Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-28
RETAIN SMITH
Y. M. c.. A. Executive
Committee Refuses to
Release Him for Over
seas Work

The State Executive committee OF
the Y. NJ. c. A. held a meeting at the
office of jefferson c. Smith Thursday
forenoon at 10 o'clock. at which there
were present, Horace c. Day of Au-
burn, who is the chairman; w. K
| Sanderson Of Portland, general freight
agent of the Maine Central Railroad
f.. NJ. Hamiin 81 Milo, of the
American ,Thre2.t Company in Maine
and the local members, Horace Purin-
ton and H.. l.. Emery of this city.
The regular business vas carried
on, the reports from the 81 different
departments being very encouraging
jefferson G.. Smith asked the board 70,
g leave OF absence for one yea to dc
overseas work. but his request was
not granted. This privilege was re-
fused Mr.. Smith in view of the fact OF
long acquaintance with the State anG
the many young men of the State. il
would he difficult for the board to find
a man to fill his place a%cceptaDiy anC
they felt that Mr.. Smith would be more
valuable to assist in selecting men &c
send abroad than to go himself and dc
but one mans work there. Besides
this there is the work of the boys and
students conferences to be carried
through as we'll as tn junior volunteer
movement for another year. for which
there is to be a greater demand than
ever and they felt obliged to fuse Mr.
oughly acquainted with these branches
of the work in the State.
1t was voted to hold the annual Boys
Conference as usual in view Of the fact
that many boys will soon be leaving
for work in some department OF the
army INC it seemed doubly necessary
to instill in their minds all the good
possible before they should leave
Many Of the boys of last year are even
now in overseas service. Those boys
who will not qualify as soldiers will
be Of great importance in reconstruct
ton work and it was felt by the com
mittee that they needed the conference
very much. The place, the time and
the program for the conference was
left as usual with the State secretary.
The various reports show that the
association is in a more f%1ourishing
condition in every department thai
ever before known. despite the fact
that the war has broken into the pro-
gram of the work n demanded time
on the part Of the State secretary as
well as the secretaries Of the local as
s~ociations.
One new building at Brownville
Junction mas been erected at a cost of
about 100000. the money for which has
been subscribed by the Canadian
Pacific railroad and the inhabitants OF
Brownville.
The latest reports or the State cam =
paign for the Red Triangle work shows
that approximately 5000 has been
actually raised in Maine which is s17.-
o00 over the maximum allotment
quite a good number Of men who have
gone overseas in secretarial work have
volunteered their services; the big
gest contribution from Maine has been
in men and in this respect his State
mas shown a better average than any
other state in New England.
Mr.. Smith received a telegram
Thursday from Mr.. Van Dis of New
Haven. saying that there Is a serious
epidemic in New London and the
health officials have called oft the
State Boys Conference, which was &c
have taken place there in New Haver
in a few days.