Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-15
O. O. StQnchfield Tells of
Great Work Y.M.C.A. Does
For Poor People of India

the milk production is being trebled
or quadrupled by crossing the native
hadry cattle with productive breeds
from Scotland or Australia. These
improvements are financed through
the Y. M. c.. A. banks.
These financial enterprises are used
as a means to pry upward the social
and moral condition of the people.
The Y. M. G. A. leaders say to the
peasant: IF you get drunk you lose
time and remain in debt. Drink adds
to your labors. Therefore you should
stay sober. If you allow dirt to ac-
cumulate you become i'll, and that
costs money. Therefore you should
clean up" In this way the natives
are taught to see the connection be-
tween right. methods Of living and
comfort and relative o%pulence. Mr..
~Stanchfield says that the transforma-
ton that has been wrought in many
districts by the patient. tactful work
of the association along these lines
has been truly remarkable.
Loyal to British.
Referring to political conditions,
Mr.. Stanch1eld says that the Indians
as a body are thoroughly loyal to the
British government, which is doing
everything possible to improve their
condition and to bring them to the
oSo6S VI O~StclOptlcI "IlCEc Sell
government, will be possible. Among
the educated classes this spirit is es-
pecially strong, and he says that the
manifestations Of discomfort which
have often attracted much attention
in the Occidental countries are as a
rule due chiefly to the activities of
youthful students who have not yet
found themselves, and of he erratic
and unreliable element such as may
be found in any country.
Association work in India is di-
rected in general by those Of the Eng
lish speaking races. but before these
men can qualify for Indian service
they must be familiar with Indian
life and have some knowledge at
least of Hindustani, which. regardless
of locality, is the language commonly
understood by the people. Educated
natives are trained for the work, and
some of the most effective workers
are to be found among those of In
dian birth.
The caste system prevalent in India
has an effect on the physical condi-
ton of the Indian people which is
very im~perfectly understood by out
siders. There the individual must
marry within his w caste. the tree
/, climber with the tree climber. the
carpenter with the carpenters daugh-
ter, and so on. Close intermarriage,
generation after generation, which is
inseparable from this system, has re-
suited in the physical deterioration of
the race, and in this is found another
of the many problems with which the
social worker must deal as he finds
it, and not according to any precon-
ceived notions which are founded on
his W experiences in a different
society.
Mr.. %stanchheld states the interest
ing fact that after the outbreak OF
the war association men from India
were the first on the ground in
France, reaching the battle front in
October. some time ahead of theil
fellow-workers from England, who
were delayed by official restriction
which it took some time to remove
The first secretaries from India &C
companied the first contingent of In
dian troops to the front, sailing or
the same ships with them, and leaving
before permission had actually beer
granted for them to enter France
Before their arrival the restriction
had been removed.