Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-11-13

BY SEC. BAKER
War Chief Pleased With the
Work Done at Great
Training Camp

Washington, Nov 1S.-In n recent
statement. Newton d, Baker. Secre-
tary OF War. tells why the Y. NJ. &. \.
is permitted in the camps Of Amer
lea and Europe, His statement fol-
lows;
Il have received n large number of
I communications from various So
cieties and fraternal organizations
, in all parts of the country, protest.
ing against an allege Discrimination
! by the War Department In allowing
the Young Mems Christian ASSocia-
ton and the knights of Columbus TO
erect recreation buildings inside tne
ines of the environments and Ma
uonal Guard training camps. wnlie
tcrbidding other societies the Same
privilege. These letters and protests
have become so numerous that |
have decided to make a public state
ment TO clear away the misunder-
standing which apparently exists"
Ever since the plans for the can
I tonmentS and training camps were
first made the War Department has
been Hooded with requests from all
sorts of organizations to erect spe-
: cial buildings inside the military
reservations. Various religious de-
nominations, n large number OF
, lodges and fraternities. and many
athletic and reCreational clubs have
petitioned us, each seeking to minis
ter exclusively to its own membership
inside the camps. To say nothing
of the confusion which the admis-
sion OF these various societies and
orders would involve ii would. of
course, be physically impossible,
from the standpoint of available
space, to allow all of them to erect
buildings within the camps. II
seemed. therefore. a fair and reason
able solution of the problem to ad-
nit the two organizations which had
already been identified with recrea-
tional work within military camps.
to wit, the Young Mems Christian
Association and the knights of CO.
lumbus Both organizations served
the soldiers along social lines, on
the Mexican border last summer.
without regard to any question OF
membership. on this condition.
therefore, that they would not limit
their activities to a particular con-
stituency, and that their buildings
would at all times and for all meet
ings be open to the entire camp. they
We're allowed admission to the mili-
tary reservations.
The Young Mems Christian As
soCiation represents the Protestant
denominations, which will Consti-
tute roughly SO per cent of our new
Army; the work of this organization
in all military camps both in Canada
and abroad is too we'll known to re-
quire comment. The Knights of Co
lumbus represent the Catholic de-
nomination, which will constitute,
perhaps. 30 per cent. of the new
Army. While This society is n fra
ternal organization. il will sustain
exactly the same relation to the
camps as * sustained by the Young
Mems Christian Association and will
hold no meetings to which all the
troops in the camps are not invited.
regardless of religious or other pref
erences. The Young Mems Hebrew
Association in its recreational work
has identified itself with the Young
Mems Christian Association, and II
seems to me that this task of min
i! istering to the social needs of the
soldiers within the camps has been
met fully. and in way which will
not needlessly complicate the ma
chinery of camp organization.
1T seems to me. moreover, that
the communities near by the camps.
where the soldiers will undoubtedly
spend much of such leisure time as
is allowed them. present genuine
opportunity 10 those various socie-
ties and organizations, which have
sought admission to the camps. EN-
perience has shown that the instinc-
tive desire of a soldier with an hour
Of free time is to go to town."
if the town is only a crossroads.
For this season, therefore, the COM
mission on training camp activities.
with nv approval and under my di-
rection, has given a great deal of
time and thought TO the task of or
ganiZing these towns and cities along
recreational aRd social lines. Local
committees have been appointed in
each such community, and the at
tempt has been made to harness UP
the lodges, churches, clubs, and 9TH
er local groups and organizations,
with the men in the camp. This,
it seems to me. Is an opportunity for
service which can not wisely be over
looked. Eacn lodge, church, and fra
ternity can look out for the needs of
its own soldier membership, and
where local groups are unable finan-
cially to provide adequately for this
task the larger organization of the
church or fraternity, as the case may
be. can come to the rescue with more
ample means.
Indeed there is so large a task be-
fore US in surrounding our troops
with a healthy environment. anS the
emergency is so great that | trust
that all groups can cooperate in a
cordial spirit of loyalty and fellow
ship, regardless of any differences of
face, creed or atfiliation."