . union service of the churches at the South Congregational church last evening. J. M. Clinton. who was to have been the principal speaker. was unable to attend because
 of an accident and E. T. Colton, as- stscant general secretary of the inter-
 national committee of the Y. M. c. A.
 and popularly known as Dr. Mott's
 right hand man." spoke in his stead.
 The report of the past years work in
 the association was read by General
 Secretary Clarence H. Barnes. &
 MT. Cotton told the association men
 that the Y. M. c. A. had given a dem
 onstration in recent months that
 would never be forgotten and 1t would
 be good to follow tAis heavenly vision. It was twenty-six years ago, according to MT. Cotton. that a united body of church men in India asked for help from the Y. M. c. A. to reach certain groups of people. This help was granted and a year later a simi- lar call came from Japan. Wonderful progress has since been made in that country. Later. in China, the colleges could. not turn the leaders of the land out fast enough and again the Y. M. c. A. was appealed to. It was men from the American colleges that instituted the Y. M. c. A. in these countries. At the present time there are 200 well trained men representing the United States in the association work in these lands, said MT. Cotton. Just as the leading cities of this coun- try gave North America the Y. M. c. A. 50 did these cities give their lands the association, In behalf fo the mor- ality of the people.
 At the present time there is a recon struction of the Christian churches going on in India When the war broke out there were no funds to carry on the work but the men in charge of the association there did not falter but went ahead with their plans. The troops transported were going from g. non Christian land to Christian one and the red tape of the India mili- tary institutions had to be broken. said Mir. Colton. Here the Y. M c. A. made itself indispensable and eleven representatives were at work.
 MT. Cotton said that in France the administered to the men and they had perfect faith in it. They went and served the men as Christ l would have done. At later date the 1 men asked that the association 1 men be transferred with the troops. 1 Tn speaking of the help New Britain | had rendered by sending 3 man into | the war zone Mr. Cotton told his 1 audience why MT. Simmonds. who is supported by the local association. 1 has been sent to India rather than France. In France the men were being moved out of the country and as the basic organization in India was under great strain it was considered the best plan to send a man of experi- ence. Since that time MT. Simonds had more than met the expectations of the local association, said MT. Col ton. Mir. Cotton spoke of the troops that are located in Mesopotamia and other places like Egyp&. There is no modern sanitation in these countries and men from the association are making many conditions possible that were never possible before. The flies are great pests in these places and be- ing germ carriers the chaplains do more duty at funerals than at other services.
 Money and men have come from both England and this country and have aided greatly in the colossal ser vice to, the world. Another great work of the association is carried on in the prison camps where it has been possible for the men to study along various lines. From among tho German prisoners in England the work was carried among the English prisoners in Germany and later to the prison camps in Russia Because of conscription, mon from all walks of life are to be found in the camps and because they have nothing to do vari- ous classes have been organized.
 Referring to the youth of America the battle for their moral character will be taken up long before fighting comes, according to Mir. Colton. The work of organizing has already started and will be well under way before Americans go through what the men of Europe have suffered. Social head quarters will be established just as soon as the camps are ready and four
 or five men will be in charge of each
 building. For 1917 $3,0O0.000 is
 needed and this sum Is based on the
 experience gained at the border last
 summer. In the name of the country
 and God the association will try and
 render the best service, said MT. Col
 ton.
 But at the same time, stated MT.
 Cotton, the work being carried on with
 the allies will be prosecuted as be-
 fore. As in the past, money will be
 expended on the work abroad. Con-
 structive work. which will btart after
 the war is over. cannot begin any too
 soon, according to Mir. Cotton. Many of the foreign countries tlaipk that this country is making money because of the war. While America has helped Belgium, she has not given that country the profits that she has