The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-02
men At FRONT
SHARE PEa|LS Of VIII
Nearly - Secretaries Havs Gene Ts
European BattieReiAs trom This
Country-Many Have
Been Injured.

Nearly 500 Young Mems Christian
association secretaries have gone to
the war zone from this country. II
was stated yesteraa, at the headouar-
ters OF the state war work council. In
the Chamber Of Commerce building.
They have boon men Of varying ages.
many OF them much over thirty, AL
though vigorous health was q priIn {
necessity. SVsne OF them were of drsIl
age, but thaGa we're made up OF men
rejected for defects OF eyestor other
wise, or wele men whose DRAFT num-
bers would rot be reached FOR three
months or more. Such were engaged
with the understanding that they were
to be subject to call at q moments no.
tice. About fifty left the Y. M c. A.
seryice to enlist without waiting to be
called under the raft. Some of the
other men were within the draft lin
Its. but were ministers or theological
students. and as such exempt. 1t would
appear from this, II was pointed out.
that the inference that the men were
slAc<ers was not justified.
But II any man sought employment
with the Y. NJ. c. A. In the war zone
thinking to save his hide from the per :
lis OF warfare he was a misguided In
di siduaL AS a matter OF fact only the
soldiers in the front trenches are In
Kreater danger than the secretaries
and most of the work 10 done where
there IL practically conFtant. she'll IRE.
One old Engfish secretary for ITO days
In succession was not for = minute free
from danger. He was not alone In
this. for the average casualties approx
innate . per cent. Hnts have been shot
to pieces, dugouts shelied and de-
stroyed. probably ATTY OF each accoi d.
Ing to the latest reports received at
headquarters. The work OF the Y. NJ
c. A. cannot all be done back At the
rest camps and IN the villages beyond
the zone Of nring, The men work In
the rest camps and In the destroyed
villages back OF the trenches which
are always under ere and In the
trenches also. True the, are not often
In tho front line trenches. but tbs last
thing a soldier gets before going over
the top" from the hands of Y NJ.
G. A. mrn Is cup Of hot chocolate
or cocoa. \ couple of biscuits and two
cakes of chocolate, the latter as an
emergency ratien should the man fsll
wounded between the lines.
The secretaries are always In the
communication and second aud third
lire trenches. The frst friend tAe
walking wounded" man meets on the
way back to a hospital lie the Y. NJ.
G. A. secretary, who binds up the
"ONAAS ~ hVUa pSs ktfES cup W
something hot and perhaps assists the
fellow TO the doctor. when these Tnen
are nysd up by the surgeons they are
practically turned oyer to the Y. NJ.
G. A. except so far as nedicsi attention
Is concerned.
In anticipation of the campaign for
$35.0eo,000 to extend the Y. n. c. A.
war camp work. which begins Novsm-
Der IL And lasts until November 10,
Virginia 10 botnE thoroughly organixed.
Henry c. Beattfe will be the county
chatrmNu OF Hxnrfc6 counfy. In Anne
liza county J. O. Jef1erson will be chair
man. assisted by G. N. Stacey. DR.. X
S. Blackwell. OF Ashland. president or
Randolph Macon college. will ba dis
trict chairman for Cumberland. Pow
hatan. Goochiand and Hanover coun-
ties.
w. c. McCarty. Of Richmond, cam
paign secretary for Southwest Virginia,
ID now travelling under the direction
OF Colonel f. B. Trinkie and r. r.
Irwin organising the counties In the
district to which he has been assigned.
E. B. Foster. OF Clifton Forge. is or
gsnixinE the city and county Of Alex
andriA under tina leadership Of Judge
J. X. NJ Norton.
A. d. Jackson. OF Richmond. and @,
n. Greedy. OF New York, are orEanis-
ing the counties immsdtat siy surround
Ing Richmond. C. g. Pisasants. CAM
paign secretary, 10 at work In tina
counttss Of 1'idewater virginia.
Much interest has been taken In the